Cape Flats Sand Fynbos
Encyclopedia
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
, including the Cape Flats
district. Less than 1% of this unique lowland Fynbos
vegetation is conserved.
and Restioid
fynbos, but Ericaceous
fynbos also occurs in wetter areas and Asteraceous
fynbos in drier spots. In winter, seasonal wetland
s appear in many areas, and mists often cover the landscape.
, over 85 percent of what was once Cape Town’s commonest vegetation type is now destroyed and covered by urban sprawl
. Half of what remains is badly infested with invasive alien plants (Acacia saligna
, Acacia cyclops
, Pinus, Eucalyptus
and Kikuyu grass), and less than 1 percent is actually statutorily conserved.
Surviving pockets exist in several small nature reserves within the city, such as Rondevlei
, Kenilworth Racecourse
and Rondebosch Common
. These are identified as “Core Conservation Sites”. However, these sites alone are too small to preserve this vegetation type, and they themselves are threatened by invasive alien plants and the destructive practise of mowing (which eliminates all the tall and serotinous species).
Habitat preserves
Nature preserves with Cape Flats Sand Fynbos habitat include:
Historically, areas of Cape Town that weren’t developed for housing were often planted with commercial plantations of invasive European Pines. A fire at Tokai forest in 1998 revealed that this pine plantation is located on top of intact CFSF seed beds from its original vegetation.
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos is particularly rich in Protea
and Erica
species, many of which are endemic to this vegetation type and occur nowhere else. This was also the habitat of several species of plant which are now extinct, such as the Aspalathus variegata(the Cape Flats Gorse), Erica pyramidalis
, Erica turgida
, Erica verticillata
and Liparia graminifolia.
Index: Fynbos - habitats and species.
Critically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
vegetation type that occurs only within the city of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, including the Cape Flats
Cape Flats
The Cape Flats is an expansive, low-lying, flat area situated to the southeast of the central business district of Cape Town. To many people in Cape Town, the area is known simply as 'The Flats'....
district. Less than 1% of this unique lowland Fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
vegetation is conserved.
Description
This is the richest and most diverse type of Sand Fynbos. It also has the highest number of threatened plant species. It is the wettest and coolest of all West Coast Sand Fynbos, growing primarily in deep, white, acidic sands. It is dominated by ProteoidProteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
and Restioid
Restionaceae
Restionaceae, also called restiads, is the botanical name for a family of rush-like flowering plants native to the Southern Hemisphere.- Description :...
fynbos, but Ericaceous
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
fynbos also occurs in wetter areas and Asteraceous
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
fynbos in drier spots. In winter, seasonal wetland
Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland
Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland is a critically endangered vegetation type of the Western Cape, South Africa.-Environment:This type of riparian vegetation and its accompanying ecosystem is found in the Western Cape, South Africa, on freshwater floodplains, along the lower stretches of rivers and...
s appear in many areas, and mists often cover the landscape.
Threats and conservation
Lying as it does entirely within the limits of Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, over 85 percent of what was once Cape Town’s commonest vegetation type is now destroyed and covered by urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
. Half of what remains is badly infested with invasive alien plants (Acacia saligna
Acacia saligna
Acacia saligna, commonly known by various names including coojong, golden wreath wattle, orange wattle, blue-leafed wattle, Western Australian golden wattle, and, in Africa, Port Jackson willow, is a small tree in the family Fabaceae...
, Acacia cyclops
Acacia cyclops
Acacia cyclops, commonly known as red-eyed wattle or western coastal wattle, is a coastal shrub or small tree in the family Fabaceae...
, Pinus, Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
and Kikuyu grass), and less than 1 percent is actually statutorily conserved.
Surviving pockets exist in several small nature reserves within the city, such as Rondevlei
Rondevlei
The Rondevlei Nature Reserve is located in Grassy Park, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. The bird sanctuary covers approximately 2.2 square kilometres of mostly permanent wetland and consists of a single large brackish lagoon...
, Kenilworth Racecourse
Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area
Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area is small nature reserve, situated in the centre of Kenilworth Racecourse, in Cape Town, South Africa...
and Rondebosch Common
Rondebosch Common
Rondebosch Common is an open common of about in Rondebosch, Cape Town in South Africa. It contains one of the only surviving pockets of the critically endangered “Cape Flats Sand Fynbos” vegetation type, which exists nowhere else in the world...
. These are identified as “Core Conservation Sites”. However, these sites alone are too small to preserve this vegetation type, and they themselves are threatened by invasive alien plants and the destructive practise of mowing (which eliminates all the tall and serotinous species).
Habitat preserves
Nature preserves with Cape Flats Sand Fynbos habitat include:
- Blaauwberg Conservation AreaBlaauwberg Conservation AreaBlaauwberg Conservation Area is a nature reserve in Cape Town, located north of the main city centre. With its impressive views over Table Bay, this is the only viewpoint in the world where one can simultaneously look out over two official World Heritage Sites .Proclaimed as a nature reserve in...
- Edith Stephens Wetland ParkEdith Stephens Wetland ParkEdith Stephens Wetland Park is a nature reserve for wetlands and fynbos, located in the city of Cape Town, South Africa.The park consists of a large seasonal wetland, with surrounding stretches of Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Cape Flats Dune Strandveld vegetation...
- Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation AreaKenilworth Racecourse Conservation AreaKenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area is small nature reserve, situated in the centre of Kenilworth Racecourse, in Cape Town, South Africa...
