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Fynbos (; meaning fine plants) is a small belt of natural
shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It ...
or
heathland
A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a coole ...
vegetation located in the
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 202 ...
and
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 ...
provinces of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
. This area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
and rainy winters. The fynbos
ecoregion
An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of ...
is within the
Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub
Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub is a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The biome is generally characterized by dry summers and rainy winters, although in some areas rainfall may be uniform. Summers are typically hot in ...
biome
A biome () is a biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate. Biomes may span more than one continent. Biome is a broader ...
. In fields related to
biogeography
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time. Organisms and biological communities often vary in a regular fashion along geographic gradients of latitude, elevation, ...
, fynbos is known for its exceptional degree of
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity'') ...
and
endemism
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...
, consisting of about 80% (8,500 fynbos) species of the
Cape floral kingdom, where nearly 6,000 of them are endemic.
This land continues to face severe human-caused threats, but due to the many economic uses of the fynbos, conservation efforts are being made to help restore it.
Overview and history
The word fynbos is often confusingly said to mean "fine bush" in
Afrikaans
Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gr ...
, as "bos" means "bush". Typical fynbos foliage is
ericoid
The word "ericoid" is used in modern biological terminology for its literal meanings and for extensions. Etymologically the word is derived from two Greek roots via Latin adaptations. Firstly, the Ancient Greek name for plants now known in Englis ...
rather than fine. The term, in its pre-Afrikaans, Dutch form, ''fynbosch'', was recorded by Noble as being in casual use in the late 19th century.
In the early 20th century, John Bews referred to: "South-Western or Cape Region of Macchia or Fynbosch". He said: "In this well-known region where the rain occurs in winter and the summers are more or less dry, the dominant vegetation is of a
sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is a type of vegetation that is adapted to long periods of dryness and heat. The plants feature hard leaves, short internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem) and leaf orientation which is parallel or oblique to direct ...
ous type and there is little or no natural
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses ( Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur na ...
, though there are many kinds of grass..."
He also refers to a high degree of
endemism
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...
in the grasses in that region. Elsewhere he speaks of the term as "...applied by the inhabitants of the Cape to any sort of small woodland growth that does not include timber trees"; in the current vernacular, this still is the effective sense of the word.
[ However, in the technical, ecological sense, the constraints are more demanding. In the latter half of the 20th century, "fynbos" gained currency as the term for the "distinctive vegetation of the southwestern Cape".][
]
Cape Floral Kingdom
Fynbos – which grows in a 100-to-200-km-wide coastal belt stretching from Clanwilliam on the West coast to Port Elizabeth
Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, So ...
on the Southeast coast – forms part of the Cape floral kingdom, where it accounts for half of the surface area and 80% of the plant species. The fynbos in the western regions is richer and more varied than in the eastern regions of South Africa.
Of the world's six floral kingdoms, this is the smallest and richest per unit of area. The Holarctic
The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the continents in the Northern Hemisphere. It corresponds to the floristic Boreal Kingdom. It includes both the Nearctic zoogeographical reg ...
kingdom, in contrast, incorporates the whole of the Northern Hemisphere north of the tropics. The diversity of fynbos plants is extremely high, with over 9,000 species of plants occurring in the area, around 6,200 of which are endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
, i.e. growing nowhere else in the world. South Africa's Western Cape has the vast majority of species with one estimate finding 8,550 species in 89,000 km2, which is higher than that estimated for the Malayan forests, 7,900 species in 132,000 km2. It has been claimed that it exceeds even the richest tropical rainforest in South America, including the Amazon. Of the '' Ericas'', over 600 occur in the fynbos kingdom, while only two or three dozen have been described in the rest of the world. This is in an area of 46,000 km2 – by comparison, the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, with an area of 33,000 km2, has 1,400 species, none of them endemic. Table Mountain
Table Mountain ( naq, Huriǂoaxa, lit= sea-emerging; af, Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the ...
in Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
supports 2,200 species, more than the entire United Kingdom. Thus, although the fynbos covers only 6% of the area of southern Africa, it has half the species on the subcontinent – and in fact has almost 1 in 5 of all African plant species so far described.
