C – Cape Floral Kingdom

The Cape Floral Kingdom

The botanical world is divided in six floral regions or biomes.

The largest biome is the Boreal which covers just about the whole of the northern hemisphere.

The Cape Floral Kingdom is by far the smallest in area and South Africa is the only country in the world that harbours an entire floral kingdom. However, notwithstanding its size it is also the richest by far of all the biomes. It stretches from Vanrhynsdorp in the Northwest to Port Elizabeth in the east. In the Cape peninsula alone there are more flowering species in the Cape Floristic region than in the whole of Great Britain. Confined to the southern tip of Africa and thousands times smaller that the Boreal it still boasts a richness, diversity and density that is unique in the botanical world. There are more that 2,600 species of indigenous plants on Table mountain alone and many are rare and many are found only here and nowhere else.

Fynbos is a very important part of our botanical heritage with its amazing variety and the beauty of its flowers; from the delicate splendour of the Red Disa to the spectacular King Protea. Among some of the well known groups that contribute to this floral diversity are the Proteas,Irises, Daisies, Ericas and Vygies. Many of these plant species are found nowhere else in the world. The Staavia dodii ( commonly known as Diamond eyes ), for instance, is only found in one small area in The Cape Point nature reserve.

Fynbos is best defined as evergreen, hard-leaved shrubland growing in nutrient poor soils.

The plants of a specific area are the product of the soil and climate of the region. Sporadic fires are an essential part of the Fynbos ecology as the fire rejuvenate plants by removing dry and moribund growth and recycle the nutrients back into the soil.However, fires should not occur more often than every 10 to 14 years. Some species will only appear after fires. Fynbos is adapted to thrive in poor soils and it actually contributes to the floral diversity.

Capetonians are indeed privileged to live in a region with such a rich floral diversity, but sadly many are not even aware of this botanical treasure.

Although Fynbos is famous in the botanical world, this term has only been used commonly for the distinctive vegetation of the Western Cape since the latter part of the 20^th century. Fynbos can be translated from Afrikaans as “fine shrub” and ironically probably referred to its use as “fine wood” or kindle wood to start a fire in earlier times.

This Floral kingdom is also under threat from various enemies and only about half the species survived since Jan van Riebeeck’s time. Fynbos areas are invaded not only by farmlands and housing, but also alien invaders like Black Wattle, Port Jackson, Rooikrans,Pines and Hakea. Climate change caused by global warming may also pose further threats.

Only a small part is protected and apart from species already extinct, more than a thousand other species are also endangered. Biological control is probably the best answer to protect against invaders. A fungus imported from Australia is used successfully against the Port Jacksons and the gall wasp, also from Australia, to control Wattle.

Conservation is important so that future generations can still enjoy it and to maintain a proper environment for animals depending on it for survival. A takeover by aliens also has a devastating effect on diversity, soil erosion and water conservation. Fynbos also has some economic value as it can promote eco tourism, some can be cultivated as garden plants, many species are used in traditional medicines and some, for instance Rooibos, Restios and Protea flowers, are harvested and even exported.