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Forests Of KwaZulu-Natal
Areas of forest which grow in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa mostly on south facing slopes in higher rainfall areas, and along the humid coastal areas. Different types of forest can be identified by their species composition which depends mostly on the altitude, latitude and substrate (soil and rock types) in which they grow. South facing slopes are favourable for the development of forest as they are more shaded, and therefore cooler and retain more moisture than the northern slopes. The extra moisture on the south slopes is not only favoured by forest trees, but also helps to prevent or subdue wildfires. Fires can also be blocked by cliff faces and rocks or boulders on these slopes, and by streams or rivers at the base of the slopes. The coastal regions are conducive to forest formation, because of high rainfall and humidity which are favoured by forest trees and also help to prevent or subdue fires. The rivers of the coastal areas are also broader than further inland, which may o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Forest Sun Pigeon Valley 09 05 2010
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines a forest as, "Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a Canopy (biology), canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds ''in situ''. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban use." Using this definition, ''Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020'' (FRA 2020) found that forests covered , or approximately 31 percent of the world's land area in 2020. Forests are the predominant terrestrial ecosystem of Earth, and are found around the globe. More than half of the world's forests are found in only five countries (Brazil, Canada, China, Russia, and the United S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ptaeroxylon Obliquum
''Ptaeroxylon obliquum'' is the botanical name for the sneezewood tree. It is native to Southern Africa, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. It is the only species in the genus ''Ptaeroxylon''. Background ''Ptaeroxylon obliquum'' is a species from the family Rutaceae which are most abundant in South Africa and Australia. The term ''ptaeroxylon'' is Greek for sneeze and wood, while ''obliquum'' denotes the oblique shape of the leaflets. The wood produces oils containing nieshoutol, which causes violent sneeze attacks by workers who are exposed to the tree. Though sneezewood is not poisonous, it has been known to cause respiratory complications. It has been linked to asthma, rhinitis and mucosal inflammation. Description left, 200px, foliage left, 200px, male flowers ''Ptaeroxylon obliquum'' is a shrub or medium deciduous tree that stands up to tall. The bark is whitish-grey and smooth when young, but fissured with age. Leaflets are 2.5 x 1.3 cm marked a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maputaland
Maputaland is a natural region of Southern Africa. It is located in the northern part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa between Eswatini and the coast. In a wider sense it may also include the southernmost region of Mozambique. The bird routes and coral reefs off the coast are major tourist attractions. Now the name of this traditional region is being revived for the Maputaland-Pondoland bushland and thickets, one of the ecoregions of South Africa, as well as for the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot. Geography Maputaland is bordered by the Ubombo Mountains in the west and the Indian Ocean in the east. It covers an area of about 10,000 km2, stretching approximately from the town of Hluhluwe and the northern section of Lake St. Lucia to the border of Mozambique and South Africa, or beyond to Maputo in Mozambique. Tongaland The South African section of Maputaland was also previously known as Tongaland after the Tonga people who live there. The usually flat region fe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phoenix Reclinata
''Phoenix reclinata'' (''reclinata'' - Latin, reclining), the wild date palm, Arabian date palm or Senegal date palm, is a species of flowering plant in the palm family native to tropical Africa, the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula, Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. It is also reportedly naturalized in Florida, Texas, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Albania, Greece, Turkey, and the Leeward Islands. The plants are found from sea level to 3000 m, in rain forest clearings, monsoonal forests and rocky mountainsides. Description ''Phoenix reclinata'' is a dioecious clumping palm, producing multiple stems from 7.5 to 15 m in height and 30 cm in width. Foliage is pinnate and recurved, growing 2.5 to 4.5 m in length and 0.75 m in width. Leaf color is bright to deep green on 30 cm petioles with long, sharp spines at the base, with 20 to 40 leaves per crown. The plants are unisexual and florets appear at the to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Croton Sylvaticus
''Croton sylvaticus'' is a tree in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is commonly known as the forest fever-berry. These trees are distributed in forests from the east coast of South Africa to Tropical Africa. It grows in height, occasionally up to , in moist forests, thickets and forest edges at altitudes of . Flowers and fruit Greenish cream flowers, up to long (all male or female or mixed flowers), in racemes, long. Fruit, light green when young, turning to orange or red, trilobed, oval in shape, hairy. Uses Used as a general timber, for poles, posts and as a fuel. Phytochemistry Mwangi et al 1998 find β-caryophyllene oxide, α-humulene-1,2-epoxide, hardwickiic acid, β-sitosterol and stigmasterol in the extracts. This contrasts with Sadgrove et al 2019 who find almost entirely bicyclogermacrene in the essential oil. Traditional medicine Sap from leaves is used for healing cuts, bark is used in the treatment of malaria, a decoction from the bark of the roots is taken ora ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trichilia Dregeana
''Trichilia dregeana'', commonly known as the forest natal-mahogany, is a tree in the family Meliaceae. These trees are found in forest areas from the Eastern Cape of South Africa to Tropical Africa. Description The 7 to 11 leaflets of the large compound leaf have 7 to 12 lateral veins, typically less than the related Natal mahogany. The dehiscent Dehiscence is the splitting of a mature plant structure along a built-in line of weakness to release its contents. This is common among fruits, anthers and sporangia. Sometimes this involves the complete detachment of a part; structures that op ... fruit is reddish brown, spherical and about 3 cm in diameter. As with the Natal mahogany, each black seed is almost enveloped by a red aril. Gallery File:Trichilia dregeana, vrugte, Waterkloofrif, b.jpg, File:Trichilia_dregeana_fruit.JPG, Fruit and black seeds with red arils File:Trichilia_dregeana.JPG, Seeds and compound leaf File:Trichilia dregeana, lower, Waterkloofrif, a.jp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Protorhus Longifolia
