Fynbos – Cape Floral Kingdom (South Africa)

In the plant kingdom, there is a virtual geography on how the various species of plants are located. This is defined as the Floral Kingdom, and there are 6 of them.

* Boreal Kingdom (also known as Holartic) occupies 42% of the earth land’s area, and cover Europe, North America and Central Asia
* Paleotropical Kingdom occupies 35%, and is located in much of continent Africa, except for the tip of Africa, which exists another Floral Kingdom called the Fynbos.
* Neotroipical Kingdom occupies 14% and is located in South America
* Australian Kingdom occupies 8% and as its name denotes will be Australia
* Holantartic Kingdom occupies 1% and refers to the bottom part of South America
* Capensis and also known as Cape Floral Kingdom occupies just 0.04% and is located at the
Cape area of South Africa

The definition of the Floral Kingdom will be plant species found within the kingdom, and usually they are endemic to the region. Naturally, across land boundary, the boundary becomes fuzzy, but across natural boundaries (ie. Ocean) the boundary becomes distinct. Typically the kingdom will be formed along the same climatic band from East to West, and isolation in the example of the Australian Kingdom which endemic species include the Eucalyptus and Acacia. (Similar to the animal kingdom, almost all the marsupials are found in Australia.)

(Reference http://www.ecocam.com/nature/biomes.html for the geogrpahical layout of these Flower Kingdoms.

Focusing on the Cape Floral Kingdom (CFK) which I have the opportunity to explore during my recent business trip to South Africa, I climbed the Table Mountain with my South African colleague. The CFK comprises the Table Mountain Range and several other localities in the Cape Area. Our exploaration started from the Table Mountain and end at Cape Point. The other name for CFK is also called Fynbos which is a Dutch name (Fijnbosch) for Fine Bush. The key characteristics is that the plants are simply too fine for lumber or even as foliage for cattles. The soil tends to be alkaline, and the definition of the Fynbos (plant species) will be more on the growth form of the plants. The vegetation tends to be shrub and the leaves are small and thick.

The 4 primary growth forms found here will be
· Proteoids - the tallest shrub growing to a height of 1 to 3 metres. The King Protea (Protea cynaroides) which is the national flower of South Africa belongs
to this group.
· Ericoids - heath like plant
· Restoids - reed like plant
· Geophytes - bulbous plant

The main characteristics of these plants are in the leaves which are sclerophyllous (hard, tough and leathery leaf) and microphyllous (small leaf). These can be seen in the leaves in the photos. Such leaves are also seen in the mangrove species where water retention is important. In the Fynbos, the soil is alkaline and the substrate is of sandstone which does not hold water well in the soil. Picture 1 - Unknown Pretea


Picture 2 - Unknown Ericoids
Picture 3 - Unknown Restoids
Picture 4 - Unknown Restoids
Picture 5 - Unknown Geophytes
Picture 6 - This unknown plant has flower like Daisy, and the leaves when cut across the section forms a triangular shape. Suspect that this belongs to the Geophytes.

Picture 7 - Unknown Bush
Picture 8 - Unknown Plant (possibly another Geophytes)

The cape area is extremely windy, and though the Table Mountain is about 1,010 m high, it is usually covered with a layer of cloud, which the local calls it the Table Cloth. Today is no exception when we started on the climb.

The upper layer of the Table Mountain is made up of sandstone rock, which displayed the various faults and fractures cutting across the compressed sedimentation. Though hard, it is still considered soft, erosion from the wind and rain has caused ravines, valleys, faults to be formed across the Cape Mountain ranges.

Picture 9 - Table Mountain as viewed near the Cable Car Station (the Cable Car Station at the top is at the right hand side of the plateau)
Picture 10 - The starting point begins at Platteklip
Picture 11 - My friend started the ascend

Picture 12 - Notice the cracks and sedimentation structure of the Sandstone
Picture 13 - Sandstone Rock Structure Picture 14 - Boulders strewn slope

Picture 15 - This structure somehow reminds me of the Sphinx head!

Climbing to the top, involved having to pass a small gulley which at this point exhibit very strong wind flow (this can contribute this to the Bernoulli’s effect, where the flow area decreased, the velocity has to increase).

