Cape floristic region
Encyclopedia
The Cape Floristic Region is a floristic region located near the southern tip of South Africa
. It is the only floristic region of the Cape (South African) Floristic Kingdom, and includes only one floristic province
, known as the Cape Floristic Province.
The Cape Floristic Region, the smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms of the world, is an area of extraordinarily high diversity and endemism, and is home to more than 9 000 vascular plant species, of which 69 percent are endemic. Much of this diversity is associated with the fynbos
biome, a Mediterranean-type, fire-prone shrubland. The economic worth of fynbos biodiversity, based on harvests of fynbos products (e.g. wildflower
s) and eco-tourism, is estimated to be in the region of R
77 million a year. Thus, it is clear that the Cape Floristic Region has both economic and intrinsic biological value as a biodiversity hotspot
.
region of South Africa in the Western Cape
in the southwestern corner of the country, and extends eastward into the Eastern Cape
, a transitional zone between the winter-rainfall region to the west and the summer-rainfall region to the east in KwaZulu-Natal
.
, a sclerophyllous shrubland
occurring on acid sands or nutrient poor soils derived from Table Mountain Sandstones (Cape Supergroup). Fynbos is home to an amazing diversity of plant species including many members of the Protea family (Proteaceae
), Heath family (Ericaceae
), and Reed family of restios (Restionaceae
). Other vegetation types are strandveld, a soft coastal scrubland found mostly on the west-facing coast of the Western Cape Province, on tertiary sands. Renosterveld
is a grassy shrubland dominated by members of the Daisy family (Asteraceae
- particularly renosterbos (Elytropappus rhinocerotis), graminoids and geophytes, occurring on the base-rich shaley soils of the coastal forelands. Small pockets of Afromontane forest
(Southern Afrotemperate Forest
) can be found in humid and sheltered areas.
s, the Lowland fynbos and renosterveld, Montane fynbos and renosterveld and the Albany thickets
.
The fynbos ecoregions are designated one of the Global 200
priority ecoregions for conservation. Conservation International
declared the Cape floristic region to be a biodiversity hotspot
.
. The site includes eight representative protected areas:
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is the only floristic region of the Cape (South African) Floristic Kingdom, and includes only one floristic province
Floristic province
A phytochorion, in phytogeography, is a geographic area with a relatively uniform composition of plant species. Adjacent phytochoria do not usually have a sharp boundary, but rather a soft one, a transitional area in which many species from both regions overlap...
, known as the Cape Floristic Province.
The Cape Floristic Region, the smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms of the world, is an area of extraordinarily high diversity and endemism, and is home to more than 9 000 vascular plant species, of which 69 percent are endemic. Much of this diversity is associated with the 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...
biome, a Mediterranean-type, fire-prone shrubland. The economic worth of fynbos biodiversity, based on harvests of fynbos products (e.g. wildflower
Wildflower
A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more...
s) and eco-tourism, is estimated to be in the region of R
South African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
77 million a year. Thus, it is clear that the Cape Floristic Region has both economic and intrinsic biological value as a biodiversity hotspot
Biodiversity hotspot
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The Environmentalist” , revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in...
.
Location and description
The Region covers the Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
region of South Africa in the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
in the southwestern corner of the country, and extends eastward into the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
, a transitional zone between the winter-rainfall region to the west and the summer-rainfall region to the east in KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
.
Flora
Most of the region is covered with fynbosFynbos
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...
, a sclerophyllous shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush 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...
occurring on acid sands or nutrient poor soils derived from Table Mountain Sandstones (Cape Supergroup). Fynbos is home to an amazing diversity of plant species including many members of the Protea family (Proteaceae
Proteaceae
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,...
), Heath family (Ericaceae
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...
), and Reed family of restios (Restionaceae
Restionaceae
Restionaceae, also called restiads, is the botanical name for a family of rush-like flowering plants native to the Southern Hemisphere.- Description :...
