131 



SuBSBRES TN Cttltiyated oe Waste Land. Rttderal Species. 



These result from man's interference and are very wide- 

 spread, occurring not only in all cultivated land, but also 

 along roadsides and along the railway tracks, and in waste 

 land generally. The first stage is represented by niimerous 

 weeds of cultivation, mixed with grasses. The weeds are of 

 considerable interest to the farmer, and, therefore, a fuller 

 list is given than was thought necessary in the case of plants 

 belonging to the other seres. Many of the weeds are exotics. 

 The following occur chiefly in Natal. The other parts, I have 

 not had an opportunity of observing in detail. 



The Compositae are again best represented, including 

 Bidens pilosa (the Black jack), Erigeron canadense, Tagetes 

 minuta (Khaki weed), Xanthium occidentale, X. sfinosum, 

 X. italicum, Zinnia pauciflora, Siegesbeckia orientalis, Galin- 

 ^oga farviflora, ScJikuria honariensis, Acanthospermum 

 brazilum, Centaurea solstitialis, C. melitensis, C. caliitrapa, 

 AgeratuiR conyzoides, Tridax procumbens, Eclipta erecta, 

 'Crepis japonica, Lactuca capensis, Spilanthes africana, 

 Sonchus oleraceaus, Cnicus lanceolatus, Chrysocoma tenui- 

 jolia, Helichrysum foetidum, Oligocarpus calendulacevs. 



The next most important family is j)robably the Solana- 

 ■ceae, which includes Solanum nigrum, the berries of which 

 are eaten, Solanum sodomaeum (Devil's apples), Physalis 

 peruviana (Cape Gooseberry), Nicandm physaloides, Datura 

 stramonium (Stinkblaar). All of them common and wide- 

 spread. 



Species of Malvaceae are also common, including 

 Hibiscus trionwm, H. cannabinus, H. physaloides, Abutilon 

 indicum, Sida longipes, S. rhomhifolia, Malva parviflora. 

 Some of these are possibly useful sources of fibre. 



There are numerous Labiatae, e.g., Ocimum obtusifolium^ 

 Hyptis pectinata, Leucas martinicensis , Teucrium capense, 

 T. riparium, Ajuga ophrydis, and more than, one Plec- 

 tranthus. 



The Scropulariaceae include Diclis reptans and the very 

 troublesome witchweed Striga lutea, which is parasitic on 

 the roots of the mealie, and often does a great amount of 

 damage. 



It is rather surprising to find the Leguminoseae, which 

 are so abundant in the Veld, poorly represented by only one 

 or two species, e.g., Vicia sativa, Melilotus officinalis. 



