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1
Botanical assessment of Farm 627/1
Location and Topography: Farm 627 portion 1 is located on the South-South-East facing slopes of the Klein River Mountains, ± 8km east of Stanford. It occupies an area of 246ha and reaches a maximum altitude of 575m at the ridge of the Klein River Mountain range on the northernmost corner of the farm; the southern corner descends to 40m. The annual rainfall is around 600–800mm per annum and falls predominantly during the winter months; this is supplemented by condensation from moisture-laden clouds on the upper mountain ridges during the drier months. Thus far about 3ha of the property had been transformed prior to the current owner in the process of building dwellings, sheds, and roads, along with adjacent areas that have been disturbed as part of the building process. None of the property is under commercial cultivation. Vegetation classification: The whole farm is found in a region classified as a Critical Biodiversity Area by the Overstrand EMF. The underlying rock is all part of the Table Mountain Group comprising quartzites and shales. Over 90% of the area is fynbos vegetation classified as Overberg Sandstone Fynbos (see Figure 1). It is found in poor acidic sandy soils derived from the hard quartzitic rocks of the Peninsula and Nardouw Formations and comprises mainly ericoid fynbos, with proteoid fynbos on the lower slopes; there are small patches of restioid fynbos. In the northern region of the farm, there is an East-West valley formed from erosion of Cederberg Shales. The vegetation here is classified as Western Coastal Shale Band Vegetation and comprises mainly proteoid fynbos. Along the extreme southern border of the farm, there is transitional fynbos on ferricrete derived soils but there is no true Elim Ferricrete Fynbos. The Klein River Mountain range is home to a number of endemic or near endemic species. A few of these occur on the reserve such as Lachenalia peersii, Leucospermum gracile and Sonderothamnus speciosus. Figure 1: Vegetation types found on Farm 627/1. Purple is Overberg Sandstone Fynbos, Brown is Western Coastal Shale Band Vegetation, Grey is Elim Ferricrete Fynbos.
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Alien plants occur throughout the vegetation but are dense only in a few localities. Acacia saligna forms dense stands in the south-west corner. This has previously been cleared but regrowth is dense. Hakea gibbosa, Hakea sericea and Pinus pinaster, along with scattered Acacia saligna, are common in the south-east corner of the property. Paraserianthes lophantha is found along the streamlines in both these locations. Along the Cederberg Shales, Hakea gibbosa and Hakea sericea are particularly common as well as the occasional Pinus pinaster. Along the southern border the neighbouring properties have dense stands of Acacia saligna, Hakea gibbosa, Hakea sericea and Pinus. These will provide a constant source of new material for invasion and it will be require an ongoing programme to keep the property in as good a state as it currently is. Botanical assessment: Over the course of a year a continuing survey of the plants on the reserve has been made. A list of all species 325 found on the reserve to date can be found in Table 1. Eighteen species are on the Redlist of which 1 is Endangered, 6 are Vulnerable, 9 are Near Threatened and 2 are Rare. In the proposed site development plan for Portion 1 of Farm 627 four activities will result in removal of vegetation. These are the vegetable garden, the nursery, the walkways and the mountain hut. The first three are in close proximity to one another on the lower slopes around the current buildings, the mountain hut is at a much higher altitude (± 400m) towards the northern boundary. The vegetation type for all the sites is classed as Overberg Sandstone Fynbos. However, in a broad scale mapping of the area, the mountain hut appears as though