Preliminary Note on the Flora of Bethlehem 1 1 



out of the influence of the damp soil the Bromus disappears as 

 the dominant species and flowering plants are more common. 

 Specimens of Acal\)pha peduncularis are common, and such 

 species as Sutera aurantiaca, Arciotis sp., Helichrysum lati- 

 folium, and Clu^tia natalensis are frequent. Themeda triandra 

 (Rooi-grass) is only found outside the Bromus zone. In some 

 places the river widens and becomes shallow but still shaded by 

 the overhanging willows. The middle of the stream is usually 

 covered by a bamboo but in shallow places the dominant species 

 are Conium chaeroph^llioides. Ranunculus puhescens and Bromus 

 sp. Growing actually in the water are Veronica anagallis, 

 Rumex ecklonianus and /uncus sp. Several Cyperaceae are com- 

 mon such as Cyperus marginatus which forms isolated clumps, and 

 Cyperus distans found on wet ground. As the stream is ascended 

 it narrows and flows over rocks. On one side are broken per- 

 pendicular cliffs on the other a steep kopje, while usually for a 

 short distance on either side of the stream are grassy banks. The 

 cliffs are covered with plants of the stunted bush type but many 

 smaller species are found in the crevices of the rocks. Some of 

 these are Mohria cafrorum, Pellaea hastata, Felicia muricata, 

 Tricholaena setifoUa, Peponia caledonica, Ornithogalum sub- 

 spicatum, Hypoxis villosa, etc. At the foot of these cliffs are a 

 few bushes such as Leucosidea sericea, Cluytia natalensis and 

 Myrsine africana. The grasses on the banks of the stream are 

 Harpechloa capensis, Eragrostis hrizoides, E. sp., Andropogon 

 appendiculatus and Themeda triandra. Nearer the stream in 

 more or less wet soil are plants of Lobelia Erinus, Pennisetum 

 Thunbergii and KyMinga erecta while lining the banks and grow- 

 ing in the water is a fringe of Cyperus distans. The slopes of 

 the kopje are dry and covered by small shrubs; the two most 

 common being Artemisia afra and Cluytia natalensis. A species 

 of Bulbine is conspicuous owing to its large yellow inflorescence. 

 Among the boulders are many shade-loving species such as 

 Phytolacca hepiandra and Stachys malacophylla. At the junc- 

 tion of the bush and grassy bank of the stream are found patches 

 of Tulbaghia sp. Other species found in flower on the slopes 

 are Senecio hasiulatus, Asclepias eminens, Clerodendron triphyU 



