FLORA

An Introduction to the Flora Of
The Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve (KNR):

OVERVIEW
In the KNR we have indigenous and alien, naturalized vegetation. Indigenous or native refers to species that are not propagated or introduced by man, but occur naturally within the boundary of the KNR. Alien species are plants that have become permanently established in a region and are referred to as naturalized species that have through seed and vegetative means reproduced themselves.

Due to basic similarities in the composition of plant species, the flora is globally classified into six kingdoms. In the KNR the flora belongs to a kingdom called the Palaeotropic, with an estimated total of between 650 and 700 plant species and subspecies, indigenous or naturalized. Alien species that have naturalized themselves in this area grow in disturbed or over-grazed places, because they apparently cannot compete with indigenous flora.

Differences in climatic conditions determine these broad groupings. The result is that in many parts of the world the same kind of vegetation occurs. Due to dominant plant life form and climate, like seasonal rainfall, summer or winter aridity and various winter temperatures, seven large vegetation units have been defined in South Africa. These units are called biomes. These are again divided into smaller veld type units, by the difference of plant species compositions.

The KNR is situated in the Highveld where the natural vegetation is mostly grassland. The Highveld is divided into four Ecozones A, B, C and D. KNR is situated within Ecozone B, also known as the Bankenveld, with a very small area to the east of the KNR, located inside Ecozone C, known as the Central Plateau.

The name Bankenveld derives from a Dutch name for a particular biscuit made of sugar and almonds. The conglomerate rock formations resemble these biscuits. The Bankenveld or Ecozone B consists mainly of scattered rocky ridges with fairly dense bushveld type vegetation. In-between are relatively small patches of grassland. The soils are varied from fairly deep to shallow and rocky, which conforms, to the underlying geological structure of the Volcanic Ventersdorp Supergroup. The soil, which is rich in nutrients, has a sandy clay or sandy clay loam texture. Many flowering plants in this biome or ecozone have bulbs, corms, woody rootstock and rhizomes (rootstock). These are like unique storage facilities that allow the plants to survive through spells of summer drought, cold to very cold, arid winters and fires. In fact fires play a major role in the preservation and growth of these plants, but the fires must be controlled.

GATERING INFORMATION IN KNR
The photographic recording and information of the flowering vegetation inside the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve is intended for the interests of the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve Association members and for the layman who has no particular botanical training or knowledge of South African Wild flowers. It is a source of information for schools, colleges, universities and any other person/persons or teaching/educational body that may require this type of data.

There are at least 680 to 700 + species of flowering plants within the boundaries of the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve and the identification of these plants is not an easy task. Internet browsers and readers who are interested in flowers should, however, know that even an expert Botanist sometimes has great difficulty in dealing with the remarkable diversity of flora in Southern Africa. Southern Africa’s indigenous and naturalized alien flowering plants, which totals approximately 24 000 species, exceeds that of any other flora in the world.
We trust that this website will assist and open the public’s eyes, minds and souls to the fact that we have a wilderness area in Johannesburg that requires absolute protection. It is our belief that the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve should be proclaimed a Heritage site.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Photographers of the flowering vegetation within the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve: Thomas Botha with some help from Philip Tarboton.

We take pleasure in thanking the authors and photographers Braam van Wyk, Sasa Malan, Elsa Pooley, John Manning, Colin Paterson-Jones, Pitta Joffe, Val Thomas and Rina Grant. For their wonderful fieldwork and research and all of those who assisted them to produce the wonderful reference books, from which we as amateurs are able to identify so many plant species that occur in the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve. We say to people like these, well done and keep up the wonderful work that produces such excellent educational material. We also thank our local botanist and friend, Mornê Brits for all his assistance.

SELECTED REFERENCES
The following reference books by the listed authors were used for identification of the flowers, as well as for the information.

1. Braam van Wyk and Sasa Malan - FIELD GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE HIGHVELD. Published by Struik Publishers.
2. Elsa Pooley - MOUNTAIN FLOWERS A Field Guide to the Flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho. Published by the Flora Publications Trust.
3. John Manning and Colin Paterson-Jones - Photographic Guide to the Wildflowers of South Africa. Published by Briza Publications.
4. Braam van Wyk - PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE TO WILD FLOWERS OF SOUTH AFRICA. Published by STRUIK Publishers.
5. Pitta Joffe - Creative Gardening with Indigenous Plants a South African Guide. Published by Briza Publications.
6. Val Thomas and Rina Grant - SAPPI Tree Spotting, Highveld And The Drakensberg. Published by Jacana.