139 



A. adscensionis, A. burkei, and A.congesta occur. Eragrostis 

 cl h ale a nth a, E. currula, E. chloromelas, E. caesia, E. 

 micrantha, E . plana, E . brizoides, E. gunvmiflua represent the 

 other great pioneer genus. 



Since all Tussock Veld is of a primitive type, Aristida 

 or Eragrostis consocies have not the same importance in 

 establishing it, as they have in the case of Anthistiria Veld. 

 They occur in the climax stages of it, and are sometimes 

 dominant t over patches, but they are not so characteristic of 

 it, as the species named below. Cynodon dactylon is often 

 a pioneer over bare ground. The following are all definite 

 mountain veld species : M icrochloa caffra, M. altera var. 

 nelsoni, Harpechloa capensis, Festuca caprina (bok-baard), 

 E. costata, F. longipes, F. scabra, Poa binata, Koeleria 

 cristata, Anthoxanthum ecklonii, Avenastrum turgidulum, A. 

 caff rum, Agrostis suavis, Sporobolus centrifiigus, Triraphts 

 rehmanni (rare), and Stiburus alopecuroides (in the hydro- 

 sere). On the Tabamhlope mountain, Natal, there occurs the 

 interesting and distinctive rare species Ischaemtim franksae, 

 which is also a tussock former. 



The most striking feature of this list is the greater repre- 

 sentation of the temperate tribes, which are almost absent 

 from the Veld of lower altitudes. The Aveneae include 

 Avenastrum, Anthoxanthum, Koeleria, the Agrosteae Agrostis 

 and the Festueeae Stiburus, Festuca, Poa, and BracJiy podium, 

 all temperate forms. The others belong to the Chlorideae. 



The ordinary Eastern Grassveld species, as already 

 mentioned, are not altogether absent. Galpin records Anthis- 

 tiria imberbis from an altitude of 9,400 feet on the eastern 

 .shoulder of Ben McDhui and Elionurus argenteus, Andro- 

 pogon ceresiaeformis, A. eucomus, A. appendicnlatus, A. 

 schirensis, A. ampleetens, A. filifolius, A. distaehyus, A. con- 

 tortus, A. nardus var. marginatus, A. sehoenanthus var. 

 versicolor, A. hirtus, A. auctus, Panicum natalense, P. 

 ecklonii, P. serratum, Digitaria rnonodactyla, D. tricholae- 

 noides, Aiconopus semialatus var. ecklonii, Setaria spy., 

 Pennisetum spp., Tncholaena setifolia, Arundinella ecklonii, 

 TristacJiya leucothrix, Diplachne biflora, Chloris virgata, Ch. 

 petraea are all found. 



The dominant species, however, are those named in the 



first list. It is difficult to declare any one or two species as 



being dominant, since all mountain Tussock Veld is of a 



semi-open character. The species grow verv much mixed. 



10 



