TREES AND SHRUBS
Marsh rose, Orothamnus zeyheri
Vleiroos
The marsh rose is the only species in its genus. This beautiful protea was once abundant enough to appear at flower markets but without explanation their numbers dwindled. Marsh rose populations are small and isolated and occur at high altitudes. Unselective harvesting and other environmental factors pushed it to the brink of extinction. Extremely rare and highly endemic, it occurs in the Kogelberg and Kleinrivier Mountains. It is an erect, sparsely-branched shrub that grows up to 5m tall. The plants are readily killed by fire and has an typical lifetime of 10 years. However, its seeds stay viable for many more years where they are placed underground by ants. Ironically the seeds need fire to germinate.
Silver tree, Leucadendron argenteum
Silwerboom
Leucadendron argenteum is an erect, well-proportioned, tree that can grow up to 10 m tall, with a stout trunk and thick, grey bark. The upright branches are covered with large lance-shaped leaves, up to 150 x 20 mm. The leaves have a characteristic silver sheen and is covered on both surfaces with thousands of tiny, soft, silvery hairs and fringed with long white hairs. The intensity of the shine differs with the weather. They are at their shiniest in hot, dry weather, when the hairs lie flat to protect the leaves from drying out. In wet weather the hairs stand more upright to allow for free air flow. Male and female flowers are found on separate plants. The flowers are in dense heads at the branch tips. The male trees are more eye-catching, and female flower heads are quite hard to find and tend to be higher up on the tree. Silver trees flower in spring. Silver trees are endemic to the Cape Peninsula and it likely that nearly 80% of the population has been lost due to the impact of development and agriculture. It is listed as rare and endangered and is regarded at risk from sudden or unexpected changes, facing a high risk of extinction.
Red rock-heath, Erica nevillei
Klouterplant
The red rock-heath is a habitat specialist and regarded as a narrow endemic species. Not only confined to a specific geographic region, this species can only be found on a particular soil type on the south-facing incline of a particular gorge between 100–200 m above sea level. Restricted to its habitat on the rocky slopes of the Cape Peninsula, it is listed as a rare plant on the Red List of South African Plants. Erica nevillei is a low-growing, semi-sprawling, woody shrub growing up to a height of 40 mm. It flowers from January to May, and the plant’s red tubular flowers are sticky and grow in thick spike-like heads at the tips of the branches. The plant’s leaves occur in dense swirls round the branches. This species is at risk of changes in their environment because they have adapted to such a specific set of conditions.
Vleiroos
The marsh rose is the only species in its genus. This beautiful protea was once abundant enough to appear at flower markets but without explanation their numbers dwindled. Marsh rose populations are small and isolated and occur at high altitudes. Unselective harvesting and other environmental factors pushed it to the brink of extinction. Extremely rare and highly endemic, it occurs in the Kogelberg and Kleinrivier Mountains. It is an erect, sparsely-branched shrub that grows up to 5m tall. The plants are readily killed by fire and has an typical lifetime of 10 years. However, its seeds stay viable for many more years where they are placed underground by ants. Ironically the seeds need fire to germinate.
Silver tree, Leucadendron argenteum
Silwerboom
Leucadendron argenteum is an erect, well-proportioned, tree that can grow up to 10 m tall, with a stout trunk and thick, grey bark. The upright branches are covered with large lance-shaped leaves, up to 150 x 20 mm. The leaves have a characteristic silver sheen and is covered on both surfaces with thousands of tiny, soft, silvery hairs and fringed with long white hairs. The intensity of the shine differs with the weather. They are at their shiniest in hot, dry weather, when the hairs lie flat to protect the leaves from drying out. In wet weather the hairs stand more upright to allow for free air flow. Male and female flowers are found on separate plants. The flowers are in dense heads at the branch tips. The male trees are more eye-catching, and female flower heads are quite hard to find and tend to be higher up on the tree. Silver trees flower in spring. Silver trees are endemic to the Cape Peninsula and it likely that nearly 80% of the population has been lost due to the impact of development and agriculture. It is listed as rare and endangered and is regarded at risk from sudden or unexpected changes, facing a high risk of extinction.
Red rock-heath, Erica nevillei
Klouterplant
The red rock-heath is a habitat specialist and regarded as a narrow endemic species. Not only confined to a specific geographic region, this species can only be found on a particular soil type on the south-facing incline of a particular gorge between 100–200 m above sea level. Restricted to its habitat on the rocky slopes of the Cape Peninsula, it is listed as a rare plant on the Red List of South African Plants. Erica nevillei is a low-growing, semi-sprawling, woody shrub growing up to a height of 40 mm. It flowers from January to May, and the plant’s red tubular flowers are sticky and grow in thick spike-like heads at the tips of the branches. The plant’s leaves occur in dense swirls round the branches. This species is at risk of changes in their environment because they have adapted to such a specific set of conditions.