109 



species ]ike Anthistiria, is a temperate type, with all its 

 affinities in the South Western floral region. It is an endemic 

 species with a very restricted distribution, and if we accept 

 Willis's "Age and Area Law" it would appear to be a new 

 type or recent mutation. It extends from the Sformberg 

 district westward along the mountain ranges as far as the 

 Nieuwveld. 



The mountain grasses and grasslands of the transitional 

 belt (i.e., of the Stormberg and neighbouring ranges) show 

 connections with the ranges further west, and also show the 

 establishment of the types of mountain grassland, which 

 extend right along the Drakensberg. 



The species which show Western affinities include most 

 of those already mentioned for the mountains of the Karroo 

 region. The genus Melica is much in evidence. M. racemosa, 

 which extends from the Cape to Natal, is one of the commonest 

 species. M. oralis and M. decumbent (Dronk-gras) are also 

 characteristic. Danthonia disticha grows in large isolated 

 wiry tufts on rock slopes. D. cincta and D. macoioani are 

 also found. Pentaschistis curvi folia, P. 'fibrosa, and P. 

 longipes are not common. 



Other temperate species include Achneria set i folia, A. 

 microphylla, A. hirsuta, Ehrharta calyeina, E. erecta, Area- 

 cstrum turgidulum, A. antarticum, A. caffrum. All the 

 above grow among the shrubs, which clothe the rocky moun- 

 tain slopes, and hardly form definite grassland. There is a 

 good deal of Leucosidea Scrub in this region, a type which 

 assumes great ecological importance along the Drakensberg. 



There is, however, a certain amount of definite Mountain 

 Tussock Veld established, similar to that of Natal, which will 

 he dealt with fully later. Microchloa caffra, Festuca caprina, 

 E. costata, E. longipes, E. scabra, Anihoxanthv/m ecklonii, 

 Koeleria cristata, Sj>orobolus centrifugus all enter into the 

 composition of it, forming hard tussocks. In the moister 

 situations, the Tussock Yeld grades into Scrub, the transition 

 being shown by the development of taller grasses, e.g., Arun- 

 dinella ecldonii, Andropogon appendiculatus, A. auctus, A. 

 dregeanus, A. phrrinodis, Erianthys sorghum, E. capensis, 

 a type of succession exactly similar to that of all the great 

 forest areas of the Eastern region. 



