VEGETATION OF BLAKENEY POINT. 23 



plants, probably these two later factors afford the best explana- 

 tion of their presence. 



The Halophytic Element. 



We now come to a consideration of the plants which are 

 properly members of other formations. 



By far the most interesting of these are the salt-marsh plants, 

 which comprise Artemisia maritima, Aster Tripolium, Glyceria 

 maritima, Obione portulacoides, Plantago maritima and 

 Statice Limonium. Broadly, these halophytes are found on the 

 main bank in two types of locality, viz. : (l) Opposite to where 

 the bank is at present fringed by salt marshes ; (2) In regions 

 where no such marshes are present, but where drift accumulates 

 above normal tide limits carried up by the action of storms. 



In the latter habitat we find Glyceria maritima and some 

 of the specimens of Obione portulacoides. There seems no 

 reason to doubt that they have originated from the seeds or 

 fragments carried up with the drift which they accompany. 



The remaining four species and other plants of Obione are 

 found in the shingle opposite to fringing marshes. Of Plantago 

 maritima, Statice Limonium and Aster Tripolium, one plant 

 of each was observed growing well up on the shingle bank, 

 though others are found at the extreme edge which have only 

 recently been overwhelmed by the shingle. 



The number of Obione plants found high up was six, of 

 which one was situated about half-way to the crest and the 

 remainder nearer the landward edge ; besides these there are 

 numerous plants which form an interrupted zone marking the 

 upper limit of the drift, and especially well developed on some 

 of the advancing fans. 



Artemisia maritima is at once the most interesting and fre- 

 quent amongst the salt-marsh plants which occurs on the 

 shingle ; it is met with in over a dozen separate stations, of 

 which some bear large patches. 



Three of the localities were in more or less isolated positions 

 and are of no interest beyond their actual occurrence. Two 

 others were found on the seaward side of isolated small plants 

 of Suceda fruticosa, whilst the remainder, comprising not only 



