y-t 



Sporoboliis. (See Fig. 2 F.) This is aiiotlier important 

 genus of pioneer species like Arisfida and Eragrostix. There 

 is one group of snial] xerophytic forms, which are particularly 

 characteristic of stony jilains and hillsides in the drier regions. 

 SpurohfAiis ricnsissimus, S. panicoides, S. nehulosus, S. rangei, 

 S. robitstiis, S. virginicus occur in the Western region. In 

 the Sand Yeld region there are S. tenellus and .S'. acinifnlius. 

 In tlie Karroo and the transitional belt to grassland S. inclados, 

 S. ludicigii, S. albicans, S. discnsimrus are the distinctiye 

 sjjecies. S. festiviis var. stuppeui; is a tussock forming sj)ecies 

 in open ur mountain Veld of Xatal and the Transvaal. It 

 forms a dense and characteristic stool of old leaf bases which 

 l)reak uj] into fibres. S. centrifugus is a mountain Tussock 

 Veld species, though it is recorded also for the coast belt of 

 Xatal. .S'. fimhriatus is important in open transitional Veld 

 cliiefly, but it occurs in tlie A'eld of Natal and the Transvaal. 

 S. relimanni is a tropical s^Jecies of the Transvaal and Natal 

 coast belt, while ,S'. suhtilis occurs in the latter habitat and 

 also in Madagascar. 



Fio 



19. — Transverse Section of a portion of a leaf of Sporoholus indicus 

 (xa)x>ut60). 



The most widely distributed, and also the most important 

 ecologically, is .S'. indicus (umSingizan). It is fairly common 

 among the Macchia of the South West, and is very common 

 as a jnoneer species in eastern Grassveld. In Natal the more 

 robust variety la.rus coA'ers wide areas of primitive Veld, often 

 associated with Eragrostis plana (umTshiki). This Sporobolus- 

 Eragrostis associes becomes semi-stable often as the result of 

 cf)ntinuous grass burning. umSingizan is also common along 

 roadsides and railways. Its leaf is shown in transverse section 

 in Fig. 19. The ridges are not prominent, but there is a 

 distinct midrib. The solerenchyma is not excessive, and the 

 bundles are not girdered. The motor cells are functional, and 

 tlie leaf rolls uji in dry weather. Sporohohix indicus is eaten 



