THE VEGETATION OF THE NORTHEASTERN ORANGE-FREE-STATE, SOUTH-AFRICA - PHYSICAL-ENVIRONMENT AND PLANT-COMMUNITIES OF THE EA LAND TYPE

The research was carried out in the Ea land type of the northeastern O range Free State, with the objective of reclassifying and refining Aco cks's veld types. TWINSPAN classification results were further refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures. The 100 releves distributed over the Ea land type resulted in the recognition of four major vegetation types which may be divided into nine plant communities. The communities were hierarchically classified, described and ecologically interpreted. DE CORANA ordination was used to determine vegetation/environmental gradi ents and relationships.