FLORA OF ISIPINGO. 353 



very common. The grasses found are Tricholaena rosea, T. seti- 

 folia, Imperata arundinaceae, Anthistiria imberbis, Sporobohis 

 rehmanni, Aristida junci form-is , Cynodon dactylon, Dactyloc- 

 tenium aegyptiacum and a few clumps of Andropogon nardus. 



Xanthium strumarium is fast spreading over the sands; in 

 fact, already in some parts it is impossible to walk along without 

 gathering innumerable burrs. 



Before describing the Flats, a short account of the river flora 

 will be given. The Umlaas River, which runs into the Isipingo 

 Lagoon, is almost unnavigable unless at high tide. The plants 

 occurring on its banks have just been described. The water from 

 this river divides and one portion flows into the Lagoon while the 

 other takes a bend and runs down on the left-hand side of the 

 island and almost parallel to its former course. It turns again 

 and flows through a channel on the upper side of the island, and 

 so into a fine stretch of water. The bay is surrounded by man- 

 groves, of which Bruguiera gymnorhiza is dominant. On the 

 channel side of the island there are about a dozen or so trees of 

 Rhizophora mucronata. 



The Isipingo River joins the Umlaas River at the channel, 

 and it is navigable for about three miles. Going up the river 

 towards its source there is, on the left-hand side, a dense growth 

 of mangroves, intercepted at intervals by Hibiscus tiliaceus, while 

 creeping over the trees are Scutia commersonii and Rhiocissus 

 rhomboidea. Here and there in front of the mangroves are small 

 banks of Sporobohis pungens. 



On the right-hand side, immediately opposite the channel, 

 there is a stretch of Phragmites communis with several clumps of 

 Scirpus littoralis. Below and above are mangroves, but for a 

 short distance they are not nearly so dense as on the opposite side 

 and at intervals Phragmites communis, Scirpus littoralis, Dichro- 

 stachys nutans and Acacia clavigera occur. 



The mangroves are very dense on either side in most places:, 

 though they are more continuous on the left-hand side. The other 

 side is more often an intermingled belt of Phragmites communis, 

 Scirpus littoralis, Dichrostachys nutans, Dalbergia armata, D. 

 obovata, Acacia clavigera, Scutia commersonii, Hibiscus tiliaceus, 

 Rhus natalensis and Phoenix reclinata. In many places the sugar 

 cane grows right down to the water's edge. 



Floating on the surface of the water is Pistia stratiotes. In 

 sheltered corners it forms green patches on the surface of the water. 



Loranth us dregei is very common on its host Hibiscus tiliaceus, 

 and it also grows freely on Melia azedarach . 



There are very few small plants growing close to the water's 

 edge, but of these Nidorella anomala and Aizoon canariense are 

 the commonest. Creeping over the trees are Ipomea purpurea, 

 Ipomea pahnata and Ipomea sp. The species of Ipomea also twine 

 themselves round the steins of Phragmites communis. 



The ground on either side of the river is, for the most part, 

 utilised for the cultivation of sugar cane. 



