FLORA
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The fynbos (pronounced fay-in-bos) of the Western Cape is a type of heathland or scrubland only found in this region and is one of the most botanically diverse regions on earth often referred to as ‘ the tiniest floral kingdom in the world’
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9000 plant species
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Contains 3% of the world plant species and 20% of Africa’s plant species
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The highest concentration of plant species at 1300 species per 10,000 Km2
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More than 6000 species endemic to South Africa
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1700 of the fynbos species are threatened with extinction
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The origins of many garden plants such as gladioli, geraniums, aloes, nerines, agapanthus, ixia and freesias
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South Africa’s national flower – the King Protea is a fynbos species
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Fascinating at all times of year but even more so in August to November (the Cape spring) when many of the species flower.
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Fynbos is under constant threat from invasive exotic species such as wattle, acacia and eucalyptus which poison the soil, deny light and generally ‘crowd to death’ the indigenous species.
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