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PLANTS ’OF NORTHERN GUJARAT. 
Common lianes in this association are Asparagus racemosa , Lepiadenia 
reticulata and Gocculus villosa . 
The undervegetation of the Thorn Savannah is composed of very 
low herbage. Jjepidagathis trinervis is universal together with Convol « 
vulus pluricaulis, both of them very hardy xerophytes. Anstida ad~ 
senscionis occurs, as also Andropogon annulatus and A. contortus i 
not in strong colonies but as wide, hardy tufts with few 
flowering stems, and the dwarf grasses Tragus racemosus and Gracilea 
Moyleana are also met with. We noted near Bavsar an .association of 
Chloris pallida, Zorina diphylla 9 Convolvulus pluricaulis and Evolvulus 
alsinoides . 
Altogether this is one of our most xerophytic formations. The hard 
gravelly nature of the soil and the fact that it is often sloping militates 
against moisture penetrating very deep. 
IV. Butea Savannah. 
On the numerous stretches of black soil which occur east of the 
Majham River and on the clayey stretches in the Talod region below 
the Laterite Plateau, Butea frondosa is the dominant small tree. It is 
always met with in a stunted form about 1 0 feet high (rarely exceeding 
15 feet). The soil, especially where it is black, would amply repay 
cultivation, but the country is sparsely inhabited. This formation has 
been very inadequately investigated from the oecological standpoint. 
The commonest undershrubs are the ubiquitous Cassia aimculata , and 
Triumfetta rotundifolia , both of which are very abundant. In places, 
patches of Ophiurus corymbosus are prominent, but for the most part the 
grasses are those of the grass association and occasionally become 
dominant and colonize. Large trees such as Bassia latifolia and Bom - 
bax malabaricum } occur sporadically. 
This association requires further study. 
V. Butea-Dichrostachys Thorn Savannah of the 
laterite JPlateau 9 Talod. 
The association found on the Laterite Plateau, Talod, differs from 
the Savannahs previously described in the entire absence of large trees, 
tbe increased proportion of shrubs and small trees, the presence of several 
plants not found in the rest of our area, and in the entirely distinct 
gramineous vegetation. 
(i) Trees: — The dominant tree of the association is Butea frondosa i 
which assumes the same stunted form as before described, 
while Acacia arabica and A. leucophlcea are also frequent. 