Five main river systems traverse the Cape floral kingdom: the Oliphants River of the Western Cape; the Berg River
The Berg River (also called Great Berg River or in Afrikaans: Bergrivier) is a river located just north of Cape Town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It is approximately 294 km (183 mi) long with a catchment area of 7,715 ...
which drains the West Coast Forelands plain stretching from the Cape Flats
The Cape Flats ( af, Die Kaapse Vlakte) is an expansive, low-lying, flat area situated to the southeast of the central business district of Cape Town. The Cape Flats is also the name of an administrative region of the City of Cape Town, which li ...
to the Olifants; the Breede, which is the largest river on the Cape; the Olifants River (Southern Cape)
Olifants River ( af, Olifantsrivier) is a river in the Klein Karoo area of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Course
It has its origins in the Traka and Kalkwal Rivers north of the Swartberg, becoming the Olifants River after flowing through the ...
; Gourits and the Groot Rivers which drain the Little Karoo
The Karoo ( ; from the Afrikaans borrowing of the South Khoekhoe !Orakobab or Khoemana word ''ǃ’Aukarob'' "Hardveld") is a semi-desert natural region of South Africa. No exact definition of what constitutes the Karoo is available, so its ext ...
basin and the South Coast Forelands; and the Baviaanskloof
Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve is a protected area in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
Characteristics
The Baviaanskloof - (Dutch for "Valley of Baboons") - lies between the Baviaanskloof and Kouga mountain ranges. The easternmost point o ...
and Gamtoos River
Gamtoos River or Gamptoos River is a river in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. It is formed by the confluence of the Kouga River and the Groot River and is approximately long
with a catchment area of .
Course
The Gamtoos river system ...
s to the east.
Flora
The most conspicuous components of the flora
Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring ( indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''.
...
are evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...
sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is a type of vegetation that is adapted to long periods of dryness and heat. The plants feature hard leaves, short internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem) and leaf orientation which is parallel or oblique to direct ...
ous plants, many with ericoid
The word "ericoid" is used in modern biological terminology for its literal meanings and for extensions. Etymologically the word is derived from two Greek roots via Latin adaptations. Firstly, the Ancient Greek name for plants now known in Englis ...
leaves and gracile habit, as opposed to timber forest. Several plant families are conspicuous in fynbos; the Proteaceae
The Proteaceae form a family of flowering plants predominantly distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises 83 genera with about 1,660 known species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae, they make up the order ...
are prominent, with genera such as '' Protea'', '' Leucospermum'' (the "pincushions"), and '' Leucadendron'' (the silver tree and "cone bush
Cone bush, conebush, or cone-bush is a common name for various plants, usually dicotyledonous shrubs that bear their flowers and seeds in compact, cone-shaped inflorescences and infructescences. The plants that the name most frequently applies to ...
es"). Proteas are represented by many species and are prominent in the landscape, generally with large striking flowers, many of which are pollinated by birds, and others by small mammals. Most of these do not have anything like ericoid leaves, and nor do most Rhamnaceae
The Rhamnaceae are a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs, and some vines, commonly called the buckthorn family. Rhamnaceae is included in the order Rosales.
The family contains about 55 genera and 950 species. The Rhamnaceae ...
, , or Geraniaceae. Fynbos Ericaceae include more species of ''Erica'' than all other regions combined. They are popularly called heaths and are generally smaller plants bearing many small, tubular or globular flowers and ericoid
The word "ericoid" is used in modern biological terminology for its literal meanings and for extensions. Etymologically the word is derived from two Greek roots via Latin adaptations. Firstly, the Ancient Greek name for plants now known in Englis ...
leaves. Restionaceae also occur in greater variety in fynbos than anywhere else; their species are superficially grass-like. Many of them grow in wet areas such as seasonal marshes and spongy basins in the sources of mountain streams, but others grow in decidedly arid conditions.
Depending on the locality and the aspects under discussion, several other families have equal claim to being characteristic, including Asteraceae
The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae ...
, Rutaceae, and Iridaceae
Iridaceae is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking its name from the irises, meaning rainbow, referring to its many colours. There are 66 accepted genera with a total of c. 2244 species worldwide (Christenhusz & Byng 2016). It inclu ...
.[ More than 1400 bulb species occur among the fynbos, of which 96 are '' Gladiolus'' and 54 '' Lachenalia''. Areas that are dominated by "renosterbos", '']Elytropappus rhinocerotis
''Elytropappus rhinocerotis'' (commonly known as renosterbos or "rhinoceros bush") is a species of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae, endemic to South Africa. It is a very obvious component of the unique Renosterveld Vegetation Typ ...
