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Two new Protea species added to the Bontebok National Park plant list.


Protea Atlas LogoThe following species were recorded from the Bontebok National Park according to Grobler and Marais who surveyed the Park in 1967, some 6 years after its proclamation:
Ld adscendens (=salignum) Common Sunshine Conebush,
Ld fusciflorum
(= brunioides brunioides) Foetid Sandveld Conebush,
Ls attenuatum (=cuneiforme) Wart-stemmed Pincushion,
Ls puberum (=calligerum) Arid Louse Pincushion,
Se fucifolia Northern Paw spiderhead,
Pr mellifera (=repens) Common Sugarbush.

Note that since the 1967 checklist almost all the species have changed their name!

To this list two species can now be added: P. decurrens Linear-leaf Rodent Protea and P. piscina Visgat Dwarf-tufted Protea, neither of which are represented in the reserve's herbarium, although they are common in the reserve. In addition, Se fucifolia is definitely incorrectly identified, the species clearly being Se acrocarpa Common-rootstock Paw spiderhead: a resprouter with cylindrical pollen presenters in the section Acrocarpae (Se fuci occurs from Nardouw to Piketberg, does not resprout, and has pink, not yellow, florets!).

The distribution of species in the reserve is very interesting. Firstly, Ls cune and Pr pisc occur around the occasional seep and in rocky areas just below the crest of the plateau. They therefore appear to require relatively wet conditions: much of the reserve is far too dry for them. Pr decu occurs on the shale-rich soils of the south-facing slopes in the north of the reserve. Pr repe occurs on the highest southeast-facing slopes, but also on southeast-facing slopes in the east of the reserve. It seems therefore to also have moisture requirement, but of a nature that can be supplied by summer rains from the south-east. (Summer rains comprise almost a quarter of the annual rainfall, very useful to plants during the hottest period of the year).

 Ld sgnm and Se acro occur throughout the park, except on the most sandy soils, derived from wind-blown sand, where they are replaced by Ld brun b, often in association with Erica diaphana. Ls call is confined to the south-western section of the intermediate plateau. The nature of its soil and/or water limitations is not readily apparent, and could perhaps benefit from a more detailed study.

From the state of the vegetation and the dominance of Ld sgnm and Se acro, and locally Ld brun b, Ls cune, and Pr pisc, all resprouting species, it appears that the veld in the reserve has been burned far too frequently. However, reserve records, maintained since 1974, show that this is not the case: the fire interval should readily allow recruitment of, for example, Protea repens. Furthermore, the fires have occurred towards the end of the summer season, which should favour serotinous proteas.

Why then is this Fynbos reserve (erroneously considered to be Renosterveld!) not dominated by the Common Sugarbush? The answer must have to do with either:
- a historically high frequency of fires prior to Grobler and Marais study in 1967, or,
- low rainfall in the park which either prevents establishment or hinders flowering/seed formation.

Any interesting observations which may help to resolve the distributions of species in the area will be most welcome! Do you know of any old photographs taken in the park? The Swellendam race track and shooting range were formerly located in what is now the Bontebok National Park, so it is extremely likely that photographs were taken historically. The Warden, Otto von Kaschke, is most keen to obtain any material that will help him reconstruct the vegetation of the park prior to 1967.

Tony Rebelo, Bellville


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