Flora at Platbos Forest
A Unique Tree Composition
Platbos Forest – a lowland afrotemperate forest remnant – has a unique tree species composition. The dominant trees are the Afromontane species of Celtis africana “white stinkwood”, Olinia ventosa “hard pear” and Apodytes dimidiata “white pear”, combined with coastal forest tree species such as Sideroxylon inerme “milkwood”, Euclea racemose “Sea Guarri”, Olea exasperata “Dune Olive” and Chionanthus foveolata “pock ironwood”. As a result, Platbos does not fit comfortably into any of the existing forest categories. It has been compared to the Tongaland-Pondoland forests of Kwazulu Natal, and it has also been described as a “sand forest”. In his study of 1961, botanist Dr Taylor referred to it as a “Celtis-Olinia-Apodytes Tall Forest” because of the relative dominance of these forest trees, and certainly it is these trees which give Platbos it’s special character. The major natural ecosystem surrounding Platbos Forest is the Agulhas Limestone Fynbos which has been classified as a vulnerable ecosystem.
It is perhaps enough to say that, whatever its botanical category, this southernmost forest of Africa is unique, and as such, a haven for not only the animals that dwell in it, but also for those who come to soak up its gentle peace.
List of forest flora and forest edge species:
Trees:
Apodytes dimidiata “White Pear”
Canthium mundianum “Rock Alder”
Cassine peragua “Cape Saffronwood”
Celtis africana “White Stinkwood”
Chionanthus foveolate “Pock Ironwood”
Diospyros whyteana “Bladder Nut”
Euclea racemosa “Sea Guarri”
Gymnosporia buxifolia “Spike Thorn”
Kiggelaria africana “Wild Peach”
Myrsine pillansii “Large Cape Myrtle”
Olea capensis ssp capensis “False Ironwood”
Olea europaea subsp africana “Wild Olive”
Olea exasperata “Dune Olive”
Olinia ventosa “Hard Pear”
Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus “Cherry Wood”
Rapanea melanophloeos “Cape Beech”
Sideroxylon inerme “White Milkwood”
Shrubs:
Artemesia afra “wildeals” / “wild wormwood”
Carissa bispinosa “num-num”
Cassine tetragona “climbing saffronwood”
Elytropappus rhinocerotis “renosterbossie”
Eriocephalus paniculatus “wild rosemary”
Gomphocarpus fruticosus “vleiklapper”
Leonotis leonurus “wild dagga”
Lessertia frutescens “kankerbos” / “sutherlandia”
Leucadendron salignum “geelbos” / “common sunshine conebush”
Lycium afrum “kraai honey thorn”
Metalasia muricata “blombos”
Muraltia spinosa “tortoise berry”
Myrsine africana “Cape myrtle”
Osteospermum moniliferum “bietou” / “Chrysanthemoides”
Otholobium bracteolatum
Pelargonium capitatum “rose geranium”
Podalyria myrtilifolia
Polygala myrtifolia “septemberbos”
Protea repens “common sugarbush”
Psoralea arbora “fountainbush”
Salvia africana-lutea “dune sage”
Searsia crenata “dune crow-berry”
Searsia glauca “blue kuni-bush”
Searsia laevigata “dune taaibos”
Searsia lucida “taaibos”
Searsia tomentosa “wild currant”
Solanum linneanum “bitterappel” / “gifappel
Tetragonia fruticosa “kinkelbossie”
Geophytes:
Albuca juncifolia
Anemone vesicatoria “katjiedrieblaar / “tooth ache leaf”
Arctopus echinatus “sieketroos” / “platdoring”
Babiana ambigua “klippuintjie” / “bobbejaantjie”
Brunsvigia orientalis “candelabra flower”
Bulbine foleyi
Chasmanthe aethiopica “suurkanol”
Ferraria crispa “spinnekopblom / uiltjie”
Haemanthus sanguineus “veldskoenblaar”
Geissorhiza aspera “sysie”
Lachenalia bulbifera “rooi viooltjie”
Melasphaerula ramosa “fairy bells”
Oxalis depressa
Oxalis luteola “sandsuring”
Oxalis obtusa “geeloogsuring”
Oxalis pes-caprae “wood sorrel”
Elegia juncea
Trachyandra ciliata “veldkool”
Trachyandra hirsuta
Zantedeschia aethiopica “arum lily” / “varkblom”
Creepers:
Asparagus aethiopicus “wild asparagus”
Asparagus asparagoides “bridal creeper”
Asparagus volubis
Asparagus rubicundus “kat doring” / “wag-‘n-bietjie”
Carpobrotus acinaciformis “sour fig” / “khoi fig”
Carpobrotus edulis “sour fig” / “suurvy”
Cissampelos capensis “davidjieswortel”
Cynanchum obtusifolium “monkey rope”
Dipogon lignosus “cape sweet pea”
Kedrostis nana “porcupine potato”
Lauridia tetragona “climbing saffronwood”
Perennials:
Arctotheca prostrata
Arctotis acaulis “renostergousblom”
Chaenostoma hispidum “sutera”
Cyanella hyacinthoides “lady’s-hand” / “raaptol”
Droguetia iners
Geranium incanum “bergtee” / “vrouebossie”
Helichrysum crispum “imphepho”
Lobelia cuneifolia
Orobanche ramosa
Scabiosa incisa
Annuals:
Carpanthea pomeridiana
Manulea cheiranthus “vingertjies”
Nemesia affinis “leeubekkie” / “weeskindertjies”
Lichens, Epiphytes & Ferns:
Usnea spp “old man’s beard”
(There are other lichens on the tree trunks which still need to be identified.)
Peperomia spp
Pleopeltis macrocarpa “resurrection fern”
Asplenium adiantum-nigrum