Picture 16 - At about 950 m, we can see the Gully which we have to enter to go to the top

Picture 17 - The Gully with the "Table Cloth"

The highest point on the Table Mountain is the Maclear Beacon standing at 1,073m. Unfortunately, due to the Table Cloth, it was not possible to proceed to this point, and I have to be satisfied with the plateau at 1,010 m. Interestingly, from the foot, the mountain top looks flat, but at the top, this does not seem to be so.

Picture 18 - At the top of the Plateau

Picture 19 - Another part of the Table Top Group. The 12 Apostles seen from Kemp Bay

The next day of the weekend, we traveled south towards the Southernmost part of Continent Africa (Cape Point), this was mentioned in the brochure and a quick glance at the map, somehow indicates that there is another location that is more southerly towards the east of Cape Point! Regardless, along the way, we were priviledged to see the vulnerable African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus). The population of 1.5 million in 1910, has now diminished to about 150,000, due to uncontrolled harvesting of their eggs and guano scrapping from their nesting sites.

Picture 20 - African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)

Picture 21 - Out of the Ocean

Picture 22 - See the egg that is temporary exposed.

The Fynbos is not able to support big mammal that can graze in this area, and the biodiversity that thrive here, tends to be of small stature. Along the ways, we manage to see lizard (unknown ID), tortoise, Ostrich (Struthio Camelus) grazing in the sand dune/beach, scavenging bird (unknown ID) and Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus).

Picture 23 - Another view of the Fynbos Fauna

Figure 24 - An unknown tree in the Table Top Nature Reserve. There are very few trees in this region.

Right at the tip of Continent Africa, two oceans meet. The Indian and Atlantic Ocean, and much marine biodiversity thrive here, due to the warm and cold water mixing in this area. At Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, in the right season, one can see the migrating whales (usually the Southern Right Whale), and at the False Bay, I was told that the Great White breed.

Picture 25 - Cape of Good Hope (Many lives were lost in the early exploratory days, for this is also called the Cape of Storm). In 1488, Bartolomeu Dias was the first prominent European to cross this cape, and as usual it was stormy, and he called it Cabo tormentoso (Cape of Storm). But this cape was changed to Cabo de Boa Esperanca (Cape of Good Hope) by the King of Portugal.

Picture 26 - The Southern-most Tip of Continent Africa. Named after the first European Explorer Dias. Many ships were wrecked while trying to round this corner, and the most infamous of them all is the legendary Flying Dutchman in 1641.

Returning to Capetown, we traveled by a different route along the spine of the Table Mountain Group, the Chapman Range. As usual, the sandstone of the mountain range prevailed, by the cracks and faults along the winding roads. With enough warning sign of landslide and falling rocks, one cannot help it but to wish that one get out of the danger zones quickly.

Picture 27 - Another part of the other part of the Table Montain Group. This is the Chapman Peak area, which is very beautiful.
Picture 28 - Amphibian (Unknown Frog) taken at the Table Mountain Nature Reserve

Picture 29 - Ostrich (Struthio Camelus) grazing in the sand dune/beach of Cape of Good Hope
Picture 30 - Unknown Bird
Picture 31 - Troop of Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus)

The Fynbos like most of the other habitats is under threat from
* Alien Species of Plants that were introduced knowingly by earlier explorer and habitants or unknowingly
* Frequent fire (not related to season) due to careless habit from the human
* Encroachment into this area for agriculture and habitation

Much effort is being done to preserve this area, and hopefully the Fynbos will remain as this is the smallest but most diversify (per area) of all the Flower Kingdoms.

Around McRitchie Reservoir and back

In preparation for my Mt Kota Kinabalu hike in March. I decided to go for an endurance trekking exercise. At the same time, I was trying to acquire as much needed pictures for LK from RMBR.

The endurnace trekking starts from my place, into Zhenghua Partk, towards the Pipeline Reserve, and into Rfile Range Road. At the end of Rifle Range Road is a track leading to McRitchie Reservoir. Along the way, one will pass the Jelutong Tower, and then into surrounding area of SICC. Once at McRitchie carpark, continue the journey to the Kayaking station, and onto Venus Drive to the HSBC Tree Top Walk and then back to Rifle Range Road.

In total, this journey will be 24 km long and will take about 6 to 7 hours to complete.

