A precious lowland remnant

ABOVE: The Red Data Book species, Restio micans and Restio quinquefarius grow on margins of seasonal wetland on Kenilworth Racecourse. BELOW: Diastella proteoides, another Red Data species that grows on Kenilworth Racecourse. Photos: Ross Turner. The Golden Oval The Kenilworth Atlas: a brief summary of pre- and post-burn field study at the Kenilworth Racecourse, Cape Town

by Ross Turner, Field Botanist

It's hard to know where to begin, charged with writing an article on Kenilworth Racecourse. This land­ locked island-remnant of Acid Sand Plain Fynbos and Seasonal Wetland has become a second home over the past eventful year, although for one more familiar with Mountain Fynbos, the initial prospect of surveying our most valuable lowland vegetation remnant was daunting. Tabula rasa was the best way to summarize my cognitive state upon fIrst visit to the site, but by now, as hopefully this article will communi­ cate, the objective slate is anything but clean. Kenilworth Racecourse is home to at least 275 indigenous plant species. This is a staggering statistic consider-

140 September 2006 Veld&Flora ing the relatively puny, 45 ha area. No to rejuvenate through fire, it is the Racecourse is also a geological island, other single urban, natural vegetation indigenous component of Kenilworth's being grouped with the Cape Peninsula remnant on our planet comes close in vegetation that turns up trumps. There Pluton (N-Cc) of the Cape Granite Suite. terms of sheer plant species numbers, are several Red Data Book species at These granitic 'islands' occur in only relative to physical area. Kenilworth, such as Diastella prote­ a few lowland sites adjacent to the If alien plants are included in this oides, Erica margaritacea, Leucadendron Cape Peninsula mountain chain. Finely count, the tally amounts to an even levisanus, Moraea elsiae and Restio weathered, loamy, granitic substrate more gob-smacking total of at least micans, but perhaps the real won­ is clearly visible on the western banks 336 species. That's right, there are der has been the observation of many of Kenilworth's Main Dam, as well as at least sixty-one aliens lurking (in 'common' or 'widespread' species, not along the severely degraded eastern some instances, plotting take-overs) at recorded on our checklists. This is boundary of the Racecourse, where Kenilworth. Gone are all notions of a in part due to the fact that many excavations were made to provide loam 'monotypic' alien invasion! The proc­ herbarium specimens from Kenilworth for the building of the M5 Freeway. ess at Kenilworth is a complex suc­ Racecourse sit in the Bolus Herbarium, At Kenilworth this substrate is fur­ cession involving members of mostly which has not been electronically data­ ther overlain by quartzitic sand of the the Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Fabaceae and based. More succinctly put, then, as in Quaternary Group. It is no wonder that Myrtaceae families supplemented by a our time, common or more-widespread the Racecourse grounds are prone to host offlourishing garden escapees such species were often not collected. Here I waterlogging during winter, given the as Leucojum vemum and Vinca major. think of Clifioma subsetacea, Gladiolus impeded natural drainage of the site. Driving this invasion is the eutrophica­ undulatus, Moraea miniata, Moraea One wonders whether it would have tion and therefore nutrient enrichment tripetala, Phylica imberbis, Elegia fila­ been chosen originally, had this fact of groundwater on the site, natural cea, Elytropappus rhinocerotis and been realized. Rest assured, however, drainage lines and seepage areas in Willdenowia sulcata, amongst others. that without the Kenilworth Racecourse, some cases having been radically trans­ we would have nothing to discuss but formed. As a result, on-going alien con­ A geological island aging, post mortem herbarium speci­ trol at Kenilworth will be an expensive Kenilworth's flora also hints at another mens and we would all be the poorer. and labour-intensive exercise. startling fact. As well as being an island It is therefore a combination of local­ However, having been given a chance of indigenous vegetation, Kenilworth ity, geology and hydrology that have

FAR LEFT: Restio micans, female.

LEFT: Restio quinquefarius.

BELOW LEFT: The former habitat of the rare and endemic Erica capitata and E. turgida that no longer occur on Kenilworth Racecourse.

BELOW: Leucadendron levisanus. Photos: Ross Turner. An appeal to the Gold Circle Board of Directors: "In your hands rests the destiny of Kenilworth, a unique, biodiverse habitat and very possibly the last viable natural vegetation remnant remaining within our rapidly growing city. A relatively small sacrifice on your behalf would provide a truly great, long-lasting service for conservation!"