it is in the Western Coastal Shale Band Vegetation. On site inspection shows that the underlying rock is displaced in this area due to a geological fault and that the mountain hut is on a quartzitic rock outcrop of the Peninsula Formation. Furthermore, this is supported by the vegetation in the area which is typical of Overberg Sandstone Fynbos. The lower three site areas have very similar flora, dominated by ericoid fynbos with scattering of proteoid and restioid species. The area of the vegetable garden has previously been cut as a firebreak. This has taken out many reseeding species of Protea and Erica, but increased evidence of the geophyte flora. The other two areas are rather senescent ericoid fynbos that has clearly not burnt in many years. There is evidence of old plants such Phaenocoma prolifera and Protea repens that have come to the end of their natural life and would need a fire to regenerate. This is unlikely to happen due to the proximity of buildings and the need to maintain firebreaks. Within these 3 sites there are five species listed on the Redlist. Four are listed as Near Threatened: Aulax umbellata, Ixia micrandra, Merciera leptoloba, and Protea scabra. One is listed as Vulnerable: Protea longifolia. All these species are common on the reserve outside the development areas and would then be conserved as part of the future business plan. Protea longifolia is represented by about 6 plants in the area of the nursery. The population on the whole of the farm is estimated to be at least 1000 plants, so this represents less than 1% of the population. Furthermore, these plants are already senescent and likely to naturally die in a few years. As the plants are in an area that would need to be cut as a firebreak regardless, development of the site will have no effect on the population as whole – the rest of which would then be conserved. The area that would be cleared as part of the mountain hut footprint has no species listed on the Redlist. The plants that are cleared in these areas will be used as far as possible in rehabilitation of other areas on the farm or in the nursery. Most geophytic plants and some woody and herbaceous plants can be replanted in other previously disturbed areas such as the scar, around the cottages or along the roads. Any seed produced will be collected from the plants prior to removal and used for propagation material in the nursery. It might also be possible to use other vegetative plant material as a source of cuttings for the nursery. Plants raised in the nursery from rescued material will be
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used for rehabilitation and landscaping around the development. The time of the year that clearance happens will affect the availability and feasibility of any of these proposed mitigative measures. Vegetation not removed by the development will be conserved. While 86% of Overberg Sandstone Fynbos still remains, very little (6%) is under formal conservation. The greatest risk to this type of vegetation is invasion by alien species, which requires ongoing conservation efforts to control. Approval of the development of the site would enable almost 207ha of this vegetation type to be conserved, with a further 36ha of alien infestation to be restored. An ongoing programme to remove alien vegetation from the property is part of the development plan. Without the proposed development to provide a source of income, management of alien vegetation will not be possible. Table 1. A list of species identified to date on Farm 627/1
Family Species
Red List category (other than LC or DDT)
Aizoaceae
Carpobrotus edulis
Erepsia anceps
Erepsia inclaudens
Oscularia deltoides
Ruschia tenella
Scopelogena verruculata
Skiatophytum tripolium Vu
Amaryllidaceae
Agapanthus africanus
Cyrtanthus leucanthus En
Haemanthus coccineus
Haemanthus sanguineus
Nerine sarniensis
Anacardiaceae
Searsia angustifolia
Searsia cuneifolia
Searsia laevigata
Searsia lucida
