Bushmans Kloof: Vegetation / South Africa
Bushmans Kloof , South Africa, lies at the northern, arid end of the winter rainfall fynbos biome. In certain areas where there are clay-types soils, a unique veld occurs, called renosterveld. Bushmans Kloof has its own special patch of renosterveld, about four square km in area, tucked away at the eastern boundary of the reserve.The origin of the name renosterveld, which translates to "rhinoceros field", could be that the drab, grayish colour of the veld resembles a rhino hide, but no-one really knows. The prevailing plant is the renosterbos (rhinoceros bush), a type of daisy with small and papery, brown flowers. Since animals find it unpalatable, it dominates the veld.Due to its clayey, nutrient-rich soils, renosterveld terrain is ideal for growing wheat and vineyards. In the Western Cape more than 95% of natural renosterveld has been lost to the plough. Indeed, past owners of the farms that today are Bushmans Kloof, used part of their renosterveld area for growing crops. Small wonder that much of this vegetation type is considered a Critically Endangered ecosystem.
Renosterveld is renowned for its large numbers of bulbous plants, also called "geophytes" (earth plants) which have underground bulbs, corms and tubers. Some of these special geophytes include "wild irises" such as aandblomme (evening flowers), moraeas, tulpe, and bobbejaantjies (baboon bulbs); "wild hyacinths" such as chinkerinchees and viooltjies (littleviolins); "wild lilies" like katsterte (cats tails); and even small orchids.Renosterveld's nutrient-rich soils favour an abundant growth of highly palatable grasses and shrubs.
Grazing and browsing game use these pastures in preference to the neighbouring low-nutrient fynbos plants. This tends to result in over-utilisation of renosterveld such that unpalatable plants take over. Bushmans Kloof keeps this under close surveillance. Bushmans Kloof is proud and privileged to have in its custodianship a patch of rare renosterveld with its associated high conservation value.
Renosterveld is renowned for its large numbers of bulbous plants, also called "geophytes" (earth plants) which have underground bulbs, corms and tubers. Some of these special geophytes include "wild irises" such as aandblomme (evening flowers), moraeas, tulpe, and bobbejaantjies (baboon bulbs); "wild hyacinths" such as chinkerinchees and viooltjies (littleviolins); "wild lilies" like katsterte (cats tails); and even small orchids.Renosterveld's nutrient-rich soils favour an abundant growth of highly palatable grasses and shrubs.
Grazing and browsing game use these pastures in preference to the neighbouring low-nutrient fynbos plants. This tends to result in over-utilisation of renosterveld such that unpalatable plants take over. Bushmans Kloof keeps this under close surveillance. Bushmans Kloof is proud and privileged to have in its custodianship a patch of rare renosterveld with its associated high conservation value.