Some plants, rise from the ashes, And some seeds open with fire.
From a distance, Fynbos may appear somewhat unimpressive but look closer and you will see a diverse mosaic of plants of different shapes and sizes bursting with colourful flowers.
Fynbos is the collective name for the shrubland/heathland vegetation found along the South African coast. Home to South Africa’s national flower, the spectacular king protea (Protea cynaroides), and even rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis), this plant kingdom is anything but unimpressive.
The Cape Floral Kingdom supports thousands of endemic species. But like any story, this plant kingdom faces its own set of struggles, invasive plant species continue to be a problem in the form of overgrowth where fynbos should thrive, and the ever-expanding urban edge also leaves even less room for the smallest but most diverse plant kingdom in the world.
The cape is an area prone to wildfires and these native plants have adapted, now possessing traits that allow them to survive fires and persist in the landscape.
Leucadendron plants play a major role in the ecology of fynbos but worryingly, 51 species are threatened with extinction, so understanding their germination requirements is imperative to help inform restoration initiatives. Recent studies have found that it is the smoke and steam that builds up underground that causes germination.
Ant helpers
Ever wondered how the seeds make their way underground?
Many fynbos species have developed a little appendage called an elaiosome on their seeds. The only known function of this fleshy structure which is rich in proteins and fats is that it attracts ants who carry the seeds off to their nests where they eat the tasty morsel or feed it to their larvae.
The discarded seeds are buried in the waste disposal area, which, because it is full of fecal matter and other organic and refuse, is essentially the equivalent of a fertile compost heap. This is a beautiful example of co-evolution and mutualism, in which the interaction between two species is beneficial for both. This seed dispersal by ants is called myrmecochory.
Why is this all so wonderful?
It shows us that evolution is not all about tooth-and-claw competition and survival of the fittest – cooperation plays an extremely important role.
How wonderful that the smallest plant kingdom in the world, is by far the richest and it is ours to keep safe.
“Hope is the most resilient seed”.
Craig Randall
