Heath Association on Hindhead Common. 
'59 
has grown from seed, 1 and it is quite certain that the bulk of the 
numerous seedlings of this form, that first appear on such burnt 
ground, are unsuccessful. 
The young growth on the burnt patch just described has been 
much infested with Cuscuta Epithy mum 2 (cf. PI. V, fig. 5, observed on 
Erica cinerea, Calluna , Vaccinium, Ulex minor). This parasite does 
not appear to make much headway subsequently, as it is almost absent 
from the greater part of the heath, although commonly found in the 
clearing on the top of the central ridge, where there is likewise 
abundant young growth of the heath-plants. It is noteworthy that 
on such young ground as is furnished by the burnt patches under 
consideration a number of species appear in small numbers, which 
are not found on other parts of the Hindhead heath. Some of 
these are characteristic representatives of other heath-floras (e.g., 
Potentilla erecta, Teucrium Scorodonia, Carex pilulifera). 
The observations above detailed make it probable that the bulk 
of the plants appearing on such burnt ground owe their existence 
to the sprouting of new growth from the bases of the old plants, 
whose subaerial parts were destroyed by the fire. In this connection 
it is noteworthy that the species composing the Callunetum on the 
Hindhead heath (see the list on p. 155) are only those which can 
survive being burned over and over again, and this may account for 
the comparative paucity of the flora. It is probable that a number 
of plants are completely killed by the heat 3 , and this may apply 
particularly to the relatively shallow-rooting Calluna and Erica, but 
even in these two cases a considerable number of plants certainly 
regenerate by sprouting. We thus obtain the conception of a 
possible repeated recovery from consecutive heath-fires, after each 
of which the vegetation passes through the preliminary phases 
indicated above, until it arrives at the stage of the fully developed 
heath. We have no doubt that the low Calluna-zone (CUE facies, 
cf. p. 154) marks a further phase in recuperation, in which the Calluna 
with a number of competitors is slowly attaining to complete 
dominance. We think that the final stage (as far at least as it is 
exhibited on the present area) is exemplified by the tall Calluna- zone 
occuring on the top and upper slopes of the ridge and at one or two 
other points (C U facies, cf. p. 153). 4 
1 The main axis of these seedlings exhibits little growth and numerous 
prostrate laterals soon arise from its base, so that the procumbent habit is 
assumed at a very early stage. 
5 This also appeared this July on the Ulex minor on the ground burnt in 
1911. 
3 Ulex minor sometimes fails to sprout over areas of several square feet. 
4 cf. Warming “ Oecology of Plants ” (1909), pp. 354-355. 