'', (Asteraceae) are known as Renosterveld (Afrikaans for "rhinoceros veld").[
]
Vegetation types
Fynbos vegetation types, code FF:
* Agulhas Limestone Fynbos (FFl 1)
* Agulhas Sand Fynbos (FFd 7)
* Albertinia Sand Fynbos (FFd 9)
* Algoa Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 29)
* Atlantis Sand Fynbos
Atlantis Sand Fynbos is a critically endangered fynbos vegetation type that occurs to the north of Cape Town, in the Western Cape, South Africa.
It is listed as critically endangered as it is home to a great many threatened Red List species.http ...
(FFd 4)
* Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 1)
* Boland Granite Fynbos (FFg 2)
* Breede Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 2)
* Breede Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 4)
* Breede Sand Fynbos (FFd 8)
* Breede Shale Fynbos (FFh 4)
* Canca Limestone Fynbos (FFl 3)
* Cape Flats Sand Fynbos
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (CFSF), previously known as Sand Plain Fynbos, is a critically endangered vegetation type that occurs only within the city of Cape Town. Less than 1% of this unique lowland fynbos vegetation is conserved.
Description
This ...
(FFd 5)
* Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos
Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos is a vegetation type that naturally occurs in the Cape Winelands (or " Boland") of the Western Cape, South Africa.
This vegetation type is found on lower mountain slopes and high, rolling plains in the Western Cape Bo ...
(FFh 5)
* Cederberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 4)
* Central Coastal Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 4)
* Central Inland Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 3)
* De Hoop Limestone Fynbos (FFl 2)
* Eastern Coastal Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 6)
* Eastern Inland Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 5)
* Elgin Shale Fynbos (FFh 6)
* Elim Ferricrete Fynbos (FFf 1)
* Garden Route Granite Fynbos (FFg 5)
* Garden Route Shale Fynbos (FFh 9)
* Graafwater Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 2)
* Greyton Shale Fynbos (FFh 7)
* Grootrivier Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 5)
* Hangklip Sand Fynbos
Hangklip Sand Fynbos is an endangered vegetation type that occurs in the southern coastal portion of the Western Cape, South Africa.
This particular fynbos ecosystem naturally occurs along the southern coast of the Western Cape, South Africa, b ...
(FFd 6)
* Hawequas Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 10)
* Hopefield Sand Fynbos (FFd 3)
* Kamiesberg Granite Fynbos (FFg 1)
* Kango Conglomerate Fynbos (FFt 1)
* Knysna Sand Fynbos (FFd 10)
* Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 11)
* Kouebokkeveld Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 1)
* Kouebokkeveld Shale Fynbos (FFh 1)
* Kouga Grassy Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 28)
* Kouga Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 27)
* Leipoldtville Sand Fynbos (FFd 2)
* Loerie Conglomerate Fynbos (FFt 2)
* Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 4)
* Matjiesfontein Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 3)
* Matjiesfontein Shale Fynbos (FFh 2)
* Montagu Shale Fynbos (FFh 8)
* Namaqualand Sand Fynbos (FFd 1)
* North Hex Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 7)
* North Kammanassie Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 25)
* North Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 15)
* North Outeniqua Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 18)
* North Rooiberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 21)
* North Sonderend Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 13)?
* North Swartberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 23)
* Northern Inland Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 1)
* Olifants Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 3)
* Overberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 12)
* Peninsula Granite Fynbos (FFg 3)
* Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 9)
* Piketberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 6)
* Potberg Ferricrete Fynbos (FFf 2)
* Potberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 17)
* Robertson Granite Fynbos (FFg 4)
* South Hex Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 8)
* South Kammanassie Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 26)
* South Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 16)
* South Outeniqua Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 19)
* South Rooiberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 22)
* South Sonderend Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 14)
* South Swartberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 24)
* Southern Cape Dune Fynbos (FFd 11)
* Stinkfonteinberge Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 1)
* Suurberg Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 6)
* Suurberg Shale Fynbos (FFh 10)
* Swartberg Altimontane Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 31)
* Swartberg Shale Fynbos (FFh 3)
* Swartland Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 3)
* Swartruggens Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 2)
* Swellendam Silcrete Fynbos (FFc 1)
* Tsitsikamma Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 20)
* Western Altimontane Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 30)
* Western Coastal Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 2)
* Winterhoek Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 5)
Fauna
The fynbos is home to many unique and endemic animals, with 7 species of endemic bird and an unknown number of endemic reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods. The 7 avian endemics include the Cape rockjumper
The Cape rockjumper or rufous rockjumper (''Chaetops frenatus'') is a medium-sized insectivorous passerine bird endemic to the mountain Fynbos of southernmost South Africa.