- Macassar Dunes Conservation AreaMacassar Dunes Conservation AreaMacassar Dunes Conservation Area is a coastal nature reserve in Cape Town, South Africa.-Biodiversity:This conservation area conserves the unique local “Cape Flats Dune Strandveld” vegetation with its dense evergreen thickets, flowers, shrubs and trees...
- Milnerton Racecourse Nature ReserveMilnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve- Location :The Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve, formerly also known as Royal Ascot Conservation Area, is situated in Royal Ascot, Cape Town, South Africa...
- Rondebosch CommonRondebosch CommonRondebosch Common is an open common of about in Rondebosch, Cape Town in South Africa. It contains one of the only surviving pockets of the critically endangered “Cape Flats Sand Fynbos” vegetation type, which exists nowhere else in the world...
- Rondevlei Nature Reserve
- Witzands Aquifer Conservation AreaWitzands Aquifer Conservation AreaWitzands Aquifer Nature Reserve is a protected natural area in Cape Town, located on the city’s northern outskirts. This reserve protects an important part of Cape Town’s natural and cultural heritage, including the Atlantis Aquifer.-Biodiversity:...
- Wolfgat Nature ReserveWolfgat Nature ReserveWolfgat Nature Reserve is a coastal nature reserve on False Bay in Cape Town, South Africa.This conservation area consists of 248 ha of endangered dune vegetation and majestic limestone cliffs, extending along a portion of the False Bay coastline. The Cape Flats Dune Strandveld vegetation in this...
- Zandvlei Estuary Nature ReserveZandvlei Estuary Nature ReserveZandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve is a nature reserve and recreational area located in Cape Town, South Africa.Entering the ocean in the suburb of Muizenberg, Zandvlei is the only functioning estuary on Cape Town’s False Bay coast...
Historically, areas of Cape Town that weren’t developed for housing were often planted with commercial plantations of invasive European Pines. A fire at Tokai forest in 1998 revealed that this pine plantation is located on top of intact CFSF seed beds from its original vegetation.
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos is particularly rich in Protea
Protea
Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes.-Etymology:...
and Erica
Erica
Erica ,the heaths or heathers, is a genus of approximately 860 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. The English common names "heath" and "heather" are shared by some closely related genera of similar appearance....
species, many of which are endemic to this vegetation type and occur nowhere else. This was also the habitat of several species of plant which are now extinct, such as the Aspalathus variegata(the Cape Flats Gorse), Erica pyramidalis
Erica pyramidalis
Erica pyramidalis was a species of erica that was endemic to the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It was driven to extinction by the early 20th century, due to habitat destruction from the expanding city....
, Erica turgida
Erica turgida
Erica turgida is a species of erica that was naturally restricted to the city of Cape Town, South Africa, but is now classified as Extinct in the Wild....
, Erica verticillata
Erica verticillata
Erica verticillata is a species of erica that was naturally restricted to the city of Cape Town but is now classified as Extinct in the Wild.-Distribution:It formerly grew only in certain areas of the Cape Flats on the Cape Peninsula of South Africa....
and Liparia graminifolia.
Endemic flora
- Some plant species that are endemic this vegetation type include:
- Aspalathus variegata (The Cape Flats Gorse. Probably extinct)
- Athanasia capitata
- Cliffortia ericifolia
- Erica margaretacea
- Erica pyramidalisErica pyramidalisErica pyramidalis was a species of erica that was endemic to the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It was driven to extinction by the early 20th century, due to habitat destruction from the expanding city....
(extinct) - Erica turgidaErica turgidaErica turgida is a species of erica that was naturally restricted to the city of Cape Town, South Africa, but is now classified as Extinct in the Wild....
(extinct in the wild) - Erica verticillataErica verticillataErica verticillata is a species of erica that was naturally restricted to the city of Cape Town but is now classified as Extinct in the Wild.-Distribution:It formerly grew only in certain areas of the Cape Flats on the Cape Peninsula of South Africa....
(extinct in the wild) - Ixia versicolor
- Lampranthus stenus
- Leucadendron levisanus
- Liparia graminifolia (probably extinct)
- Serruria aemulaSerruria aemulaSerruria aemula is a critically endangered species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae, endemic to South Africa. It is known by the common name of Stawberry Spiderhead....
(The Strawberry Spiderhead. Critically endangeredCritically endangeredVersion 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
) - Serruria foeniculacea
- Serruria furcellata
- Tetraria variabilis
- Trianoptiles solitaria
See also
- Biodiversity of Cape TownBiodiversity of Cape Town- Floristic region :The city of Cape Town lies within the Cape Floristic Kingdom . - Vegetation types :...
- Cape Flats Dune StrandveldCape Flats Dune StrandveldCape Flats Dune Strandveld is an endangered vegetation type. This is a unique type of Cape Strandveld that is endemic to the coastal areas in Cape Town, including the Cape Flats district. -Habitat:Strandveld means “beach scrub” in the Afrikaans language...
- List of nature reserves in Cape Town
Index: Fynbos - habitats and species.
- Hangklip Sand FynbosHangklip Sand FynbosHangklip 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, between Agulhas and Pringle Bay...
- Atlantis Sand FynbosAtlantis Sand FynbosAtlantis 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.-See also:...
- Cape Lowland Freshwater WetlandCape Lowland Freshwater WetlandCape Lowland Freshwater Wetland is a critically endangered vegetation type of the Western Cape, South Africa.-Environment:This type of riparian vegetation and its accompanying ecosystem is found in the Western Cape, South Africa, on freshwater floodplains, along the lower stretches of rivers and...