Effects of a Bush Fire on the Vegetation of Signal Hill. 
219 
Oxalis hirta (f). 
Oxalis sericea (o). 
Melica racemosa (o). 
Polygonum atraphaxoides (o). 
All the species of Oxalis which were found on the burnt area have 
deeply situated bulbs, and several new bulbs are formed each year, vegetative 
reproduction seeming to be the rule. As a result, the ground is covered 
with Oxalis plants and the whole hillside presents an extremely gay appear- 
ance. In 1919 the brilliant display of Oxalis was noteworthy. 
In April the following additions were made to the March list of plants 
which were producing new shoots from the uninjured parts below : — 
Adiantopsis capensis (a). Under bushes and on northern 
slopes of valleys. 
Pellaea auriculata (f). „ ,, „ 
Cliff ortia ruscifolia (o). 
Eoyena glabra (o). 
Bulbine favosa (o). Valley only. 
Kiggelaria africana (r). ,, ,, 
Lycium afrum (r). 
It was noted at this time that certain plants showed no signs of recovery 
after the fire, notably Elytropappus Rhinocerotis, and Protea mellifera, 
which was represented by a single specimen. 
The winter rains began to fall in May, and on the next visit on the 13th 
June many changes were noted. 
In the winter the northern side of each valley gets very little sun, and the 
differences in vegetation between the two sides of each valley were very 
marked. Valley A bore evidences of a great rush of water during the rains 
which had fallen shortly before this visit, and the stream bed was character- 
ised by a large number of young shoots of Ranunculus. Later in the year 
two species were identified, R. pubescens and R. muricatus. On the banks 
at the side of the water-course and also on the northern slopes of the valley 
an abundance of small ferns, mosses, liverworts, and lichens were noted. 
The most abundant fern was Adiantopsis capensis, which here and there 
formed close sward-like patches. Pellaea auriculata and Mohria cajfrorum 
were plentiful. The following genera of liverworts were noted : Fossom- 
bronia, Fimbriaria, Lunularia, and Riccia. The mosses and lichens were not 
identified. The latter were confined to the exposed rock surfaces and branches 
of various shrubs. The following herbaceous plants, all of which possess 
underground organs of perennation, were noted on the northern slope : — 
* Crassula septas (a). 
* Rumex cordatus (f). 
