THE VEGETATION OF THE BD AND EA LAND TYPES IN THE GRASSLAND OF THE WESTERN TRANSVAAL, SOUTH-AFRICA

Relatively little is known about the vegetation of the western Grassla nd Biome in South Africa. The classification of the vegetation of the Bd and Ea land types forms part of a research programme on the synthes is of the vegetation of the western Grassland Biome in South Africa. T his is a first formal classification of the vegetation of the study ar ea. Using a numerical classification technique (TWINSPAN) as a first a pproximation, the classification was refined by applying Braun-Blanque t procedures. The result is a phytosociological table where one new or der, three new alliances and eight new associations are recognized. Th e new syntaxa are ecologically interpreted as well as described. Assoc iated gradients in habitat are identified by using an ordination algor ithm (DECORANA). This study should contribute to the present knowledge and ecological understanding of the vegetation of the western Transva al grassland.