30 VEGETATION OF BLAKENEY POINT. 



part of the sloping sides of the bank. Its outer margin abuts 

 closely upon the zone of Artemisia maritima, which is here 

 taken as the upper limit of the salt-marsh vegetation. (Fig. 10 

 on left.) 



The shade of the Sucedas, which here stand in somewhat 

 close formation, commonly restricts in marked degree the growth 

 of other plants. Obione portulacoides is, however, common in 

 this zone, more especially upon the older banks that separate 

 marshes in which it is the dominant species. Aster Tripoliiim 

 and Glyceria maritima are likewise present, the former usually 

 as scattered individuals, but the latter sometimes in consider- 

 able frequency. 



A very characteristic plant of this association and entirely 

 restricted to it, is Cochlearia anglica, which, however, is rather 

 rare and confined to the older laterals. 



Beyond the Suceda zone scattered bushes are still found in 

 the succeeding associations up to the crest, but in continually 

 decreasing amount. 



(2.) The Festuca rubra Zone. 



The second zone consists typically of an almost pure sward 

 of Festuca rubra and is much less clearly defined than the first, 

 being of very variable width, occasionally broken, and merging 

 below into the zone of Suceda. Between this and the third 

 zone, a more or less subsidiary zone can often be distinguished, 

 consisting of Triticum pungens (with occasionally T. pungens 

 v. aristatum), frequently associated with which is Cochlearia 

 danica and more rarely Atriplex littoralis. This last forms 

 the upper limit of the drift, and beyond this line the Snceda 

 bushes, though they persist up to the crest, are very scattered 

 and low in growth. 



(3.) The Statice binervosa Zone (Figs. 10 and 15). 



The third zone is characterised by the presence of Statice 

 binervosa in considerable amount, and much less abundantly 

 Frankenia Icevis. These two species appear to be normally 

 associated with bare shingle in which the interspaces are com- 

 pletely filled with sandy mud. A few dwarfed and scattered 

 Suceda bushes are usually present in this zone, and also 



