Cii.lII] WARM TEMPERATE WOODLAND AND GRASSLAND 451 



F.ALKI.AND ISL.\NDS-STANLEV H.VKBOUR. 



51° 41' S., 57° 51' W. 



(From Zeitschr. d. osterr. Gesellsch. f. Meteorol., 1S81, p. 299.) 



4. TEMPERATE SOUTH AFRICA. 



Countries in which the climate as regards rain varies at short distances 

 are naturall}- more instructive for the study of the connexion between 

 the rain-climate and the character of the vegetation, than are others of 

 greater extent and where other climatic conditions vary as well. Extra- 

 tropical South Africa is in this respect extremely important ; data regard- 

 ing its rainfall are very accurately known, thanks to Dove's observations, 

 and its flora has in essentials retained its original character. It appears 

 that the provinces as planned by Dove according to rainfall are at the same 

 time oecological vegetation-provinces. 



To the south of the littoral strips of the Karroo desert, from about 30° S., 

 the precipitation, which is .scanty north of this latitude \ rapidly increases. 

 The south-west coasts of Cape Colony have 60-75 cm. of rainfall, chiefly as 

 winter rain : the summer is dry. The relative humidity of the air is high. 

 The vegetation consists of low xerophilous evergreen woody plants with 

 small leathery leaves. Although also occurring elsewhere as scattered con- 

 stituents of the vegetation, sitc/i sclerophyllous plants - are characteristic of 



' See Chap. IX, Deserts. ° See p. 9. 



G g 2 