Taxonomy
The Cape and Drakensberg rockjumpers were split into s ...
, Cape sugarbird
The Cape sugarbird (''Promerops cafer'') is one of the eight bird species endemic to the Fynbos biome of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.
Description
The Cape sugarbird is a grey-brown bird that is easily recogni ...
, Victorin's warbler, Orange-breasted sunbird, Protea canary, Cape siskin, and Fynbos buttonquail
The Fynbos buttonquail (''Turnix hottentottus'') is a bird in the family Turnicidae formerly considered conspecific with the black-rumped buttonquail (''Turnix nanus''). There are no subspecies.
Name
Several authorities still refer to this spe ...
.
Ecoregions
The fynbos area has been divided into two very similar ecoregion
An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of ...
s: the lowland fynbos (below 300 m above sea level) on the sandy soil of the west coast, and the montane fynbos of the Cape Fold Belt
The Cape Fold Belt is a fold and thrust belt of late Paleozoic age, which affected the sequence of sedimentary rock layers of the Cape Supergroup in the southwestern corner of South Africa. It was originally continuous with the Ventana Mount ...
.
The Lowland Fynbos and Renosterveld experiences regular winter rainfall, especially to the west of Cape Agulhas. The ecoregion has been subdivided into 9 areas: the West Coast Forelands from the Cape Flats to the Olifants River (Western Cape); the Warm Bokkeveld
Warm, WARM, or Warmth may refer to:
* A somewhat high temperature
* Kindness
Music
* ''Warm'' (The Lettermen album), 1967, and the title song
* ''Warm'' (Johnny Mathis album), 1958, and the title song
* ''Warm'' (Herb Alpert album), 1969
* '' ...
basin around the town of Ceres; the Elgin Valley around the town of Elgin; the sandy Agulhas Plain on the coast; the Breede River valley around the town of Worcester
Worcester may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England
** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament
* Worcester Park, London, Engla ...
; the South Coast Forelands from Caledon west to Mossel Bay; the south-eastern end of the Little Karoo; Langkloof
The Langkloof is a 160 km long valley in South Africa, lying between Herold, a small village northeast of George, and The Heights - just beyond Twee Riviere.
History
The kloof was given its name by Isaq Schrijver in 1689, and more thoroug ...
valley; and the Southeastern Coast Forelands west from Tsitsikamma
The Tsitsikamma National Park is a protected area on the Garden Route, Western Cape and Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is a coastal reserve well known for its indigenous forests, dramatic coastline, and the Otter Trail. On 6 March 2009 it was am ...
to Port Elizabeth
Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, So ...
.
The flora of the lowlands contains a high number of endemic species, and tends to favour larger plants than those growing on the hillier areas. They include the larger Restionaceae such as species of ''Elegia
Elegia may refer to:
* The Latin term for " elegy"
* ''Elegia'' (moth), a snout moth genus in subfamily Phycitinae
* ''Elegia'' (plant), a South African plant genus in family Restionaceae
* , 1979 Polish film directed by Paweł Komorowski
* Ele ...
'', '' Thamnochortus'', and '' Willdenowia'' and proteas such as king protea ('' Protea cynaroides'') and blushing bride ('' Serruria florida''). Particular types of lowland fynbos include the shrubs and herbs of the coastal sand dunes, the mixture of ericoids and restoids with thickets of shrubs such as '' Maytenus'', and other Celastraceae, sideroxylon
''Sideroxylon'' is a genus of trees in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. They are collectively known as bully trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek words σιδηρος (''sideros''), meaning " iron ...
s and other Sapotaceae
240px, '' Madhuca longifolia'' var. ''latifolia'' in Narsapur, Medak district, India
The Sapotaceae are a family (biology), family of flowering plants belonging to the order (biology), order Ericales. The family includes about 800 species of ev ...
, and ''Rhus
Sumac ( or ), also spelled sumach, is any of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus ''Rhus'' and related genera in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae). Sumacs grow in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, including Eas ...