But it took me 7.5 hours to accomplish this feat, and that was because I stopped once too often to take pictures. Logged the journey using my Garmin Forerunner, and below is the coverage of my walk. (The loop is actually the McRitchie Reservoir)

Time 08:30 hrs – Lining the Pipeline Reserve are the Rain Trees (Samanea saman). This tree was introduced into Singapore in 1876 from South America. This tree offers much shade as its canopy covers large areas.

At this hour, the birds were very active.

Unfortunately most of them were simply too fast for me to capture with my camera. A flock of green Bee-eaters were flying about, but the most acrobatic of them all was the Pacific Swallow (Hirondo tahitica). Pacific Swallow involves in aerial acrobat as that is how they catch their insect meals. Unlike swift, swallows tend to catch the insects near to the ground.

Despite the fact that I was using speed of 1/1000 sec, I was still not able to freeze them in action. This Pacific Swalow was taken near the SICC - it just caught an insect and decided to rest on this sign. Could not miss the opportunity for some closed up.

Along the Pipeline Reserve, there were many spider webs glistening in the morning dew. Took this shot of this yelow flower with a drop of dew on the blade of grass. I called it Awakening!

When I was doing my National Service, the instructor always tell us "never stand in the skylight", for you can be easily seen. Well this Collared Kingfisher (Halcyon chloris) made that mistake, and provide me with the opportunity to take couple of "shots".

This unknown bird perched on a tree with no foliage, which is a delight to people like me who cannot wait to get a few shots of them.

This Land Snail (ID unknown) was also out foraging for food. This is unlike the common Giant African Snail, to me this specimen is better looking than the Giant African Snail.

Time 10:30 am - At this hour, the birds decided to hide. One can notice that the ambience sound is now lacking in birds'call! The insects at this time were not very active. Occasionally, one will chance upon some of the birds that were hiding in the foliage.

Like this Great racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus). In this shy posture, I can only take its back. Notice the tail plumage - it is elongated with a tuft at the end.

Another angle of this shy individual. It has red eyes, and can mimic the calls of other birds. Feed mainly on insects, it is actual quite easily spotted as it tends to make very "cheerful"noise in the foliage. I managed to spot a number of them by locating their calls.

In another tree, I spotted this individual. Not too sure about its ID.
Time 12:00 Noon - I arrive in McRitchie. Half way in my trek, and I was already quite tired. (Must be the heat).

In the water, I noticed these pond skaters. They were in the hundreds. Not too sure why they were congregating in this spot!

At this hour, the insects and the reptilian animals were now most active. Cicada noise fills the air, and butterflies were everywere.

This skink was sunning itself when I accidentally scared it, and it scurried into the undergrowth. Looking at the belly, you will notice that it is golden in colour. This is the Many lined or Common Sun Skink (Mabuya multifasciata). Skink has smooth scaly skins and is diurnal (active in the day).

To prevent collection of water on their leaves, a lot of plants have leaves with tips. Called it Drip Tip (that was what the sign said). By preventing accumulation of water, and as the leaves have special waxy coating, water will be drained off much easily, and thus prevent algae forming on the leaves. (Algae tends to grow on branches but seldom on leaves)


Time 15:00 Hr - Having looped round McRitchie, I was on my way to the Treetop walk, and noticed many rattan. Rattan comes in many size, and the most obvious trait will be the barbs. They have different design, and this type of rattan tends to be a "creeper", and the barbs (thorns) help in the process of creeping up. But woe to the person who accidentally brushes into one of them, the only way to unhook is to move backward.


And copying the design from the rattan, man has build barbs around these pipelines. I used to walk on top of these pipelines, just to cross from one point to the other. Now it is no longer possible.Time 15:30 hr - At the tree top walk, I met a fellow nature lover who has vast knowledge on plants. He explained to me many plants and its flowers and leaves. I was most appreciative, and he told me he was looking for Tongkat Ali. Then he found it, and showed me the Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia). Most of us are familiar with the roots, but not the complete tree. Tongkat Ali is an aphrodiasac use in this part of the world. It is extremely bitter, and occasionally people will mix it with honey before partaking it. Time 16:30 hr - Finally I reached home. My legs were sored and my feet hurt. But it was worth it. Now I wonder whether my Semakau kakis and Climbing Crabs kakis are interested in this endurance walk!