VEGETATION OF BLAKEXEY POINT. 
507 
plants, probably these two later factors afford the best explana- 
tion of their presence. 
The Halophytic Element. 
We now come to a consideration of the plants which are 
properly members of other formations. 
By far the most interesting of these are the salt-marsh plants, 
which comprise A rtemisia maritima, Aster T ripoliitm, Glycerin 
maritima, Obione portulacoides, Plantago maritima and 
Statice Limonium. Broadly, these halophytes are found on the 
main bank in two types of locality, viz. : (l) Opposite to where 
the bank is at present fringed by salt marshes ; (2) In regions 
where no such marshes are present, but where drift accumulates 
above normal tide limits carried up by the action of storms. 
In the latter habitat we find Glycerin maritima and some 
of the specimens of Obione portulacoides. There seems no 
reason to doubt that they have originated from the seeds or 
fragments carried up with the drift which they accompany. 
The remaining four species and other plants of Obione are 
found in the shingle opposite to fringing marshes. Of Plantago 
maritima, Statice Limonium and Aster Tripolium, one plant 
of each was observed growing well up on the shingle bank, 
though others are found at the extreme edge which have only 
recently been overwhelmed by the shingle. 
The number of Obione plants found high up was six, of 
which one was situated about half-way to the crest and the 
remainder nearer the landward edge ; besides these there are 
numerous plants which form an interrupted zone marking the 
upper limit of the drift, and especially well developed on some 
of the advancing fans. 
Artemisia maritima is at once the most interesting and fre- 
quent amongst the salt-marsh plants which occurs on the 
shingle ; it is met with in over a dozen separate stations, of 
which some bear large patches. 
Three of the localities were in more or less isolated positions 
and are of no interest beyond their actual occurrence. Two 
others were found on the seaward side of isolated small plants 
of Suceda fruticosa, whilst the remainder, comprising not only 