Apiaceae
Arctopus echinatus
Centella macrocarpa
Centella tridentata
Itasina filifolia
Apocynaceae
Gomphocarpus cancellatus
Microloma tenuifolium
Araceae
Zantedeschia aethiopica
Asparagaceae
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Asparagus rubicundus
Drimia exuviata
Drimia filifolia
Drimia media
Drimia salteri
Drimia dregei
Lachenalia orchioides
Lachenalia peersii Vu
Lachenalia rosea
Ornithogalum juncifolium
Asphodelaceae
Bulbinella trinervis
Trachyandra hirsutiflora
Trachyandra muricata
Trachyandra revoluta
Asteraceae
Anaxeton asperum
Arctotheca calendula
Athanasia trifurcata
Berkheya barbata
Bryomorphe aretioides
Chrysocoma ciliata
Cotula turbinata
Disparago ericoides
Edmondia sesamoides
Euryops abrotanifolius
Gazania pectinata
Gerbera crocea
Haplocarpha lanata
Helichrysum foetidum
Helichrysum indicum
Helichrysum odoratissimum
Helichrysum pandurifolium
Heterolepis aliena
Hippia frutescens
Hippia pilosa
Oedera capensis
Oedera imbricata
Osteospermum hispidum var. hispidum Vu
Osteospermum moniliferum subsp. pisiferum
Osteospermum polygaloides
Phaenocoma prolifera
Senecio arenarius
Senecio burchellii
Senecio pubigerus
Senecio rigidus
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Seriphium cinereum
Seriphium incanum
Seriphium plumosum
Stoebe capitata
Syncarpha canescens
Syncarpha vestita
Ursinia anthemoides subsp. anthemoides
Ursinia nudicaulis
Zyrphelis foliosa
Boraginaceae
Lobostemon curvifolius
Brassicaceae
Heliophila linearis var. linearifolia
Bruniaceae
Berzelia abrotanoides
Berzelia lanuginosa
Brunia laevis
Brunia noduliflora
Brunia paleacea
Campanulaceae
Cyphia volubilis
Lobelia chamaepitys
Lobelia erinus
Lobelia jasionoides
Lobelia pinifolia
Lobelia pubescens
Merciera leptoloba NT
Monopsis lutea
Monopsis simplex
Prismatocarpus brevilobus
Roella incurva
Siphocodon debilis
Wahlenbergia capensis
Wahlenbergia nodosa
Wahlenbergia procumbens
Wimmerella arabidea
Caryophyllaceae
Silene burchellii subsp. pilosellifolia
Silene gallica var. gallica
Silene gallica var. quinquevulnera
Celastraceae
Cassine schinoides
Gymnosporia buxifolia
Maytenus oleoides
Colchicaceae
Onixotis punctata
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Commelinaceae
Commelina africana
Crassulaceae
Cotyledon orbiculata
Crassula biplanata
Crassula capensis
Crassula ericoides subsp. ericoides
Crassula fascicularis
Crassula rupestris
Cunoniaceae
Cunonia capensis
Cyperaceae
Chrysitrix capensis
Droseraceae
Drosera aliciae
Drosera cistiflora
Drosera glabripes
Drosera hilaris
Drosera trinervia
Ebenaceae
Diospyros glabra
Ericaceae
Erica articularis
Erica axillaris
Erica cerinthoides
Erica coccinea
Erica corifolia
Erica cristata
Erica curviflora
Erica cyathiformis
Erica discolor
Erica equisetifolia
Erica globiceps subsp. consors
Erica holosericea
Erica imbricata
Erica nudiflora
Erica obliqua
Erica perspicua
Erica plukenetii subsp. penicellata
Erica pulchella
Erica sessiliflora
Erica viscaria subsp. longifolia
Fabaceae
Indigofera cytisoides
Indigofera filifolia
Psoralea imbricata
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Rafnia capensis subsp. pedicellata
Gentianaceae
Chironia baccifera
Chironia linoides
Sebaea exacoides
Sebaea sulphurea
Geraniaceae
Pelargonium candicans
Pelargonium capitatum
Pelargonium chamaedryfolium
Pelargonium cucullatum
Pelargonium elongatum
Pelargonium grossularioides
Pelargonium incarnatum
Pelargonium longifolium
Pelargonium papilionaceum
Pelargonium pinnatum
Pelargonium triste
Grubbiaceae
Grubbia rosmarinifolia
Grubbia tomentosa
Haloragaceae
Laurembergia repens
Haemodoraceae
Dilatris pillansii
Wachendorfia multiflora
Wachendorfia paniculata
Hemerocallidaceae
Caesia contorta
Hypoxidaceae
Empodium plicatum
Spiloxene capensis
Spiloxene monophylla
Iridaceae
Aristea bakeri
Aristea capitata
Aristea oligocephala
Aristea recisa Rare
Babiana ambigua
Chasmanthe aethiopica
Geissorhiza aspera
Geissorhiza inflexa
Geissorhiza ovata
Gladiolus bullatus
Gladiolus debilis
Gladiolus hirsutus
