126 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



are borne up against their glossy background of trees by the 

 coiled tips of their leaves. Littonia and Flagellaria (Fig. 114) 

 have a similar habit. No tendrils are borne on the tips of the 

 lower leaves. They can grow erect for some time without a 

 support. 



Hook Climbers. — Some plants like Asparagus and Dog 

 Roses lean against others for support. The recurved thorns 

 or prickles which ward off animals serve to fix and support the 

 plant. The Ivy climbs by means of roots (haustoria) which 

 grow out along the stem. 



Fig. 113. — The petioles of Clematis act as tendrils. 



Plants in dry open places, on the other hand, are less con- 

 genial. It is to their advantage to appropriate as much soil as 

 possible to the exclusion of others of their own or of different 

 kinds. Some species of Brunsvigia and Hcemanihus spread 

 their flat leaves closely upon the ground, preventing others 

 from gaining a foothold, and smothering any weaker plant which 

 may have taken root in the soil which their leaves can cover. 

 So the plants appropriate water and food material from a wide 

 area. 



Foreign Immigration. — Have you ever thought how 

 much or how little South Africa owes to other countries for 

 its flora? Dr. Bolus, in his *' Sketch of South African Flora," 

 mentions as one of its peculiarities "its power to resist the 



