The plants in the Featherbed Reserve are from what is known as the fynbos group of plants in the Cape Floristic Kingdom. I know — blah-blah-blah. But it is special if you’ll indulge me a bit before we look at individual members. And if you drink rooibos tea you are drinking tea made from the leaves of a fynbos member.
As any good botanist would tell us, the world is divided into six floristic kingdoms. Much of the Northern Hemisphere is one such kingdom. All of south and central America and much of Mexico is another. Australia is a third, kingdom, and Antarctica is a fourth. Most of the remaining part of the Southern Hemisphere (including much of South Africa) is the fifth. And then there is the Cape Floristic Kingdom all by itself, which is the Garden Route territory we’ve been visiting. Here is a map showing the extent of the Cape Floristic Kingdom.
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| Cape Floristic Kingdom (Map courtesy of Biodiversity GIS websitehttp://bgis.sanbi.org/cape/planningDomain.asp) |
The fynbos area is the most diverse part of the Cape Floristic Kingdom constituting roughly half of the surface area and 80% of the plant species.
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| Map courtesy of http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/fynbos-ecoregion-in-south-africa_1320# Cartographer Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal |
The Cape Floral Kingdom itself is the most diverse of the six kingdoms in terms of species per acre, having over 9,000 species of plants, of which 6,200 grow nowhere else. We’ll examine a more inland portion of the fynbos region a bit later, but today we’re looking at the coastal fynbos area. However since the width from coast to mountains of the fynbos area is only 100-200 kilometers, the separation of the regions is quite small.
There were many signs along the Bushbuck Trail in the Featherbed Reserve that identified plants, so I have some information about most of the ones I will show you. The signs provided information about medicinal and food uses of the plants, when applicable. In a few cases I couldn’t figure out what a particular plant was but I wanted to be able to capture its beauty, as in the case of this nice yellow flowering plant.
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| Yellow Flowering Plant |
Since we were here in late winter, many of the flowering and fruiting plants were not yet in flower or fruit. So you’ll have to put up with a description of the flowers and fruit rather than a picture.
The plants presented here are in no particular order except as I came across them along the trail. And where there is a common name I’ve used that in preference to the scientific name. If you really want scientific names, just ask.
The Common Star Apple Tree, also known as the Monkey Plum, has yellow flowers starting in September and the female plant bears edible but not tasty fruit in Summer. And I don’t know if the monkeys really think it is a plum (and it turns out that there are only two species of monkeys in South Africa). The fruit can be fermented to make brandy.
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| Common Star Apple Tree (also known as Monkey Plum) |
The Num Num has very sharp spines which you can see. In season it bears edible bright red fruits which are sour tasting. The fruits are used for treating sore throats (it contains much vitamin C) and a leaf is kept in water containers to keep the water fresh.
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| Num Num |
The shoots of the Wild Asparagus were used as a vegetable and medicinally for bladder and kidney ailments as well as a diuretic. The plant flowers and produces bright red berries in season.
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| Wild Asparagus |
The Erica genus is one of the major indicators of the fynbos group. This erica is of the species densifolia.
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| Erica Densifolia |
The Kranz Aloe is one of the common cape aloe plant family. It is used in traditional human and livestock medicines. The leaves and roots, boiled in water, are good as a laxative and for arthritis, eczema, conjunctivitis, hypertension, and stress.
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| Kranz Aloe |
The Candlewood tree is used both for fuel and also for its dark red to mahogany brown wood. The wood is fine grained, very hard, and heavy. As such it is used for flooring, tool handles, and veneers.
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| Candlewood Tree |
The inaptly named September Bush flowers throughout the year, but is supposedly at its best during spring and summer. This plant is doing well in late winter. It is a common fynbos plant and its leaves are used to relieve the pain of gout.
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| September Bush |
This candelabra plant, well past its prime (it flowers from February to April), is also sometimes referred to as tumbleweed because the flower heads dry to a papery consistency and break off and roll in the wind while letting go of seeds. It is completely unrelated to the United States Western Tumbleweed.
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| Candelabra Plant (aka Tumbleweed) |
Wild Sage is another common fynbos plant. A tea made from the leaves is used to relieve respiratory ailments and common colds as well as menstrual cramps. Its leaves can be used in cooking as a substitute for herbal sage.
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| Wild Sage |
The Wild Cineraria is a lovely purple and yellow daisy like plant that is medicinally used for chest ailments.
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| Wild Cineraria |
Now on to the Knysna Elephant Park.
Link to Full Resolution Photos
Now, on to the Knysna Elephant Park.
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