136 



■certain places, e.g., Amanzimtote, there is a broad belt next 

 i;lie sea •where Hydrofhylax carnosa is completely dominant, 

 and almost the only plant present. Another belt nearer to 

 the shore is sharply marked off, and stands 2-3 feet higher. 

 Here Scaevola lobelia is dominant and Gazanea uniflora sub- 

 dominant. At other places, e.g., north of Durban, Ifomaea 

 pes-caprae (I. liloba) covers long distances. There is also 

 present Cyperus natalensis, and occasional plants of Sporobolus 

 pungens. These various strand consocies and associes gradu- 

 ally become more mixed, including such plants as Cynanchium 

 obtusifoliuin, Cryptostemma niveum, Osteospermum Tnonili- 

 ferrnn, Dimorphotheca fruticosa, Helichrysum teretifolium, 

 Salicornia herbacea, Tephrosia canescens, Passerina encoides, 

 Brachylaena discolor. Close to the Bush, Mesembrianthemum 

 edule is often dominant in patches. Finally the Psammo- 

 j)hilous Bush becomes established with usually Eed Milk- 

 wood [Mimusops caffra) dominant, and a great variety of 

 ■other trees and lianes present, but with little undergrowth. 



The above is the typical succession along the more exposed 

 parts of the coastline, but in the sheltered nooks and small 

 bays there is a distinct succession, where certain grass con- 

 socies play an important part. 



(1) Nearest the sea, washed by the spray at all times and 

 covered by the sea at high tides, as shown by the position of 

 driftwood, there is a pure consocies of Sporobolus pungens. 



(2) A few yards further up, it is replaced by Steno- 

 taphrum glabrum, a prostrate rooting species with ascending 

 culms. It often forms associes with Dactyloctenium aegypti- 

 itcum, which is also prostrate and rooting at the nodes. In 

 places the latter becomes dominant. 



(3) Still further up and close to the Bush, there is an 

 admixture of other species, e.g., Panicum maximum, P. 

 meyerianum, P. zizanioides, Ehrhartd calycina, Eh. erecta, 

 Eleusine indica, Sporobolus indicus, Eragrostis currula. The 

 final stage is again Psammophilous Bush. 



While the Bush, as a whole, is dense and impenetrable, 

 there are many open glades and footpaths, and around the 

 margins there are found areas, which are covered with less 

 dense Scrub, which is transitional to Veld or more often to 

 Vleis. In such open spaces and along the margins of the 

 Bush, a most interesting variety of grasses occur, most of 

 them confined to the coast belt of Natal, or only occurring 

 elsewhere in the northern tropical parts of the Transvaal. 



