18 VEGETATION OF BLAKENEY POINT. 



I. THE MAIN SHINGLE BANK. 



The main shingle bank at Blakeney, which extends for some 

 7| miles in length beyond the point at which it becomes free 

 from the mainland, has the usual contour associated with this 

 type of formation (see Oliver, The Shingle Beach as a Plant 

 Habitat, New Phyt., Vol. XL, 1912, p. 76), and it is to the 

 landw r ard face that the flora is almost entirely confined. The 

 limits of the shingle bank proper are not always easily defined, 

 as for a considerable portion of its length there are sand-dunes 

 and salt-marshes abutting upon it. We consequently find at ' 

 these points that the members of one association become 

 mingled with those adjacent, and thus render it not altogether 

 easy to determine what plants should be included in the one or 

 the other. In the following account and in compiling the lists 

 it has been thought best to omit those species which were 

 plainly the fringe of another formation. On the other hand, it 

 is important to emphasise the fact that salt-marsh and dune 

 plants do occur on the main bank well away from these 

 doubtful zones of transition : these are, of course, included, as 

 they have an important bearing either as relicts or as colonists. 

 The Principal Species. 



The commonest and certainly the most characteristic plant 

 of the formation is undoubtedly Suceda fruticosa, and as its 

 distribution appears to be a marked factor in determining that 

 of other species it will be well to consider it first. The proper 

 position of Suceda fruticosa is best seen towards the distal 

 extremity and on the relatively stable laterals (these latter will 

 be dealt with subsequently in detail) ; in both these positions it 

 occupies the extreme edge of the banks, and in general is 

 most abundant between tidal limits. 



This plant also occurs, however, in considerable quantity on 

 the crest of the main bank, where the bushes form lines parallel 

 to its axis. (Fig. 6.) The individuals increase gradually in 

 number as w r e pass from the older proximal to the younger 

 distal or free end of the bank, where they again decrease. \Ye 

 thus find a maximum number of bushes on the crest towards 

 the centre or region of medium age, and minima corresponding 