). Other vegetation types are strandveld, a soft coastal scrubland found mostly on the west-facing coast of the Western Cape Province, on tertiary sands. Renosterveld
Renosterveld
Renosterveld is a term used for one of the major plant communities and vegetation types of the Cape Floristic Region which is located in southwestern and southeastern South Africa, in southernmost Africa...
is a grassy shrubland dominated by members of the Daisy family (Asteraceae
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...
- particularly renosterbos (Elytropappus rhinocerotis), graminoids and geophytes, occurring on the base-rich shaley soils of the coastal forelands. Small pockets of Afromontane forest
Afromontane
Afromontane is a term used to describe the Afrotropic subregion and its plant and animal species common to the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula...
(Southern Afrotemperate Forest
Southern Afrotemperate Forest
Southern Afrotemperate Forest is a kind of tall, shady, multi-layered indigenous South African forest.This is the main forest-type in the south-western part of South Africa, naturally extending from the Cape Peninsula in the west, as far as Port Elizabeth in the east...
) can be found in humid and sheltered areas.
Ecology
The World Wildlife Fund divides the Cape floristic region into three ecoregionEcoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
s, the Lowland fynbos and renosterveld, Montane fynbos and renosterveld and the Albany thickets
Albany thickets
The Albany thickets are an ecoregion of dense woodland near the southern point of South Africa, concentrated around the Albany region of the Eastern Cape .-Location and description:...
.
The fynbos ecoregions are designated one of the Global 200
Global 200
The Global 200 is the list of ecoregions identified by the World Wildlife Fund as priorities for conservation. According to the WWF, an ecoregion is defined as a "relatively large unit of land or water containing a characteristic set of natural communities that share a large majority of their...
priority ecoregions for conservation. Conservation International
Conservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
declared the Cape floristic region to be a biodiversity hotspot
Biodiversity hotspot
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The Environmentalist” , revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in...
.
World Heritage Site
In 2004, the "Cape Floral Region Protected Areas" were inscribed as a World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. The site includes eight representative protected areas:
- Table Mountain National ParkTable Mountain National ParkTable Mountain National Park, previously known as the Cape Peninsula National Park, is a national park in Cape Town, South Africa, proclaimed on May 29, 1998, for the purpose of protecting the natural environment of the Table Mountain Chain, and in particular the rare fynbos vegetation...
- Cederberg Wilderness Area
- Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area
- Boland Mountain Complex (Limietberg Nature Reserve, Jonkershoek Nature ReserveJonkershoek Nature ReserveJonkershoek Nature Reserve is a CapeNature nature reserve located approximately east of the town of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape. It covers an area of approximately .-Description:...
, Assegaaibosch Nature ReserveAssegaaibosch Nature ReserveAssegaaibosch Nature Reserve, is situated closely to Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Set on the Eerste Rivier , with the Stellenbosch Mountain in the background....
, Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, Kogelberg Nature ReserveKogelberg Nature ReserveKogelberg Nature Reserve is a large and important nature reserve in the east of Cape Town, South Africa. With about 1600 plant species, it contains a floral diversity per unit area that is greater than anywhere else in the world.-Ecology:...
) - De Hoop Nature ReserveDe Hoop Nature ReserveDe Hoop Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.It lies three hours from Cape Town in the Overberg region, near Cape Agulhas, the southern tip of Africa. Approximately 340 square kilometres in area, it is one of the largest natural areas managed by...
- Boosmansbos Wilderness AreaBoosmansbos Wilderness AreaThe Boosmansbos Wilderness Area of 14,200 ha is situated 20km north of Heidelberg in the eastern Langeberg mountain chain of the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Boosmansbos, i.e...
- Swartberg Complex (Swartberg Nature Reserve, Gamkapoort Nature Reserve, Towerkop Nature Reserve)
- Baviaanskloof Mega ReserveBaviaanskloof Mega ReserveBaviaanskloof Mega Reserve is a protected area in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The Baviaanskloof - - lies between the Baviaanskloof and Kouga mountain ranges. The eastern-most point of the valley is some 95 km NW of the coastal city of Port Elizabeth...