— 215 — 



the outer part dies, (probably killed by the heat and drought 

 during the height of summer) and il remains next year 

 as a dead stick, frequently as a thorn. One of the few 

 exceptions to this rule is Halimodendron. 



As regards the majority of the fanerophytic Chenopo- 

 diaceae and Lijcium, flowering takes place in summer; Ha- 

 loxylon and probably all the rest flower during spring, at 

 the latest in June. All the late-flowering species with the 

 exception of Lycium have small flowers which are completely 

 enclosed up to the time of anthesis. The early flowering 

 species include a large proportion of Leguminosae, and it 

 seems to be the rule, or at any rate is frequently the case, 

 that only the early flowers fructify while the later ones be- 

 come dried up. 



The fruits (or the seeds) are in most cases such as maj^ 

 be easily transported by the wind; they are light and fur- 

 nished with some kind of parachute, and as a rule they 

 contain only one or a few seeds ^). The open network on 

 the fruit (fig. 28) of Calligonum, the large bladdery pod of 

 Smirnowia and Halimodendron, the winged fruits of Salsola, 

 Haloxylon, Ammodendron and Atraphaxis, the small light 

 pods of Astragalus and Eremosparton, and the white woolly 

 seeds of Reaumuria illustrate the different adaptations by 

 which wind-transport is achieved. 



Fruits with no special adaptation for flight are seen in 

 the berries of Nitraria and the small nuts of Halostachys 

 and Halimocnemis. 



B. Chamaephytes. 



As explained in chap. 12 (p. 173) these all belong to the 

 xerophytic aspect, they are summer-plants and a great number 

 of them are late flowering. 



Capparis spinosa L. 

 A decumbent undershrub found on clay soils and more 

 especially on stony soil. The branches are long and bear 



') Comp. E. Gain 1894: Moist soil produces many but small seeds, 

 dry soils few seeds but large. 