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Gladiolus martleyi
Hesperantha falcata
Hesperantha radiata
Ixia dubia
Ixia flexuosa
Ixia micrandra NT
Ixia stricta NT
Micranthus plantagineus
Moraea bituminosa
Moraea fugacissima
Moraea lewisiae subsp. lewisiae
Moraea lugubris
Moraea neglecta
Moraea papilionacea
Moraea tripetala
Romulea hirsuta var. cuprea
Romulea hirsuta var. hirsuta
Romulea rosea var. reflexa
Thereianthus bracteolatus
Tritoniopsis antholyza
Tritoniopsis burchellii
Tritoniopsis dodii
Tritoniopsis lata
Tritoniopsis pulchra
Tritoniopsis triticea
Tritoniopsis unguicularis
Watsonia borbonica
Watsonia meriana
Watsonia schlecteri
Juncaginaceae
Triglochin compacta
Lamiaceae
Leonotis leonurus
Salvia africana-lutea
Salvia chamelaeagnea
Lanariaceae
Lanaria lanata
Lauraceae
Cassytha ciliolata
Lentibulariaceae
Utricularia bisquamata
Malvaceae
Hibiscus aethiopicus
Melianthaceae
Melianthus major
Menispermaceae
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Cissampelos capensis
Montiniaceae
Montinia caryophyllacea
Myricaceae
Morella serrata
Myrsinaceae
Myrsine africana
Rapanea melanophloes
Nymphaeaceae
Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea
Oleaceae
Olea europaea subsp. africana
Olea capensis subsp. capensis
Orchidaceae
Ceratrandra atrata
Disa bifida
Disa bracteata
Disa filicornis
Disa purpurascens NT
Disa uncinata
Disperis capensis
Holothrix villosa
Liparis capensis
Pterygodium catholicum
Satyrium bracteatum
Satyrium coriifolium
Orobanchaceae
Harveya capensis
Harveya pauciflora
Oxalidaceae
Oxalis caprina
Oxalis eckloniana var. sonderi
Oxalis heterophylla
Oxalis livida var. livida
Oxalis luteola var. luteola
Oxalis obtusa
Oxalis pes-caprae
Oxalis polyphylla var. polyphylla
Oxalis truncatula
Penaeaceae
Brachysiphon acutus
Penaea mucronata
Saltera sarcocolla
Sonderothamnus speciosus rare
Polygalaceae
Muraltia heisteria
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Polygala garcinii
Proteaceae
Aulax umbellata NT
Diastella divaricata subsp. montana Vu
Leucadendron laureolum
Leucadendron salignum
Leucadendron xanthoconus
Leucospermum conocarpodendron subsp. viridum
Leucospermum gracile NT
Leucospermum prostratum Vu
Mimetes cucullatus
Protea cordata
Protea cynaroides
Protea longifolia Vu
Protea neriifolia
Protea nitida
Protea repens
Protea scabra NT
Serruria elongata NT
Serruria fasciflora NT
Serruria phylicoides
Pteridophyta
Blechnum capense
Cheilanthes hastata
Cheilanthes induta
Pellaea pteroides
Polypodium vulgare
Schizaea pectinata
Todea barbara
Restionaceae
Elegia filacea
Elegia racemosa
Hypodiscus argenteus
Hypodiscus aristatus
Nevillea obtusissima
Restio capensis
Restio egregius
Soroveta ambigua
Staberoha cernua
Thamnochortus fruticosus
Thamnochortus lucens
Willdenowia teres
Rhamnaceae
Phylica lasiocarpa
Tricocephalus stipularis
Roridulaceae
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Roridula gorgonias
Rosaceae
Cliffortia atrata
Cliffortia graminea
Cliffortia juniperina
Cliffortia pterocarpa
Cliffortia ramosissima
Cliffortia ruscifolia
Cliffortia stricta
Cliffortia strobilifera
Rubiaceae
Anthospermum spathulatum subsp. ecklonianum
Ruscaceae
Eriospermum dielsianum subsp. dielsianum
Eriospermum schlechteri
Rutaceae
Coleonema album
Diosma hirsuta
Scrophulariaceae
Buddleja salviifolia
Chaenostoma hispidum
Manulea cheiranthus
Microdon dubius
Oftia africana
Solanaceae
Lycium afrum
Stilbaceae
Campylostachys cernua
Retzia capensis
Tecophilaeaceae
Cyanella hyacinthoides
Thymelaeaceae
Gnidia juniperifolia
Gnidia oppositifolia
Struthiola ciliata
Typhaceae
Typha capensis
Viscaceae
Viscum pauciflorum
Alien species (*invasive)
Acacia saligna*
Anagallis arvensis forma azurea
Briza maxima
Erodium moschatum
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Geranium molle
Hakea gibbosa*
Hakea sericea*
Hakea suaveolens*
Leptospermum laevigatum
Lythrum hyssopifolia
Paraserianthes lophantha*
Pinus pinaster*
Silene gallica var. gallica
Silene gallica var. quinquevulnera
Trifolium repens