692 GEOGEAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL BOTANY. 



23. Region of Stapeliee and Mesembryanthema (S.-African or 

 Thunberg's Region). 



Mean temperature, 54-73 Fahr. (12-23C.). 



Character. A succession of mountain ranges and intervening plateaux 

 separate the coast region from the elevated plains in the interior. The 

 coast region has a flora very rich in forms, flowers abundant and beautiful, 

 but the trees or shrubs not luxuriant ; no large dense forests, or abund- 

 ance of climbing plants, &c. ; many succulent plants. 



Characteristic Orders. Restiaceae, Iridaceae, Proteaceae, Ericaceae, Fi- 

 coidere, Bruniaceae, Diosmeae, Geraniaceas, Oxalideae, Polygalaceae. 



Genera. Restio, Ixia, Gladiolus, Morsea, Watsonia, Haemanthus, Stru- 

 maria, Agapanthus, Eucomis, Massonia, Strelitzia, Passerina, Gnidia, 

 Protea, Leucadendron, Leucosperrnum, Serruraria (and many other Pro- 

 teaceae), Stilbe, Selago, Stapelia, Erica, Gnaphalium, Helichrysum, Stobaea, 

 Pteronia, Osteospermum, Tarchonanthus, Relhania, Gorteria, Arctotis, 

 Othonna, Stoebe, CEdera, Anthospermum, Mesembryanthemum, Vahlia, 

 Liparia, Borbonia, Lebeckia, Raffuia, Aspalathus, Stavia, Brimia, Phylica, 

 Diosma, Pelargonium, Oxalis, Sparmannia, Muraltia, Polygala, Penaea. 



Predominant forms. On the sandy districts of the coasts : Stapelia, 

 Iridaceae, Mesembryanthemum, Restio, Diosma. On the mountains : 

 Proteaceae, Erica, Crassula, &c. On the dry plateaux : Acacia capensis, 

 A. Giraffae, A. detinens, A. viridiramis, Euphorbia mauritanica, E. tenax, 

 Poa spinosa, Mesembryanthemum, sp., Aloe, Iridaceae, Erica, Diosmeae, 

 Restio. 



Other remarkable species. Haemanthus coccineus, Amaryllis toxicaria, 

 Testudinaria montana, T. elephantipes, Podocarpus elongatus, Salix 

 gariepina, Protea mellifera, P. grandiflora, Leucadendron argenteuro, 

 Laurus bullata, Lycium tetandrum, Olea similis, Rhizogum trichotomum, 

 Tarchonanthus camphoratus, Stcebe rhinocerotis, Crassula coccinea, 

 Portulacaria afra, Mesembryanthemum edule, M. turbiniforme, Metro- 

 sideros angustifolia, Acacia elephantina, Zizyphus bubalina, Calodendron 

 capense. 



Cultivated plants. The European cereals, fruits, and esculent vege- 

 tables ; also Sorghum caffrorum, Batatas, Plantains, Tamarind, Guava, 

 Shaddock. 



The Kalahari region of Grisebach, which intervenes between this region 

 and the Sudan, is alluded to at p. 687. (The works of Harvey and Sonder 

 afford the best general insight into the nature of this flora.) 



24. Region of the Eucalypti and Epacrides {Australian, or 

 R. Brmvn's Region.') 



Mean temperature, 53-73 Fahr. (12-23 C.). 



Character. The Australian flora, as a whole, is tropical in the north, 

 where it approximates to the Indian monsoon and Oceanic types, in the 

 centre is a dry desert region, while south the climate is like that of the 

 Mediterranean. The vegetation necessarily presents great differences 

 according to the variations in climate. In Tasmania the rainfall is more 

 evenly distributed throughout the year. The Australian is one of the 

 richest and most peculiar floras, but without any considerable profusi on 



