Plant Forms and their Evolution in South Africa

Abstract

IN discussing in detail the growth forms of South African species of plants, Prof. Bews has developed in an inspiring way a conception of their ecological evolution. Starting from the idea that a certain number of plant habitats (such as moist tropical forests, stream sides, and swamps) are likely to have persisted little changed for long periods and at least since Cretaceous times, he points out that these primitive types of habitat are on the whole chiefly populated by primitive types of plants. This conclusion holds whether the plants are judged to be primitive either on their reproductive characters or on their vegetative form. It is, therefore, a corollary of this that, on the whole, the more highly developed types of plants will occur chiefly in the more specialised types of habitat.

Plant Forms and their Evolution in South Africa.

By Prof. J. W. Bews. Pp. viii + 199. (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1925.) 12s. 6d. net.