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Cape Floral Region

Declared one of South Africa's seven World Heritage Sites , the Cape Floral Region is one of the hottest spots for global plant diversity. Mostly fynbos, 8 500 plant species thrive in this narrow coastal strip covering an area just 90 000 square kilometres. It's the smallest and richest of the world's six floral regions. The other five floral regions are enormous, spanning whole continents or more.

Unesco's World Heritage Committee declared the 553 000 hectare Cape Floral Region to be "outstanding universal significance to humanity", describing it as "one of the richest areas for plants in the world".
The Cape Floral Region "represents less than 0.5% of the area of Africa, but is home to nearly 20% of the continent's flora," Unesco said in a statement. "Its plant species diversity, density and endemism are among the highest worldwide, and it has been identified as one of the world's 18 biodiversity hot-spots.

Cape Floral History

Blyde River Altough the Cape Floral Region takes up only 0.04% of the world's land area, it contains an astonishing 3% percent of its plant species. This makes it one of the richest areas for plants on Earth and one of the world's 18 biodiversity hot spots.

The 553 000-hectare Cape Floral Region comprises eight protected areas stretching from the Cape Peninsula to the Eastern Cape and covering a stretch of land and sea spanning an impressive 90 000 square kilometres.

Some of the notable areas included are: Table Mountain, De Hoop Nature Reserve, the Boland mountain complex, the Groot Winterhoek wilderness area, the Swartberg mountains, the Boosmansbos wilderness area, the Cederberg wilderness area, and Baviaanskloof.

The Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, on the slopes of Table Mountain, is also part of the region, making it the first botanical garden ever included in a World Heritage site.

The rich diversity of the Cape Floral Region contributes to South Africa having the third-highest level of biodiversity in the world. Table Mountain National Park, for example, has more plant species in a mere 22 000 hectares than the British Isles or New Zealand.

The Cape Floral Region is not only remarkable for its diversity. The region's endemism level, at 31.9%, is the highest on the planet. Of the 9 600 species of vascular plants found here -- plants with vessels for bearing sap -- some 70% are endemic, occurring nowhere else on earth.

Furthermore, the region is home to nearly 20% of Africa's flora, though it makes up less than 0.5% percent of the continent's land area.

The Cape Floral Region is also home to 11 000 marine animal species, 3 500 of which are endemic, and 560 vertebrate species, including 142 reptile species, of which 27 are endemic.

In granting the Cape Floral Region World Heritage status in 2004, the World Heritage Committee noted: "Unique plant reproductive strategies, adaptive to fire, patterns of seed dispersal by insects, as well as patterns of endemism and adaptive radiation found in the flora are of outstanding value to science."

Discovery of Cape Floral

The outstanding diversity, density and endemism of the flora are among the highest worldwide. Unique plant reproductive strategies, adaptive to fire, patterns of seed dispersal by insects, as well as patterns of endemism and adaptive radiation found in the flora are of outstanding value to science.

The Cape Floral Region is considered of outstanding universal value for representing ongoing ecological and biological processes associated with the evolution of the unique Fynbos biome. These processes are represented generally within the Cape Floral Region and captured in the eight protected areas.

The area’s status as a World Heritage Site is well deserved as it is one of the richest areas of plant life in the world. When one considers that the region is only 0.5% the size of Africa, but it is home to almost 20% of all flora that can be found on the continent, it suddenly becomes apparent why the Cape Floral Region is such a treasure. The region has one of the highest rates of diversity, density and endemism of plant species in the world. It also has amazing ecological and biological processes which have resulted in some rather unique species of plant such as Fynbos. Various factors influence these natural areas such as fire, seed dispersal by insects, endemism and adaptive radiation – all of which form a valuable contribution to science.

The Cape Floral Region is one of six floral kingdoms in the world – yet it is outstanding in number of different ways. For one thing, it is the smallest of the six. For another, it is the richest. It is also the only one to fall within the boundaries of one country – never mind one province. It is also interesting to note that there are more species of plant in this floral region than there are in the entire British Isles or New Zealand. In fact, roughly 70% are unique to this area and do not occur anywhere else on the planet. So if you have a passion for floral fusion, come to the Cape Floral Region and enjoy this natural delight. You’ll never see anything else quite like it.

The Cape Floral Region is one of the richest areas for plants than for any similar sized area in the world. The number of species per genus within the region (9:1) and per family (52) are among the highest given for various species-rich regions in the world.

The species density in the Cape Floral Region is also amongst the highest in the world. It displays the highest levels of endemism at 31.9 % and it has been identified as one of the world’s 18 biodiversity hot spots.

Getting There

	Pyramid of giza
	Victoria Falls
	Kilimanjaro
	Sphinaz of giza
	Sahara Desert
	Blyde River

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