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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
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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

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