52 VEGETATION OF BLAKENEY POINT. 



with the usual regularity these show the earliest stages of 

 colonisation, consisting of a sparse scattering of Salicornias in 

 very open formation, the only other plants being algae, such as 

 Rhizoclonium, Chaetomorpha, and Enteromorpha. 



The next stage is that which forms the bulk of the saltings 

 at the Headland itself. Here, besides the now much closer 

 formation of Salicornia europcea and the scattered Asters, we 

 find the Glyceria in greater quantity and Statice Limonium in 

 fair abundance. In one part of this area, and there alone, 

 Statice humilis occurs in considerable amount. 



Salicornta perennis and Sitceda maritima. though both 

 present in the interior, are mostly confined to two successive 

 zones at the edge, where Obione is also present. A marked 

 feature here is the almost continuous carpet of algae, some 

 attached to the mud, consisting of Pelvetia canaliculata vars. 

 libera and coralloides, andFucus volubilis. (Cf. S'. M. Baker, 

 Jour. Linn. Soc. Bot., Vol. XL., p. 275, 1912). 



For further stages in marsh building we have to pass to the 

 series constituting the Marams. These, however, lose much 

 of their value through being mostly overrun by Obione. The 

 presence of this plant only at the edges of the younger stages, 

 and its absence from the low-lying margins of the older, seems 

 to shew that it is only when marsh formation has built up the 

 level that this plant can flourish ; and even in the maturer 

 members of the Marams series there are patches near the 

 centre where the centripetal advance of the Obione has not yet 

 completely ousted the pioneer species. Obione may, in fact, be 

 regarded as a weed which interrupts the proper sequence of 

 colonisation, and having completely established itself, prevents 

 the salting from passing, unless very slowly, into the state of 

 pasture. 



Relict patches are well seen in the last of the Maram 

 saltings (alongside the Watch House), where the commonest 

 plant is still Salicornia, but the individuals are small in size. 

 Very common, too, are Statice Limonium, Triglochin mariti- 

 mum, and Armeria maritima ; whilst rather less so, Plantago 

 maritima, Spergularia media and Aster Tripolium. Kven in 



