|
KwaZulu-Natal Dune Forest
KwaZulu-Natal Dune Forest is a subtropical forest type that was once found almost continuously along the coastal dunes of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This vegetation type develops in sheltered areas behind the littoral zone, where with some protection from the salt wind it may develop with canopies as tall as 30 m. It still exists in protected areas, but much has been degraded by human activity. Coastal dune forest covers approximately 1% of the land area of KwaZulu-Natal, and is a habitat type seriously threatened from human population pressure and development, particularly titanium mining. List of trees (incomplete) * '' Allophylus natalensis'' – Dune false currant * '' Deinbollia oblongifolia'' – Dune soap-berry * '' Dracaena aletriformis'' – Large-leaved dragon tree * '' Euclea natalensis'' – Natal guarri * '' Ficus burtt-davyi'' – Veld fig * '' Mimusops afra'' – Coastal red milkwood * ''Sideroxylon inerme'' – White milkwood * ''Strelitzia nicolai'' – Natal wil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dune Forest
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat regions covered with wind-swept sand or dunes, with little or no vegetation, are called ''Erg (landform), ergs'' or ''sand seas''. Dunes occur in different shapes and sizes, but most kinds of dunes are longer on the wiktionary:stoss, stoss (upflow) side, where the sand is pushed up the dune, and have a shorter ''slip face'' in the lee side. The valley or trough between dunes is called a ''dune slack''. Dunes are most common in desert environments, where the lack of moisture hinders the growth of vegetation that would otherwise interfere with the development of dunes. However, sand deposits are not restricted to deserts, and dunes are also found along sea shores, along streams in semiarid climates, in areas of Outwash plain, glacial outwash ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dracaena Aletriformis
''Dracaena aletriformis'' is commonly known as the large-leaved dragon tree. These plants are found in forest in the eastern areas of South Africa from Port Elizabeth to northern and eastern Limpopo. They are also found in Eswatini, but are most common in the coastal and dune forests of KwaZulu-Natal. Taxonomy This plant has 8 synonyms. In the APG III classification system, the genus '' Dracaena'' is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoideae (formerly the family Ruscaceae). It has also been placed in the Agavaceae (now the subfamily Agavoideae) and the Dracaenaceae. Like many lilioid monocots, it was formerly placed in the family Liliaceae The lily family, Liliaceae, consists of about 15 genera and 610 species of flowering plants within the order Liliales. They are monocotyledonous, perennial, herbaceous, often bulbous geophytes. Plants in this family have evolved with a fai ... (lily family). Description Single stemmed or branched (usually at the base) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Forests Of KwaZulu-Natal
Areas of forest which grow in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa mostly on south facing slopes in higher rainfall areas, and along the humid coastal areas. Different types of forest can be identified by their species composition which depends mostly on the altitude, latitude and substrate (soil and rock types) in which they grow. South facing slopes are favourable for the development of forest as they are more shaded, and therefore cooler and retain more moisture than the northern slopes. The extra moisture on the south slopes is not only favoured by forest trees, but also helps to prevent or subdue wildfires. Fires can also be blocked by cliff faces and rocks or boulders on these slopes, and by streams or rivers at the base of the slopes. The coastal regions are conducive to forest formation, because of high rainfall and humidity which are favoured by forest trees and also help to prevent or subdue fires. The rivers of the coastal areas are also broader than further inland, which may ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richards Bay
Richards Bay () is a city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated on a 30 square kilometre lagoon of the Mhlatuze River, which makes it one of the country's largest harbours. Richards Bay also has the deepest natural harbour on the African continent. History The town began as a makeshift harbour that was set up by Commodore of the Cape, Sir Markus Eugene Brown, during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. In 1902, Cathcart Methven, the harbour engineer for the Natal Government, in his ''Zululand Port Survey'' recognized the potential of Richards Bay as a new harbour for the eastern shore. In 1935 the Richards Bay Game Sanctuary was created to protect the ecology around the lagoon and by 1943 it expanded into Richards Bay Park. The town was laid out on the shores of the lagoon in 1954 and proclaimed a town in 1969. In 1965, the South African Government under Minister of Transport Ben Schoeman decided to build a deep water harbour at Richards Bay. Construction work began in 1972 a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zoothera Guttata
The spotted ground thrush (''Geokichla guttata'') is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and possibly Mozambique. Description These birds are about 23 cm in length, with brown upper parts and white to off-white lower parts which are darkly spotted. Habitat Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss. Biology and behaviour The spotted ground thrush spends much of its time in leaf-litter on the forest floor where it flicks through the leaves in search of small invertebrates, and despite its distinctive colouration, it is often difficult to see.M. Purves, 2010 In KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN) is a Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa that wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strelitzia Nicolai