'' and other Anacardiaceae
The Anacardiaceae, commonly known as the cashew family or sumac family, are a family of flowering plants, including about 83 genera with about 860 known species. Members of the Anacardiaceae bear fruits that are drupes and in some cases produce ...
on the coastal sands; the classic fynbos of the sandplains of the West Coast Forelands, and the Agulhas Plain; the grassy fynbos of the hillier and wetter areas of the South and South-Eastern Coast Forelands; areas where fynbos and renosterveld are mixed; coastal renosterveld on the West and South Coast Forelands; and the inland renosterveld of the drier inland Little Karoo and Warm Bokkeveld.
The area is also home to a large number of endemic creatures that have adapted to life in this area, such as the monkey beetle
Monkey beetles are scarab beetles, a group of several genera within the tribe Hopliini. The placement of this tribe within the family Scarabaeidae is uncertain between Melolonthinae and Rutelinae. Many species visit flowers for pollen and necta ...
s which pollinate '' Ixia viridiflora''. Endemic species of fish in the five river systems occur in the area, too. Endemic reptiles and amphibians include a number of tortoise
Tortoises () are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin: ''tortoise''). Like other turtles, tortoises have a turtle shell, shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, ...
s and the chameleon-like arum frog (''Hyperolius horstockii
The arum frog, Horstock's arum-frog, arum lily frog, or Horstock's reed frog (''Hyperolius horstockii'') is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to South Africa.
Identification
Adults grow to 40 mm in length. They ha ...
'').
The Montane Fynbos and Renosterveld is the area above 300 m, a total of 45,000 km2 of the Cape Fold Mountains. The same level of floral variety, including all three characteristic fynbos families, is found there, but ericas predominate. Because the higher and wetter areas are more protected and contain important water sources, the original flora is more intact than in the lowlands; but agriculture and global warming are still threats. The region includes the mountains in the west from the Cape Peninsula
The Cape Peninsula ( af, Kaapse Skiereiland) is a generally mountainous peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western extremity of the African continent. At the southern end of the peninsula are Cape Point and the Cape of ...
to the Kouebokkeveld Mountains
The Koue Bokkeveld, meaning "Cold Buck Shrubland" in Afrikaans, is a mountain range in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Geologically the range is composed of Cedarberg Sandstone of the Cape System.
Location and extent
It is located above ...
, the south coast hinterland from Elgin to Port Elizabeth, the mountains north of the Little Karoo from Laingsburg to Willowmore
Willowmore is a town in Sarah Baartman District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
The town is situated 140 km north-east of Knysna and 117 km south-west of Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar ...
, and the inselberg
An inselberg or monadnock () is an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain.
In Southern Africa a similar formation of granite is known as a koppie, a ...
hills within the Little Karoo. About half of these areas are originally fynbos, and about half are renosterveld.
Many different microclimates occur, so the flora changes from west to east, and also varies with altitude up the hillsides away from the coast and according to compass direction. Lower elevations are covered with protea fynbos, with ericas taking over further up. Plant species include pincushions ('' Leucospermum''). The wildlife includes a number of endemic bees, beetles, horseflies, and ants, and birds such as Cape sugarbird
The Cape sugarbird (''Promerops cafer'') is one of the eight bird species endemic to the Fynbos biome of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.
Description
The Cape sugarbird is a grey-brown bird that is easily recogni ...
s and the orange-breasted sunbird
The orange-breasted sunbird (''Anthobaphes violacea'') is a species of small, predominantly nectar-feeding bird that is endemic to the fynbos shrubland biome of southwestern South Africa. It is the only member of the genus ''Anthobaphes'', in th ...
. Many of these birds and insects are important and specific pollinators for the fynbos, such as the mountain pride butterfly (''Aeropetes tulbaghia
''Aeropetes'' is a monotypic butterfly genus in the family Nymphalidae. Its only species, ''Aeropetes tulbaghia'', is commonly known as the Table Mountain beauty or mountain pride. It is native to southern Africa, where it occurs in South Africa ...
'') which only visits red flowers such as ''Disa uniflora
''Disa uniflora'', the red disa or pride of Table Mountain, is a South African species of orchid in the family ''Orchidaceae''. It is the type species of the genus ''Disa'', and one of its best-known members. It is occasionally referred to by it ...
