248 Report S.A.A. Ai)\ anckmknt ok 8cienci:. 



(6) On the westei-ii coast, ''.ij. neai- .Saldanha Bay, Culeowma 

 and other Cape types are entirely absent. The bulk of the vegetation 

 consists of Lyciutn tetratidnnn, Zyyophyllnm foetidnin, Euclea pen- 

 iatidra, Rhus ylauca and (Jassine capensis, here and there interspersed 

 with groups of Aloe niitrljormis, }ffisenibriaiUheni)ini and succulent 

 Pelaryonia. 



(2) Sandy Beaches. — Here prevail the same types as in other parts 

 of the world, viz., halophytic plants from various and wi<lely distributed 

 natux'al orders, Fratikeida capitafa, Chenolea diffusa, Plantaijo etirnosa, 

 Samolus porosns, Stenotaphriini caff'rum, Erayrostis ijlabrata. Occa- 

 sionally the formation is entirely dominated by Kragrosils cyp'^roides 

 (the evilly renowned vogelstruis grass). 



(3) The Dunes. — The first i-ow of dunes nearest the sea is often 

 exclusively occupied by Chytnococca empfffo'ides, which adorns the white 

 sands in midsummer with its wealtli of bright red berries. On older 

 or higher dimes one always finds Enclea racemosa, Mundia spinosa, 

 Rhus creuata and R. mncronafa, Myrica cordifolia (the Cape wax- 

 berry), Salvia aurea and mostly a few others, e.g. Colpoon (■ompr<'ssum, 

 Folyyala niyrtifoJia, Sidero.rylon inenne, the latter often attaining the 

 size of a tree. Further eastward other elements become more prominent, 

 e.g. Azinia tetracaiifha. 



II, Vlhvs and Swamps. 



(1) Limnii'ic Formations. — Our permanent lakelets and pools are 

 principally characterised l)y Xymphm slellata, Fotamoyefon pusit/vm, 

 Typha australis or T. capt'tisis, and possess sometiines also Limnanthe- 

 mntn Th^i,nheri)ianutn. 



In periodical vleys we find (juite a difi:erent association of plants, 

 the principal featui-e being Aponof/eton distachyon. Occasionally pre- 

 vail Hypoxis aqnatica, Dipidn.f fi'iquf^fra, LimosfJhi a(/fiatica and 

 Oxalis nalwiis. 



(2) The Falmietum. — This is do)))inated by Prioniuin Fahnita, 

 an arborescent Ju)icaceous plant, which combines the habit of a dwarf 

 palm with the inHorescence of a rush, and plays an important role in 

 regulating the fiow of the water in many of the south-western rivers. 

 The bed of smaller I'ivers is ofteji completely filled with it, and the 

 watei' has to force its way between the stems of the plants. Lichten- 

 stein describes how on one occasion, after a heavy rain, the water of 

 tlie Berg River required four days in order to travel a distance of 

 "seven hours," counting all bends of the river. 



(3) The Zatdedesclila Swanijis \^Zan/edeschia af/iiopico (L. ), Spreng. 

 = Richardia africana, KunthJ.One of the most surpiising views to 

 visitors from Europe is a field <tf arums in winter, for thousands of the 

 white inflorescences may be seen at a glance, either in the open, where 

 they are usually intermingled with Typha or the common European 

 reed {Fhalaris), oi- among the bare poplar trees, wheie a few other 

 winter-riowering monocotyledons occui-, ''.(j. the tall and showy Anthohjza 

 pnealta or the smaller A. ath'xoi/iea. 



