192b PLANT EELATIONS. 



culiarity of germinating its seeds while still upon the tree, 

 so that embryos hang from the trees, and then drop like 

 plumb-bobs into the muck beneath, where they stick fast 

 and are immediately in a condition to establish themselves. 

 In these mangrove swamps the species are few, and the 

 adaptations chiefly in the way of developing various kinds 

 of holdfasts for anchoring in the uncertain soil, and also 

 various devices for carrying air to the submerged parts. 



143. Beach marshes and meadows.— The salt marshes 

 and meadows near the seacoast are very well known. They 

 lie beyond the reach of ordinary flood tide, but the waters 

 are brackish. In these marshes and meadows occur certain 

 characteristic salt-water grasses and sedges. Such forms 

 being the dominant type give the general appearance of 

 a coarse meadow. Very characteristic of such associations 

 are also certain succulents, such as samphire (Salicornia), 

 sea blite (Suceda), saltwort (Salsola), etc. In fact, this 

 succulent character seems to be a direct response to the 

 saline conditions. The difference between a marsh and 

 meadow is simply a question of the amount of water. 



