Fynbos

Fynbos is a special kind of shrubland or heathland found in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. It grows mostly along the coast and in mountainous areas, where it has a Mediterranean climate, meaning it has warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.

Fynbos is very important for nature because it has an amazing amount of plants that live only in this area. About 80% of the plants in the Cape floral kingdom, which is a large area of unique plants, are found in fynbos, and nearly 6,000 of these plants grow nowhere else in the world.

Even though fynbos is very important, it faces serious threats from human activities. But because people have found many ways to use fynbos for jobs and products, efforts are being made to protect and restore this special place.

Origin of the term

The word fynbos literally means fine bush in Afrikaans, where bos means bush. But here, bush refers to a special kind of vegetation, not tiny plants. In fact, fynbos plants usually have tough, narrow leaves, called ericoid, rather than being fine.

Long ago, people in the Cape area used the word fynbosch to describe small patches of woodland without big trees. By the mid-1900s, scientists started using fynbos to talk about the unique plants that grow in the southwestern Cape of South Africa.

Cape Floral Kingdom

Main article: Cape Floristic Region

Fynbos grows in a narrow coastal strip from Clanwilliam on the west coast to Port Elizabeth on the southeast coast. It is part of the Cape floral kingdom and makes up half of its area and 80% of its plant species. This area is special because it has more plants in a small space than most other places on Earth.

The fynbos has over 9,000 types of plants, and about 6,200 of these grow only here and nowhere else in the world. Even small areas like Table Mountain in Cape Town have more plant species than all of the United Kingdom. Though the fynbos covers only a small part of southern Africa, it holds a huge number of the continent's plant life.

Flora

The fynbos is home to many special kinds of plants. These plants are mostly evergreen and have hard, thin leaves. One important group of plants in the fynbos is the Proteaceae family. This includes plants like Protea, Leucospermum (called "pincushions"), and Leucadendron (known as the silver tree and "cone bushes").

Proteas often have big, eye-catching flowers. Some of these flowers are pollinated by birds, while others are pollinated by small animals. Another group of plants in the fynbos is the Ericaceae family, which includes many kinds of Erica. These plants are called heaths and usually have many small, tube-shaped flowers.

There are also many plants from the Restionaceae family in the fynbos. These plants look a bit like grass. Some grow in wet places, while others grow in very dry areas.

Vegetation types

See also: List of vegetation types of South Africa

Fynbos vegetation types, code FF:

• Agulhas Limestone Fynbos (FFl 1)
• Agulhas Sand Fynbos (FFd 7)
• Albertinia Sand Fynbos (FFd 9)
• Algoa Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 29)
• Atlantis Sand Fynbos (FFd 4)
• Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 1)
• Boland Granite Fynbos (FFg 2)
• Breede Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 2)
• Breede Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 4)
• Breede Sand Fynbos (FFd 8)
• Breede Shale Fynbos (FFh 4)
• Canca Limestone Fynbos (FFl 3)
• Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (FFd 5)
• Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos (FFh 5)
• Cederberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 4)
• Central Coastal Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 4)
• Central Inland Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 3)
• De Hoop Limestone Fynbos (FFl 2)
• Eastern Coastal Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 6)
• Eastern Inland Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 5)
• Elgin Shale Fynbos (FFh 6)
• Elim Ferricrete Fynbos (FFf 1)
• Garden Route Granite Fynbos (FFg 5)
• Garden Route Shale Fynbos (FFh 9)
• Graafwater Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 2)
• Greyton Shale Fynbos (FFh 7)
• Grootrivier Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 5)
• Hangklip Sand Fynbos (FFd 6)
• Hawequas Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 10)
• Hopefield Sand Fynbos (FFd 3)
• Kamiesberg Granite Fynbos (FFg 1)
• Kango Conglomerate Fynbos (FFt 1)
• Knysna Sand Fynbos (FFd 10)
• Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 11)
• Kouebokkeveld Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 1)
• Kouebokkeveld Shale Fynbos (FFh 1)
• Kouga Grassy Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 28)
• Kouga Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 27)
• Leipoldtville Sand Fynbos (FFd 2)
• Loerie Conglomerate Fynbos (FFt 2)
• Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 4)
• Matjiesfontein Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 3)
• Matjiesfontein Shale Fynbos (FFh 2)
• Montagu Shale Fynbos (FFh 8)
• Namaqualand Sand Fynbos (FFd 1)
• North Hex Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 7)
• North Kammanassie Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 25)
• North Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 15)
• North Outeniqua Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 18)
• North Rooiberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 21)
• North Sonderend Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 13)?
• North Swartberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 23)
• Northern Inland Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 1)
• Olifants Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 3)
• Overberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 12)
• Peninsula Granite Fynbos (FFg 3)
• Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 9)
• Piketberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 6)
• Potberg Ferricrete Fynbos (FFf 2)
• Potberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 17)
• Robertson Granite Fynbos (FFg 4)
• South Hex Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 8)
• South Kammanassie Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 26)
• South Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 16)
• South Outeniqua Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 19)
• South Rooiberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 22)
• South Sonderend Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 14)
• South Swartberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 24)
• Southern Cape Dune Fynbos (FFd 11)
• Stinkfonteinberge Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 1)
• Suurberg Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 6)
• Suurberg Shale Fynbos (FFh 10)
• Swartberg Altimontane Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 31)
• Swartberg Shale Fynbos (FFh 3)
• Swartland Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 3)
• Swartruggens Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 2)
• Swellendam Silcrete Fynbos (FFc 1)
• Tsitsikamma Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 20)
• Western Altimontane Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 30)
• Western Coastal Shale Band Vegetation (FFb 2)
• Winterhoek Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 5)

Fauna

The fynbos is home to many special animals that live only there. There are seven birds found nowhere else in the world, such as the Cape rockjumper, Cape sugarbird, Victorin's warbler, Orange-breasted sunbird, Protea canary, Cape siskin, and Fynbos buttonquail. Many reptiles, frogs, and insects also live in this area, though we do not yet know exactly how many kinds there are.

Ecoregions

The fynbos area is divided into two similar parts called ecoregions. The lowland fynbos is found below 300 meters above sea level on the sandy soil of the west coast. The montane fynbos grows in the mountains of the Cape Fold Belt.

Lowland fynbos has many special plants, like the king protea and blushing bride, and animals such as monkey beetles and tortoises. Montane fynbos, found above 300 meters, has even more plant variety, especially ericas. This area has more protected land with important water sources, but faces threats from farming and climate change. Wildlife here includes bees, birds like Cape sugarbirds, and animals like antelopes.

Economic uses

Rooibos and honeybush are important plants grown in the Cederberg area. They are harvested and sold as exports. Restios, another plant, has been used for roofing for a very long time. Many beautiful flowers like proteas are also grown and sold.

In places with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters, fynbos plants like aloes and geraniums are popular in gardens. Some fynbos plants are used in traditional medicine and many have helpful properties.

Threats and conservation

The fynbos area in South Africa is greatly affected by plants from other countries that grow where they do not belong. These plants, like certain types of trees and shrubs, were brought in long ago to help keep sand in place. They now cover about 10% of the country and make it harder for local plants to grow.

To fight this problem, a program called Working for Water began in 1995. It helps remove these unwanted plants, which also helps save water. This work has cleared large areas and given jobs to many people. Some plants that were thought to be gone have started growing again in places like Table Mountain. Researchers and community groups continue to work to protect these special areas.