Till". I'LAM SL'CCKS.SIO.V IN THE THOKN \EM). 1 63 



Urticaceae — 



Ficus capeusis l.f. Celtis kraussiaiia o. 



Ficus natalensis l.f. Trema bracteolata a. 



Salicineae — 



Salix capeusis l.d. Salix woodii O. 



Palmae — 



Phcenix reclinata l.f. 



Liliaceae — 



Asparagus spp., f. Kehnia reticulata o. 



Aloe spjx, f. to d. 



Cycadacege — 



Encephalartos alten- 



steinii l.f. 



Variations ix the Thorn Veld — Sub-Formations. 



As is to be expected, the very great area occupied by Thorn 

 Veld or Thorn Scrub at its climax stage is not a uniform habi- 

 tat. There are many local variations throughout it. and the 

 following separate types should be recognised. 



(1) Thorn Veld tozvards the Coast. — The Thorn area at 

 lower altitudes towards the coast is free from frost in winter, 

 and several of the species included in the above list only occur 

 in such frost-free localities. This sub-type, therefore, is deter- 

 mined by a climatic variation. The following are the specie-^ 

 referred to: — 



Erythroxylon uwnogynum, Dodonaea thu)ibcr<jiana. Ber- 

 saiiia Incens, Sclerocarya caffra, Milletia caffra, Alhlssia fas- 

 tigiata, Dichrostachys nutans, Cassipourea vcrticillata, Hetero py- 

 xis natalensis, Ho)naliuni rufescens. Citssonia umhellifera, 

 Kraussia lanceolata, Strychnos spinosa, Cordin caffra, Cyclo- 

 stenion argutus, Brldelia micrantha, Exca'caria caffra, E. afr\- 

 cana, Phxnix reclinata. The plant succession on the coast also 

 dift'ers in detail, though it is essentially similar to that described 

 above. Many variations in the succession, of course, can be 

 seen in almost every different locality. It depends upon what 

 species are abundant in the neigh lx)urhood (in the areas which 

 serve as bases for colonization). 



(2) Rocky Places. — Here the soil conditions are nmch 

 more irregidar than over the rest of the Thorn Veld. The rocks 

 and stones consen^e moisture, and shelter is provided for seed- 

 lings. Such places are also more frequented by birds and other 

 animals, and consequently seeds are more likely to be brought 

 there. Almost any of the Thorn V^eld species may be found in 

 such situations, but some are particularly characteristic of them, 

 and are rarely found elsewhere. The aloes are often pioneers, 

 and may remain dominant. The speckboom (Portulaearia afra) 



