124 



The Geraniaceae are represented chiefly by species of 

 Pelargonium {P. aconitifolium is tlie commonest) and a few 

 Geraniums {G. canescens, G. orniihopodurn) as well as Mon- 

 sonia attenuata. Species of Oxalis are common, e.g., 0. corni- 

 culata, 0. pulchella, 0. seiniloha (isiThathe or isiNungu), 

 0. convexida. There is one specie,s of Rhus (Rh. discolor) 

 (Anacardiaceae) , Crassula colonies are not frequent in the 

 veld, being as a rule strictly pioneers. The Polygalaceae are 

 represented by specis of Polygala (iThethe), e.g., P. hotten- 

 totta and of Maraltia {M. filosa), the Cruciferae by species 

 of Helioijidla, e.g., H. linearis, H. virgata. Hyijericum 

 aethiopicum (uSukumbhili), (Hypericineae) and Psammo- 

 tropha myriantha (Aizoaceae) are both common in somewhat 

 open Yeld. 



The Malvaceae have Sida rhombifolia, S. cordifolia, S. 

 trilqba, Ahutilon indicum, Hibiscus trionum, and others, and 

 the Sterculiaceae Hermannia cristata, H . gerrardi, H. sander- 

 soni, Mahernia grandistipula, M. auricoma, M. erodioides, 

 M. parviflora, and many more. Tribulus terrestis (Zygo- 

 phyllaceae) is also common. The TJmbelliferae include 

 Hydrocotyle asiatica, H. centella, Alepidea amatymbica, 

 Bupleurum. mundtii, Peiicedanum capen.ie. The Rubiaceae 

 are on the whole a Forest order, but certain genera belong to 

 the Veld, including the species Hedyotis amatymbica, H. 

 decumbens (uMampeshana), Pentanisia variabilis (iCimam- 

 lilo), Spermacoce natalensis (isiMuyisane), all very common. 

 Scabiosa columbaria var. dissecta (DipSaceae) is abundant. 

 Among the Campanulaceae Wahlenbergia undulata, TF. 

 zeyheri, and other species are veld plants. A few of the 

 species of Lobelia, Cyphia and Lightfootia sometimes occur. 

 Species of Erica occur at the higher altitudes chiefly. Species 

 of Sebaea (Gentianaceae) are common, e.g., S. crassulaefolia, 

 S. sedoides. 



The Solanaceae are only represented by one or two 

 Solanums, the majority of the species being ruderal. The 

 Scrophulariaceae include a large number of veld species, but 

 most of them do not belong to the vernal aspect societies, 

 though some, e.g., Cycniura adonense, Ramphicarpa tubulosa, 

 and other root parasites do. The Acanthaceae are represented 

 by Thunbergia atriplici folia, Blepharis longispica, Barleria 

 obtusa, Crabbea hirsuta, Adhatoda natalensis, Peristrophe 

 natalensis, and many others, but the family is on the whole 

 chiefly characteristic of the warmer coast belt. 