TOP RIGHT: Oxalis pes-caprae and bee pollinator. made Kenilworth Racecourse unique Podalyria sericea, Rhus tomentosa, floristically and perhaps a toss of a coin Staberoha distachyos, Thamnochortus BELOW: The occurrence of Erica corifolia on Kenilworth Racecourse suggests it is a corridor that has allowed it to survive until the jruticosus and Willdenowia sulcata. through which plant species must have migrated present. Many of these do tolerate a wide range during preceding millennia. of habitats and soil types but their BOTTOM: Very rare ... An urban, ecological flagship occurrence in adjacent but marked­ The resulting, fuller ecological picture ly different habitats suggests a corri­ Photos: Ross Turner. we now have shows Kenilworth's flora dor through which plant species have as being remarkably representative of migrated during preceding millennia. Cape Peninsula Mountain Fynbos, as Most of this corridor has been lost to well as Acid Sandplain Fynbos. Even urban sprawl and invasive alien vegeta­ renosterveld components are represent­ tion, especially over the past 100 years ed by taxa such as Elytropappus rhinoc­ and, as a result, an environmental and erotis and Moraea miniata. Kenilworth is genetic bottleneck has been created. undoubtedly the last locality of its kind One is often left with the impression adjacent to the Cape Peninsula and a that although botanists, conservators remnant link between the Peninsula, and ecologists deal daily with issues Cape Flats and the mountain ranges of evolutionary process, it is forgotten beyond. that evolution extends far into a future This floral commonality is especial­ that we are ill-equipped to compre­ ly evident in wetland plant commu­ hend. Just how many intricate envi­ nities. Moisture-loving taxa such as ronmental interactions have we ter­ Berzelia abrotanoides, Chondropetalum minated through our insidious and nudum, Chondropetalum rectum, often rampant desire for progress or Chondropetalum tectorum, Clijjortia compromise? Will the Cape Peninsula strobilijera, Clijjortia subsetacea, itself become an evolutionary dead-end Ischyrolepis paludosa, Psoralea laxa, as a result of our activities? Have we Psoralea pinnata, Restio bifurcus, Restio altered the evolutionary course of the quinquejarius and Serruria glomerata Cape Floral Kingdom? Regarding the are good examples. Elements of this last query, 1 think we have, but there south-western wetland community are is still time to rescue and restore the present in wetland habitats as far south few, precious lowland remnants in our as Elim and Ratelrivier on the southern midst and perhaps, by doing so, allow Agulhas Plain. at least a certain amount of connectiv­ Taxa not typically associated with ity and therefore environmental process water include Bobartia indica, Diosma to persist between the highlands and oppositijolia, Elegia jilacea, Erica cori­ lowlands. The time is now and the flag­ jolia, Erica imbricata, Erica mammosa ship should be Kenilworth. (re-sprouter, pink flowers), Erica mus­ cosa, Erica tristis, Indigojera capilla­ The state of some rare endemics ris, Ixia dubia, Leucadendron salignum, Several narrowly endemic taxa, con-

