388 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— K. 



Rehman (1880) and Engler (1882) applied the term ' South-western region ' to the 

 country as far east as Mosselbay. Drude (1887) used the term ' Evergreen scrub 

 region' for the same area, and Schimper (1898) termed it ' Sclerophyllous Scrub 

 Area.' The first author to treat the whole area from the Bokkeveld in the North-west 

 to Van Stadens mountains on the south coast as one province out of the five into 

 which he divided South Africa, was Bolus (1886), naming it the South-western region. 

 Marloth (1908) emphasised the contrast shown by the flora of this area when compared 

 with the remainder of South Africa by employing the term ' The Cape Floral Kingdom.' 

 Pole-Evans (1920) calls it ' the coast veld ' and ' the South-west veld,' and in another 

 publication (1922) the ' Cape Region,' while Bews (1925) employs the term ' South- 

 western region,' and speaks of its vegetation as the ' Mountain and South-western 

 vegetation,' suggesting the local term ' Fijnbos ' as a general designation. 



°Prof. J. W. Bews. — In Natal and Zululand all the various elements of the South 

 African flora are well represented. The hygrophilous bush of the coast-belt is more 

 or less an outUer of the tropical flora. The trees composing it are relatively primitive 

 types according to all theories of phylogeny, and this view is confirmed hj the fact 

 that the wood of one of the commonest, Eugenia (Syzygium) cordata has been described 

 from the Cretaceous beds of the coast. They are also relatively inefficient and 

 unspeeialised physiologically ; they carry out their various functional activities at a 

 relatively slow and uniform rate throughout the year. Numerous Hanes, a smaller 

 number of epiphytes and a few forest herbs are more advanced in response to the 

 effects of the living environment (biota). AU have close tropical affinities. 



The temperate South African flora in Natal is best represented on the mountain 

 ranges, but isolated species have penetrated through the tropical and sub-tropical 

 elements. On the whole the evidence that is being accumulated points to this 

 southern temperate flora being more ancient, in many respects, than the northern. 

 This applies e.g. to the temperate tribes among the grasses. The South African 

 temperate flora connects with that of the Mediterranean region, and that in turn 

 with the North temperate flora of Europe and Asia. 



Response to a dry (winter) resting season has been responsible for the maximum 

 amount of differentiation in the sub-tropical flora of the whole eastern side of 

 South Africa, as well as the central, northern and north-western regions. Natal is 

 peculiarly weU situated for studying all the steps in the process. In the dry river 

 valleys conditions are found approaching very closely to central Karroo conditions, 

 and the flora is similar. This xerophytic flora is from every standpoint the most 

 highly evolved in South Africa. Probably in future the most fruitful line of research 

 will be in the study of the details of its physiological behaviour. 



Prof. R. H. CoMPTON. — The Karroo. — The Karroo is bounded north and east by a 

 ' northern ' or Central African flora, south and west by a ' southern ' or circum- 

 antarctic flora. The Karroo flora is highly derivative, a miscellaneous assortment 

 of northern and southern types selected through adaptability to aridity and grazing. 

 Both factors act by destro5ing subserial growths, and the flora accordingly shows 

 features of storage, unpalatableness and regeneration. 



Characteristic southern families (Proteaceae, Ericaceae, &c.), typically ' hard-wooded ' 

 shrubs lacking regenerative powers, though in close contact with the Karroo, do not 

 enter it. Some famiUes, mainly southern in South Africa, can, however, penetrate the 

 Karoo by reason of tendencies to geophUy and succulence (Crassulacese, Geraniaceag, 

 Iridacese). 



The woody flora is largely derived from families with a wide northern and southern 

 distribution (Compositae, Leguminosse, Solanacese, Sterculiacese, Anacardiacese, 

 Rubiaceee, &c.). Most species are both distasteful to animals and drought resistant 

 through chemical means, the few edible species having great regenerative powers. 



The opportunist ephemerals belong to widely distributed genera ; other herbaceous 

 elements (Gramineae) being outliers of northern or southern genera. 



Geophily, exemplifying storage and grazing-survival, is most conspicuous in 

 bulbous monocotyledons, and Liliacese and AmaryUidaceae are well represented in 

 the Karroo ; but many dicotyledonous genera have also taken advantage of geophUous 

 tendencies to colonise Karroo areas. 



Succulents, combining storage with distastefulness, are the most distinctive Karroo 

 elements. Stem-succulent Euphorbiaceae and Asclepiadacese are mainly northern, 

 leaf-succulent Aizoacese and Crassulacese have strong southern affinities, other 

 groups being more general geographically. 



Karroo stream-beds contain arboreal extensions of northern tree-veld. 



