Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T01:15:12.745Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

THE FLORA OF THE DRAKENSBERG ALPINE CENTRE

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 April 2004

C. CARBUTT  and
T. J. EDWARDS
C. CARBUTT
Affiliation:
School of Botany and Zoology, University of Natal, P/Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa
T. J. EDWARDS
Affiliation:
School of Botany and Zoology, University of Natal, P/Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa
Get access

Abstract

The Drakensberg Alpine Centre (DAC) comprises the 40,000km2 high-altitude range of hills, mountain peaks and escarpment plateau bordering the eastern interior of southern Africa. Renowned for its species-rich flora and high levels of endemism, the DAC is here shown to support over 2800 specific and infraspecific native taxa, with c.16% of the angiosperm taxa being endemic, the latter equalling the flora of KwaZulu-Natal. Comparisons of the DAC's largest families and genera are made with those of the Cape Floral Region and KwaZulu-Natal, and the largest families are also compared with those of the Afromontane and Pondoland regions. In addition, comparisons are made between the high-altitude floras of southern and south-central Africa on the basis of their Cape element.

Keywords

Drakensberg Alpine Centreendemismfloristicshigh-altitude floraradiationsouthern Africa
Type
Research Article
Information
Edinburgh Journal of Botany , Volume 60 , Issue 3 , November 2003 , pp. 581 - 607
Copyright
© 2003, Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)