|
Pondoland Centre Of Plant Endemism
The Pondoland Centre of Plant Endemism is situated in the coastal region overlapping the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape in South Africa. It is named after Pondoland and falls within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot. The region consists of grassy plateaus incised by forested ravines and gorges. The main substrate in the area is Natal Group Sandstone, which was formed by sediments laid down about 500 million years ago in a rift underlying the eastern Agulhas Sea in the ancient continent of Gondwana. The region is about 18,800 hectares in extent, and lies along the coastline stretching about 15 kilometres inland with a maximum altitude of about 400 to 500 metres above sea level. The region is essentially a transition zone between sub-tropical and temperate climates. Endemics Some notable endemic plants include Sanderson’s Bladderwort (''Utricularia sandersonii''), the Pondo Coconut ('' Jubaeopsis caffra''), the Pondoland Ghost Bush ('' Raspalia trigyna''), the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is located in the southeast of the country, with a long shoreline on the Indian Ocean and sharing borders with three other provinces and the countries of Mozambique, Eswatini and Lesotho. Its capital is Pietermaritzburg, and its largest city is Durban. It is the second-most populous province in South Africa, with slightly fewer residents than Gauteng. Two areas in KwaZulu-Natal have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park. These areas are extremely scenic as well as important to the surrounding ecosystems. During the 1830s and early 1840s, the northern part of what is now KwaZulu-Natal was established as the Zulu Kingdom while the southern part was, briefly, the Boer Natalia Repu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leucadendron Pondoense
''Leucadendron pondoense'', the Pondoland conebush, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus ''Leucadendron'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Eastern Cape where it occurs in the Pondoland from Port St. Johns to Port Edward. Description The shrub grows tall and flowers from September to December. The plant dies after a fire but the seeds survive. The seeds are stored in a toll on the female plant and fall to the ground after a fire, possibly spreading by the wind. The plant is unisexual Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ... and there are separate plants with male and female flowers, which are pollinated by the wind. Distribution and habitat The plant grows in river beds. The tree's national number is 81.4. In Afrikaans, it is know ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geography Of South Africa
South Africa occupies the southern tip of Africa, its coastline stretching more than from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic (western) coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then northeast to the border with Mozambique on the Indian Ocean. The low-lying coastal zone is narrow for much of that distance, soon giving way to a mountainous escarpment (Great Escarpment) that separates the coast from the high inland plateau. In some places, notably the province of KwaZulu-Natal in the east, a greater distance separates the coast from the escarpment. Although much of the country is classified as semi-arid, it has considerable variation in climate as well as topography. The total land area is . It has the 23rd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of . The South African central plateau contains only two major rivers: the Limpopo (a stretch of which is shared with Zimbabwe), and the Orange (with its tributary, the Vaal) which runs with a variable flow across the central ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Centre Of Endemism
A Centre of Endemism is an area in which the ranges of restricted-range species overlap, or a localised area which has a high occurrence of endemics. Centres of endemism may overlap with biodiversity hotspots which are biogeographic regions characterized both by high levels of plant endemism ''and by serious levels of habitat loss''. The exact delineation of centres of endemism is difficult and some overlap with one another. Centres of endemism are high conservation priority areas. Examples of Centres of Endemism Tanzania A local centre of endemism is focussed on an area of lowland forests around the plateaux inland of Lindi in SE Tanzania, with between 40 and 91 species of vascular plants which are not found elseware. Southern Africa There are at least 19 centres of plant endemism,Van Wyk and Smith, (2001) ''Regions of Floristic Endemism'' including the following: * Albany Centre of Plant Endemism * Barberton Centre of Plant Endemism * Cape Floristic Region * Drakensberg Alpi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mkhambathi Nature Reserve