'' and pollinates 15 different species. Larger animals include antelopes, particularly Cape grysbok ('' Raphicerus melanotis''), common duiker (''Sylvicapra grimmia
The common duiker (''Sylvicapra grimmia''), also known as the grey or bush duiker, is a small antelope and the monotypic taxon, only member of the genus ''Sylvicapra''. This species is found everywhere in Africa south of the Sahara, excluding the ...
''), and klipspringer ('' Oreotragus oreotragus''). The extinct blue antelope and quagga
The quagga ( or ) (''Equus quagga quagga'') is a subspecies of the plains zebra that was endemic to South Africa until it was hunted to extinction in the late 19th century. It was long thought to be a distinct species, but early genetic ...
were also fynbos natives.
Economic uses
Rooibos
Rooibos ( ; , meaning "red bush"), or ''Aspalathus linearis'', is a broom (shrub), broom-like member of the plant family Fabaceae that grows in South Africa's fynbos biome.
The leaves are used to make a herbal tea that is called rooibos (esp ...
(''Aspalathus linearis'') and honeybush
''Cyclopia'', the honeybush, or heuningbos in Afrikaans, is a genus of some 20 species of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. Its description was published by the French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat in 180 ...
(''Cyclopia intermedia'') are of economic importance, grown and harvested in large quantities in the Cederberg
The Cederberg mountains are located near Clanwilliam, approximately 300 km north of Cape Town, South Africa at about . The mountain range is named after the endangered Clanwilliam cedar (''Widdringtonia wallichii''), which is a tree end ...
area, and providing important exports. Restios continue to be used for thatching, as they have for hundreds or even thousands of years. Proteas and other floral species are grown in many areas and their flowers harvested for export.
In many areas with Mediterranean climates, fynbos species have become popular garden plants, in particular aloe
''Aloe'' (; also written ''Aloë'') is a genus containing over 650 species of flowering succulent plants.WFO (2022): Aloe L. Published on the Internet;http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-4000001341. Accessed on: 06 Nov 2022 The most wid ...
s and geraniums
''Pelargonium'' () is a genus of flowering plants that includes about 280 species of perennials, succulents, and shrubs, commonly called geraniums, pelargoniums, or storksbills. '' Geranium'' is also the botanical name and common name of a separ ...
, and in cooler regions are used as window plants.
A very large number of fynbos plant species are used in traditional medicine, and while only a tiny proportion have as yet been subjected to formal testing, many have already been identified as having medicinal properties.
Threats and conservation
The fynbos is the region of South Africa most affected by invasive alien species
An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced species, introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, i ...
which collectively cover around 10% of the entire country. The most common invasive plants are wattles and hakea
''Hakea'' ( ) is a genus of about 150 species of plants in the Family ''Proteaceae'', endemic to Australia. They are shrubs or small trees with leaves that are sometimes flat, otherwise circular in cross section in which case they are sometimes d ...
s, native to Australia, and pines
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
native to Europe and the Californian coast of the United States. Pines had been introduced to South Africa by the 19th century and the wattles were imported into the mid-1870s to stabilize sand dunes
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
. In 1997 it was estimated that invasion caused the fynbos region to decline in value by US$750 million per year.
The Working for Water (WfW) program was started in 1995 by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry to control these invasive species which were shown to sequester 9.95% of usable surface water runoff. Since then, over 100,000 hectares of land have been cleared of invasive species while providing jobs to around 20,000 people per year, most of which are women and unskilled workers. Systematic monitoring of WfW's progress is lacking but there is anecdotal evidence that endemic silver peas have returned to Table Mountain
Table Mountain ( naq, Huriǂoaxa, lit= sea-emerging; af, Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the ...
after being thought extinct.
File:Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve - city of Cape Town.JPG, Researchers in a relatively remote stretch of Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos
File:Harmony Flats Nature Reserve - city of Cape Town.jpg, Community conservation group for the critically endangered remnant of Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos at Harmony Flats, Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
.
See also
*
*
References
External links
Fynbos Paradise of South Africa
''Images of Fynbos''
''Western Cape School Network'' on fynbos
"Protea Atlas Project"
with excellent information and images.
Fauna & Flora International's work on fynbos
Fynbos Photography (organized taxonomically)
Conservation and Land Restoration Project at TerraPi,SA
*
WfW Program official page
{{Coord, 34, 10, 0, S, 18, 22, 30, E, source:frwiki_region:ZA_scale:100000, display=title
Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub in South Africa
Ecoregions of South Africa
Ecoregions of Africa