VEGETATION OF BLAKENEY POINT. 39 



these latter is removed and only the more robust of the Statices 

 survive the ensuing struggle ; these from their perennial character 

 may remain for a considerable period of years, and by virtue of 

 the two inches of soil in which they grow, will be better 

 nourished and therefore larger than those of the flanks which 

 are rooted in bare or nearly bare shingle. The increase in size 

 of those overwhelmed by the main bank may be due to one of 

 two causes, or even more probably to a combination of both. 



The shingle, when it submerges the crest in this way, kills 

 most of the plants that it covers, so that such survivors as 

 remain are freed from the competition of others, whilst, being 

 still rooted in the soil below, they retain all the advantages of 

 nourishment. 



The shingle may further act as a mulch to the bnried soil and 

 so increase its water-retaining powers. 



Those plants which were dug up shewed few or no lateral 

 roots except in the soil beneath and in the top layers of shingle, 

 where soil or humus had collected, and this would appear to 

 negative the idea that the shingle is of value per se. u 

 III. THE DUNE SYSTEM. 



The dunes at Blakeney form three separate groups, situated 

 in each case upon a foundation of shingle derived from a 

 complex of crowded and anastomosing laterals arising from the 

 main shingle bank. By far the largest of these groups, some 

 100 acres in extent, occupies the region which we call the 

 Headland, and comprises a series of successive ranges of dunes 

 roughly parallel to the main axis of the bank. From near the 

 eastern extremity of this main system, but not in actual 

 connection with it, a narrow series of dunes extend in a 

 south-westerly direction for about one-third of a mile. They 

 are low in height, and more densely clothed than those of the 

 Headland, from which they are distinguished by the name of 

 the " Long Hills" (see map, fig. l). The third dune group is 



14 One minor point may be mentioned liere with regard to the duration of 

 Plantayo Coroiwpus ; this is given in most of the Floras as either doubtfully annual 

 (Bahington, 9th ed., H. and J. Groves, p. 347) or as either annual or biennial 

 (Hooker, p. 289). There is no doubt that the plants at Blakeiiey are in some cases 

 several years old, as the remains of successive leaf rosettes testify, besides actual 

 cultural experiments. 