Mkhambathi Nature Reserve (or Mkambati Nature Reserve) is a protected area at Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is , with the Pondoland Marine Protected Area off its coastal edge. The reserve is located in the Pondoland Centre of Plant Endemism and the greater Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany Hotspot, and is covered in open grassland, dotted with patches of indigenous forest, swamp forests and flanked by the forested ravines of the Msikaba and Mtentu rivers. Biodiversity Amphibians Amphibians occur in the coastal region of the reserve. * Bush squeaker * Forest tree frog * Knysna leaf-folding frog * Natal chirping frog * Plaintive rain frog * Yellow-striped reed frog Birds The reserve has a large colony (400–800 individuals) of Cape vulture (a threatened species). * African finfoot * African grass owl * Black-bellied bustard * Black-bellied starling * Black-rumped buttonquail * Black-winged lapwing * Broad-tailed warbler * Brown scrub robin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Umtamvuna Nature Reserve
The Umtamvuna Nature Reserve is situated in South Africa on the KwaZulu-Natal side of the Mtamvuna River, and is managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. The reserve is 3,257 hectares in extent and was established on 25 July 1971.Pooley, T. and Player, I. (1995). ''KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Destinations''. . Description The reserve includes a section of the Mtamvuna River, and surrounding cliffs and plateaus, from the outskirts of the town of Port Edward to 19 km inland. The total river frontage in the reserve is about 28 km. The reserve also includes the Bulolo River; a tributary of the Mtamvuna. The reserve's 14 km nature trail is suitable for adept and well-prepared hikers. The plateau areas consist of grasslands ( Pondoland Sourveld), which drop off into Coastal Scarp Forest in the gorge along the river below. Some of the cliff-faces are up to 240 m high, and a colony of Cape vultures is said to nest on them. The cliffs were formed by the river incising into Natal G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bradypodion Caffrum
The Transkei dwarf chameleon or Pondo dwarf chameleon (''Bradypodion caffer'') is a chameleon endemic to the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Reproduction Transkei dwarf chameleon are ovoviviparous. Habitat and conservation Transkei dwarf chameleon inhabit low coastal forests. This habitat is deteriorating because of overgrazing by domestic livestock, clearing of land for agriculture, fuel-wood collection, invasion by introduced plants, and urbanization. The species occurs in the Silaka Nature Reserve Silaka Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, close to the town of Port St Johns, and managed by Eastern Cape Parks Eastern Cape Parks are the national parks, marine protected areas, nature reserves and ot ..., but is not known from other protected areas. References External links Search for Distribution of ''Bradypodion caffrum'' Bradypodion Endemic reptiles of South Africa Reptiles described in 1889 Taxa named by Oskar B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tephrosia Pondoensis
''Tephrosia pondoensis'' (pondo poison pea, af, Pondo-Gifertjie) is a species of plant in the family Fabaceae. It is found only in South Africa, where it is protected under the National Forest Act (Act 84) of 1998. The pondo poison pea is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby .... References pondoensis Endemic flora of South Africa Protected trees of South Africa Vulnerable flora of Africa Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Millettieae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Syzygium Pondoense
''Syzygium pondoense'' is a species of plants in the family Myrtaceae. It is endemic to South Africa. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby .... Gallery Syzygium pondoense00.jpg Syzygium pondoense01.jpg References * *van Wyk, B. and van Wyk, P. 1997. ''Field Guide to trees of South Africa''. Struik, Cape Town pondoense Endemic flora of South Africa Vulnerable flora of Africa Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Adolf Engler {{Myrtaceae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Catha Abbottii
Catha may refer to: * ''Catha'' (plant), a plant genus * Catha (mythology) Catha (Cavatha, Cavtha, Cath, Cautha, and Kavtha) is a female Etruscan lunar or solar deity, who may also be connected to childbirth, and has a connection to the underworld. Catha is also the goddess of the south sanctuary at Pyrgi, Italy. She i ..., an Etruscan goddess See also * Katha (other) {{disambig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in 1994 out of the Xhosa homelands or bantustans of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province. The central and eastern part of the province is the traditional home of the indigenous Xhosa people. In 1820 this area which was known as the Xhosa Kingdom began to be settled by Europeans who originally came from England and some from Scotland and Ireland. Since South Africa's early years, many Xhosas believed in Africanism and figures such as Walter Rubusana believed that the rights of Xhosa people and Africans in general, could not be protected unless Africans mobilized and worked together. As a result, the Eastern Cape is home to many anti-apartheid leaders such as Robert Sobukwe, Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
