Fynbos - South Africa’s botanical wonder

The Cape Floral Kingdom is by far the smallest of all (the only one to fit within one country) but it is also the most diverse, with more than three times the floral species of the Amazon rainforest. Within an area of 90 000 km2 there are over 9000 species of flowering fynbos plants, 70% of which are found nowhere else on earth. Fynbos is not only famous for its remarkable diversity, but also the incredible beauty of many of its wildflowers. In 2004 UNECO declared the Cape Floral Region, constituting a number of protected areas covering more than 550 000 hectares, a World Heritage Site.

Another one of the beautiful and inspiring things about fynbos is how it thrives and proliferates in such adverse conditions. It is subjected to scorching summer droughts, heavy winter downpours, gale force winds, nutrient-poor soils and recurring fires and yet these unkind conditions are the requisites of its survival.

“Fynbos is a distinctive type of vegetation found only on the southern tip of Africa. It includes a wide range of plant species, particularly small heather-like trees and shrubs”

The national plant of South Africa - the dramatic and unmistakeable King Protea (Protea cynaroides) is also a member of the fynbos family and grows predominantly in the Cape floral region. Although the area is mainly known for its plants, it’s also home to a diverse number of unique animal species. You won't find any of Africa's Big Five here - but rather a number of smaller mammals such as baboons, jackals, duikers, and bontebok and gysbok antelopes, which are dependent on the fynbos for their survival. Other Fynbos species include the rare geometric tortoise, the endangered Table Mountain ghost frog and the endemic Cape sugarbird.

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve in the Western Cape is one of the most extensively documented conservation areas in the world. In 1997, resident botanist Sean Privett began one of the most detailed vegetation studies of fynbos ever undertaken. This survey resulted in a total of 307 species being recorded on the reserve of which 32 were Red data species and one was new to science.

The late Heiner Lutzeyer snr, a Grootbos resident, shareholder and passionate botanist, continued this work together with Sean. His passion for exploring, learning and photographing the flora of the reserve has led to a phenomenal 765 species being recorded. Eighty-three of these species are of conservation concern, while a total of six species are completely new to science. Four of these new species are known to exist only within the confines of the reserve.

The deeply significant ecological role of fire in fynbos was emphasised by the way the checklist increased from 680 species to 750 after the huge 2006 blaze that swept through the area – 70 new species for the list as a result of post-fire processes. This survey culminated in the publication of a Field Guide to the Flora of Grootbos and the Walker Bay region.