Abstract

With more than 780 species, Erica is the largest genus in the Core Cape Subregion, once referred to as the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), in South Africa. The redevelopment of the Erica Display Garden at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden to fulfil aesthetic, conservation and educational purposes is described. The author draws on decades of field work in the CFR to open a window for botanic garden visitors and schoolchildren who have not had the privilege of experiencing the unique flora of the CFR. An explanation for the extraordinary diversity of the CFR is explored.
 The challenge of engaging with visitors and at the same time highlighting the diversity of ericas and fynbos while overcoming the difficulties of growing wild species out of their natural and niche habitats is explained. The most effective way to display South African ericas and fynbos is discussed. The use of phytogeographical themes is preferred as a suitable method to display diversity in botanic garden horticulture. Nine planting beds totalling 8,000 m2 were redeveloped to represent six distinct phytogeographic regions identified in Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region (Manning & Goldblatt, 2012). Nineteen of the twenty largest families and genera of the Cape flora are also represented in these displays. Interpretation was created to provide information on the defining features of each region. The phytogeographic theme was used to emulate typical natural floristic features of each and to bring the concept of geographically driven plant diversity to the attention of the visiting public and students.

Highlights

  • With more than 780 species, Erica is the largest genus in the Core Cape Subregion, once referred to as the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), in South Africa

  • The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is a distinctive phytogeographical unit which was formerly recognised as a floral kingdom of its own (Good, 1974; Goldblatt, 1978; Takhtajan, 1986)

  • It has been argued that the Cape flora is more appropriately recognised as a floristic region and it is referred to as the Core Cape Subregion (CCR) (Cox, 2001) (Fig. 1)

Read more

Summary

AND AMENITY

With more than 780 species, Erica is the largest genus in the Core Cape Subregion, once referred to as the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), in South Africa. The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is a distinctive phytogeographical unit which was formerly recognised as a floral kingdom of its own (Good, 1974; Goldblatt, 1978; Takhtajan, 1986). The CCR is one of the world’s richest areas of plant species diversity. It is richer in species than other floras of temperate regions and most tropical ones (Manning & Goldblatt, 2012). The levels of endemism are among the highest in the world: 68 per cent of vascular plants are endemic (Cowling, 1992)

Species diversity
BIOGEOGRAPHICAL PRINCIPLES IN HORTICULTURE
REJUVENATION OF THE ERICA GARDEN AT KIRSTENBOSCH NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN
Landscape theme
Pollination theme
Phytogeographic theme
Forms and varieties
Planting the Erica and Fynbos Garden
Flagship and iconic species
INTER PR E TAT ION
Findings
CONCLUSION
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call