''Protorhus longifolia'', the red beech, is a medium to large, mostly dioecious species of tree in the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to South Africa and Eswatini, where it occurs in well-watered situations from coastal elevations to 1,250 m. The leafy, evergreen trees have rounded crowns and usually grow between 6 and 10 m tall, but regularly taller in forest. Range In South Africa they occur from the Eastern Cape to Limpopo. In Eswatini it is present in the western uplands, and in the Lebombo regions. They occur in coastal, scarp and mistbelt forests, rock outcrops, escarpments, riparian fringes, or in woodland. Bole and branches The bole is up to 1 m in diameter in forest. The bark of a young tree is smooth and brown, but becomes darker and rough with age. The branches have a rough texture and retain leaf scars. They exude a sticky milky sap when broken. Foliage The trees often carry some strikingly yellow or red leaves, especially in winter or on new growth. The simple ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bridelia Micrantha
''Bridelia micrantha'', the mitzeeri or the coastal golden-leaf, is a tree in the family Phyllanthaceae and is native to tropical and southern Africa as well as to the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. Description A medium to tall tree (up to 20 m),Pooley, E. (1993). ''The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei''. . with a dense widely spreading crown. The leaves are large, alternate and simple. The tree may be deciduous or evergreen. Habitat They are found growing in coastal forests (such as KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Lowland Forest), riverine forest, swamp forest, woodland and along forest margins. Native distribution ''Bridelia micrantha'' is native to primarily tropical, northeast, western, west-central, and southern Africa (in Angola; Benin; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Côte d'Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Mali; Mozambique; ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albizia Adianthifolia
''Albizia adianthifolia'' is a tree in the family Fabaceae. It is commonly known as the flat-crown. Its range extends from eastern South Africa to Tropical Africa. Description This is a large deciduous tree with a spreading, flat crown, growing to a height of . A profusion of bright green leaves and heavily scented, fluffy flowers are produced in winter or spring. The leaves are twice compound with the leaflets being 2–5 x 8 mm in size. This tree favours sandy soils in warm, high rainfall areas. In South Africa it is found in coastal lowland forests. Cultivation ''Albizia adianthifolia'' is cultivated as an ornamental tree. The attractive habit of these trees makes them a popular garden tree, often being retained as a native plant in suburban gardens when other indigenous vegetation is removed. The trees usually produce abundant seeds which are easily grown in sandy soil. Ecological significance Elephants browse the leaves of these trees and blue duiker favour the l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Encephalartos Natalensis
''Encephalartos natalensis'', the Natal cycad or giant cycad, is a species of cycad that is endemic to the Qumbu and Tabankulu areas of the northern part of the Eastern Cape, and through most of KwaZulu-Natal. The number of mature individuals of this species is declining and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "near threatened". Description The Natal cycad grows to a height of or more. It may have a single trunk or may be branched from the base. The trunk is topped by a rosette of large, evergreen, pinnate leaves somewhat twisted near the tip, which may be long. The leaflets are dark green and about wide; they may be untoothed, or they may have one or more small prickles on either edge. The longest leaflets are in the centre of the leaf, and the leaflets nearest the leaf base may be replaced by spines, a fact that distinguishes this cycad from the otherwise similar '' Encephalartos altensteinii''. The Natal cycad is d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Millettia Grandis
''Millettia grandis'' is a species of plant in the family Fabaceae from South Africa. It is commonly called umzimbeet which is a name derived from the isiZulu name umSimbithwa. Distribution These trees are found in coastal regions of KwaZulu-Natal (apart from Maputaland) and the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. They are said to be most common in the Pondoland area of the Eastern Cape. They grow in forests and on forest margins. Description A semi-deciduous tree from 10 – 25 m tall. The stem is usually twisted or bent and often branches low down. The bark is smooth on younger branches and flaky on older branches and stems. The colour of the bark is pale brown to pale grey-brown, with some stems appearing reddish where stained by soil from termites. The compound leaves have 3 to 7 pairs of opposite, lance-shaped leaflets and one terminal leaflet. The leaflets are 20 – 50 mm long and the leaves are up to 250 mm long overall. The leaves are glossy dark green o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Combretum Krausii
''Combretum'', the bushwillows or combretums, make up the type genus of the family Combretaceae. The genus comprises about 272 species of trees and shrubs, most of which are native to tropical and southern Africa, about 5 to Madagascar, but there are others that are native to tropical Asia, New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, Australia, and tropical America. Though somewhat reminiscent of willows (''Salix'') in their habitus, they are not particularly close relatives of these. Ecology Bushwillow trees often are important plants in their habitat. Savannahs in Africa, in particular those growing on granitic soils, are often dominated by ''Combretum'' and its close relative '' Terminalia''. For example, ''C. apiculatum'' is a notable tree in the Angolan mopane woodlands ecoregion in the Kunene River basin in southern Africa. Other species of this genus are a major component of Southwestern Amazonian moist forests. This genus contains several species that are pollinated by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