''Strelitzia nicolai'', commonly known as the wild banana or giant white bird of paradise, is a species of banana-like plants with erect woody stems reaching a height of , and the clumps formed can spread as far as . The -long leaves are grey-green and arranged like a fan at the top of the stems, similar to ''Ravenala madagascariensis''. The inflorescence is composed of a dark blue bract, white sepals and a bluish-purple "tongue". The entire flower can be as much as high by long, and is typically held just above the point where the leaf fan emerges from the stem. Flowers are followed by triangular seed capsules. ''Strelitzia nicolai'' is among the few plants which have been verified to contain the pigment bilirubin, which is usually found in animals. Distribution ''Strelitzia nicolai'' is one of three larger ''Strelitzia'' species, the other two being tree-like '' S. caudata'' and '' S. alba''. ''S. nicolai'' is restricted to evergreen coastal forest and thicket of eastern So ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sideroxylon Inerme
''Sideroxylon inerme'' (aMasethole or white milkwood, , , ) is a southern and eastern African coastal tree, with dense foliage, black berries and small, foetid, greenish flowers. The tree's generic name means "Iron-wood" in Greek, referring to its very hard timber. It is one of South Africa's "Protected Trees" and several specimens are Provincial heritage site (South Africa), provincial heritage sites.'' Sideroxylon inerme'' in Freddie Bosman' site, from the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. This is the only member of the genus ''Sideroxylon'' in Southern Africa. Distribution [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mimusops Afra
''Mimusops afra'' (coastal red milkwood, , , Sepedi: , ) is a species of tree in family Sapotaceae. This tree is found in coastal dune vegetation in Southern Africa from the Eastern Cape, through KwaZulu-Natal to southern Mozambique. Description ''Mimusops afra'' is a small to medium-sized tree. The stem is up to in diameter, often gnarled or twisted with dark grey bark which is wrinkled longitudinally.Lemmens, R.H.M.J. (2005). These trees may reach Pooley, E. (1993). ''The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei''. in height, but are shorter on the seaward side of the dunesWorld Wildlife Fund Staff. (2008). WWF Full Report: Maputaland coastal forest mosaic (AT0119). where they rarely exceed 5m tall and where the foliage suffers under salt spray and sea winds. It may be dominant in sheltered dune forest behind the littoral zone, where it can reach in height with some protection from the salt wind where forests develop with canopies as tall as . The lea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ficus Burtt-davyi
''Ficus burtt-davyi'' is a fig species endemic to Southern Africa, belonging to the Mulberry family of Moraceae. It grows in coastal and inland forests up to , from the vicinity of Mossel Bay in the Southern Cape to southern Mozambique - the forms growing on coastal dunes in the northern part of its range are salt tolerant and form low thickets on the margins of woodland. In the southern and eastern Cape forests the species becomes a strangler or liana, while when found on rocky outcrops and cliffs it usually develops into a rock-splitter. In its epiphytic form this species starts its life in the forks of tree branches, where an accumulation of organic debris aids germination and initial development. It sends down long, thin roots to reach soil and water below. The roots thicken and grow in number with the passage of time, and can eventually enclose the supporting tree, strangling and killing it, leaving the fig to stand alone with no competition for resources. Growing withou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Euclea Natalensis
''Euclea natalensis'', the Natal guarri, is a dioecious African plant species of the family Ebenaceae. It occurs from Ethiopia and Somalia in the north, southwards to the Western Cape The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ..., South Africa. It has nectar and also contains pollen Its hirsute, leathery leaves have an opposite arrangement, and the flower sprays grow from the leaf axils. The spherical fruit appear from October to June. Races The three races are: * ''Euclea natalensis'' subsp. ''natalensis'' * ''Euclea natalensis'' subsp. ''angolensis'' F.White * ''Euclea natalensis'' subsp. ''obovata'' F.White References {{Taxonbar, from=Q13034883 Trees of Africa natalensis Dioecious plants ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deinbollia Oblongifolia
''Deinbollia oblongifolia'' is a shrub or small tree in the family Sapindaceae. It is commonly known as the dune soap-berry and is found in coastal vegetation from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, through KwaZulu-Natal to southern Mozambique and Swaziland, Eswatini. It is named after Peter Vogelius Deinboll (1783–1876), a Danish botanist and plant collector. Description These plants can grow up to tall. The stem often branches low down and the bark is grey brown. The leaves are compound, up to long and clustered at the ends of the branches. The flowers are white, or cream and produced on branched flowering heads at the ends of the branches. The fruit are rounded; green and velvety when young to yellow and smooth when ripe. The dune soap-berry may be confused with a young forest mahogany (''Trichilia dregeana'') because of the similar shaped compound leaves, however the dune soap-berry has paler green slightly Gloss (optics), matt leaves compared to the forest mahogany, whic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Subtropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical zone#Temperate zones, temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° to 40° north and south. The horse latitudes lie within this range. Subtropical climates are often characterized by hot summers and mild winters with infrequent frost. Most subtropical climates fall into two basic types: humid subtropical climate, humid subtropical (Köppen climate classification: Cfa/Cwa), where rainfall is often concentrated in the warmest months, for example list of regions of China, Southeast China and the Southeastern United States, and Mediterranean climate, dry summer or Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa/Csb), where seasonal rainfall is concentrated in the cooler ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
