207 



uwiriDuuon in tne tropics of the Old World, there are only four 

 left which enter the Hylaea (Panicum maximum, Tricholaena 

 rosea, bporobolus feshms and Eragrostis asijera) none of them 

 however, peculiar to it. Of species whose areas are chiefly in the 

 northern temperate zone Erianthus Ravennae is of interest in 

 so tar as its occurence in Somaliland is the only instance of its 

 extension into the tropics. It is found throughout the Mediter- 

 ranean region, in Central Asia and North-eastern India, frequently 

 in the neighbourhood of streams, just as in Somaliland. Another 

 more temperate type is Aeluropus repen.% a halophilous grass 

 which is mainly a native of the Mediterranean region, but in 

 India has found its way into the tropics, ranging along the shores 

 of the Deccan Peninsula as far as Ceylon. 



The endemic element is represented by 15 species of which 



tocladus 



Bmtn from Socotra) a marked little group not found any- 

 where else. AH the other species peculiar to British Somali- 

 land have their nearest allies in groups which are represented, and 

 mostly well represented, in the Erythraean and the adioinin- 

 provinces, so that the endemism of the grasses is not of a verv 

 high order. * 



Physiologically the grasses of Somaliland may be considered as 

 distinctly xerophilous types, mostly fitted for the prolonged 

 droughts by long resting periods during which they are reduced 



cvcl7 ThplT V a - m i al habU With a Vw y sWt vegetative 

 S^uS^S^^S b ° WeVer ' ^sented *>J U species only, 



more 



-ux« uicui nail or wmch are cosmopolitan. The tall rank grasses 

 so characteristic of the steppes of tropical Africa are almost absent 

 and are replaced by forms which rarely exceed I m. and in many 

 cases are under 05 m. A notable exception is Andropogon 

 cyrtocladus the Durr of the Somalis, which attains a height of 

 d-4'b m and is further distinguished by its shrubby habit and 

 copious branching. The branches are like those of A. Keller/, 

 which is, however, a prostrate grass, slender, wiry and hard. 

 Colonel Appleton records that " in the dry season the leaves and 

 young shoots fall off," a peculiarity which it shares, accord i ng to 

 c f 8 ?. me coI1 ector. with Chrysopogon Aucheri. The production 

 ot foliage by these grasses after the rains have set in, is verv con- 

 siderable, as can be seen from the herbarium specimens. Colonel 

 Appleton describes them as "forming large feathery bunches." 

 The internodes of the young foliage-branches are very short and 

 the finely acuminate and by no means coarse leaf-blades are 

 crowded into tufts. Sporobolus fruticulosus, another shrubbv 

 grass, seems to behave similarly. This rapid and abundant growth 

 of rather tender foliage appears to be characteristic of many 



Somali grasses. Other grasses, like Panicum turgidvm and 



Pennisetum dichotomwn have persistent culms which remain 

 green even during the dry season, and form, although stiff ami 

 tough, an important fodder supply for the hard-mouthed camel. 

 There is no doubt that the considerable mammalian fauna of 

 Somaliland as well as the flocks and herds of the roving nomads 



for their sustenance depend to a great extent on this giaoD 

 vegetation, not only during the rainy season but also later on 

 when it is reduced to stubble. 



