145 



it has been grown in India and elsewliere as a fodder grass. 

 Unfortunately it is the species which most often assumes 

 dominance, but the succession could easily be controlled by 

 sowing the seeds of the better species. 



2. Primitive grassland where the succession is at its 

 earlier stages and species of Aristida, Eragrostis, or Sjiorobolus 

 are dominant is of poor quality, though Sporobolus and Era- 

 grostis are better than Aristida. Pioneer grasses are xerophytic 

 and very hard and wiry and strong rooted. Cattle dislike 

 them, because of the amount of fibres in their leaves, a feature 

 illustrated in the figures given above. The young leaves in 

 Spring are, however, softer and more palatable. Sporobolus 

 indicus is sometimes cut for hay in autumn, and several of the 

 less common species of Eragrostis are good grazing grasses. 



3. All xerophytic grasses are not necessarily poor grasses. 

 This is shown by the Veld around Molteno where the Haas 

 gras, JJanthouia ■purpurea, is dominant, which is one of the 

 best types of veld in South Africa. It partakes of the char- 

 acter of Mountain Veld, another good type. It would appear 

 that the grasses which belong to such temjjerate tribes as the 

 Aveneae and Festuceae are more often nutritious grasses, than 

 the members of the Tropical tribes such as Andropogoneae, 

 but ou:f information on this point is not yet sutticient to enable 

 us to speak with certainty. Xerophytic grasses are slow grow- 

 ing and for this reason are of less value. 



4. When the plant succession has progresse'd far enough, 

 so that Anthistiria-Andropogon associations constitute the 

 climax stage or grassland formation, all the grasses are eaten, 

 and the veld is considered good. This type of grassland covers 

 enormous areas over the whole eastern side of South Africa. 

 The glaucous varieties of Anthistiria are considered superior, 

 forming the so-called Blue grass or Sweet Veld, but the actual 

 composition of this differs only slightly from the other kinds. 



6. In Forest climatic areas the succession progresses still 

 further, taller coarser species of Andropogon become dominant 

 mixed with various shrubs, and a type is established which 

 is transitional to Forest. The grasses are not readily eaten 

 and the Veld possesses little or no grazing value. 



6. Mountain or Tussock grassveld is a very good type, 

 many of the characteristic grasses being nutritious. It is 

 interesting to note that here again temperate species are more 