142 September 2006 Veld&Flora fined to wetlands on the south-western Cape Peninsula; generally below 100 ft.' Cape's coastal flats and forelands, are In addition, it is now known that many historically represented at Kenilworth extant sub-populations of the species Racecourse. Cliffortia ericifolia, Erica are associated with a seasonal drain­ capitata, Erica margaritacea, Erica turg­ age line, a seasonally wet area, or occur ida, Hessea cinnamomea, Restio micans, at the head of mountain streams. This Ischyrolepis duthieae and Moraea elsiae undoubtedly explains the historical are examples of now rare, extremely occurrence at Kenilworth and gives us localized plant species. A brief sum­ hope that seeds may still occur in the mary provides an indication as to the soil elsewhere on site. The natural his­ general state of their lowland habitats: tory of Erica turgida is less encouraging, Erica margaritacea flourishes at the species having been exterminated in Kenilworth Racecourse, especially in all of its known localities on the Cape the western portion, despite having Flats and Cape Peninsula. Cultivated been exterminated in all of its other his­ specimens of this taxon were re-intro­ torical localities. No seedling regenera­ duced to Kenilworth during winter 2005 tion has been noted so far in the burnt but by early 2006, near 100% mortality portion of the Racecourse. had been observed. Restio micans survives outside of And Oxalis natans was nowhere to be the racetrack in one localized stand found... of approximately 200 plants. Only a TOP LEFT: Geissorhiza imbricata subsp. imbricata. handful of scattered individuals occur Encouraging news TOP RIGHT: Geissorhiza hispidula. within the south-eastern portion of the But, despite the cogent, imminent and ABOVE: Lachenalia reflexa. racetrack. suspected loss of several species from Taxa apparently teetering on the Kenilworth, ecological process manages brink of extinction at Kenilworth include to persist at the site. The occurrence eliffortia ericifolia and Moraea of 'recruitment' amongst several taxa elsiae. Approximately twenty individu­ most commonly encountered as re­ als of the former species eke out an sprouters in the field, is an example of existence amidst a dense thicket of Port this. These re-sprouting plants have the Jackson (Acacia saligna), and only two ability, in most instances, to coppice plants of Moraea elsiae were recorded vigorously from underground lignotu­ during survey. bers after being burnt. By defmition, all I strongly suspect that Ischyrolepis re-sprouting plants must be re-seed­ duthieae and Ischyrolepis papillosa ers too, for at some point in their his­ no longer occur at Kenilworth, the tory, individuals must have regenerated former having been exterminated by from seed. Indeed, most re-sprouters dense Acacia saligna infestation and an appear to produce viable seed, although office-complex development. not in the same quantity as re-seed­ Ominously, Hessea cinnamomea ing plants. At Kenilworth this recruit­ was not recorded during its flower­ ment is stunningly visible in taxa such ing period of May and June, after the as Agathosma imbricata, Aspalathus controlled burn of 29 March 2005 (See angustifolia and Berzelia abrotanoides, Veld & Flora March 2006, page 40). Dee seedlings of these species co-existing Snijman has only seen this exceedingly with re-sprouting plants that survived rare species in one locality in the Cape the fire. In some instances, hundreds of Good Hope Nature Reserve after a of seedlings were recorded within only fire. a few square metres! Such seedlings Erica turgida and Erica capitata densities are in fact comparable to typi­ were exterminated at the Racecourse a cally re-seeding species encountered ABOVE: Onixotis punctata with bee pollinator little over a decade ago. Thankfully Erica at Kenilworth, such as Diastella pro­ BELOW: Moraea lugubris. capitata occurs in several well-estab­ teoides, Leucadendron levisanus and lished sub-populations in the moun­ Serruria glomerata, for which prolif­ tains of the southern Cape Peninsula ic, and often dense, post-fire seedling and has recently been recorded at Groot regeneration has also been recorded Hagelkraal and near Elim. Much of its during survey. former lowland habitat has been lost to It has also been fascinating to witness agriculture, alien vegetation and urban the floral succession at Kenilworth. It's expansion. In fact, very few of these a bit like Shakespeare's 'world-stage' montane Cape Peninsula localities were with the relevant actors moving by, documented until very recently, and in each responding to the environment Vol. IV of Flora Capensis, Bolus cites of the stage but marching to their own this species' habitat as 'sandy downs beat. However, I don't buy William's near Cape Town and elsewhere on the sense of the mundane for one second! By visiting the site at two to three week intervals, this study has been able to witness the first-flowering individuals of many species, see them at their peak, watch their flowers whither, produce capsules and fmally, disperse seed. In par­ ticular the parade of geophytic plants at Kenilworth deserves mention.

The parade of geophytic plants On the 29 September 2005, Kenilworth Racecourse could have been mistaken for Nieuwoudtville during spring, so spectacular was the floral display! Baeometra unijlora, Geissorhiza aspera and Sparaxis bulbifera formed the domi­ nant geophytic canvas, while a swathe of Watsonia meriana, purplish-orange as well as white flowered variants, provided a fiery display in the seasonal wetland. Albucajuncifolia, Disa bracteata, clumped stands of Drosera trinervia in full bloom, Geissorhiza hispidula, Geissorhiza imbricata, Moraea collina, Moraea jlaccida, Moraea lugubris, Moraea tripetala, Onixotis punctata, Pterygodium catholicum, both white and pure yellow variants of Romulea jlava, Romulea rosea, Satyrium odorum, Spiloxene aquatica in seasonally inundated depressions, Spiloxene capensis, Trachyandra ciliata, Trachyandra revo­ luta, Wachendorfia paniculata and Wahlenbergia capensis, amongst others, abounded! As these faded, they were replaced by the next floral cohort consisting of Hesperantha radiata, Ixia dubia, Ixia paniculata, Moraea elsiae, Moraea lewisiae and Moraea ramosissima. The latter cohort was, in turn, succeeded in December by Aristea capitata, Bobartia indica, Cyanella hyacinthoides, Gladiolus undulatus, Micranthus alopecuroides, a late-flower­ ing variant of Romulea rosea and Wachendorfia brachyan­ dra. While the months of September, October and November undoubtedly provided an explosion of colour and discovery, several exciting finds were also made during the exception­ ally dry summer months. Clumped stands of Omithogalum dregeanum, a rare member of the Hyacinthaceae occurring from Tulbagh to the Kleinrivier Mountains, were in full bloom TOP: Pseudoselago spuria with Walsonia meriana during January. Scattered plants of Drimia filifolia, another in the background. On what future for this priceless infrequently encountered taxon occurring from Mamre to remnant should we place our wagers? the Cape Peninsula, were recorded during February and MIDDLE: Romulea rosea. March, as were hundreds of plants of the widespread Bulbine BOTTOM: Lampranlhus replans. favosa. Photos: Ross Turner. The real battle for Kenilworth Early autumn brings the Kenilworth Atlas full-circle and, again, hard reality must be confronted. The real battle for Kenilworth is political and economic in nature and disarm­ ingly, from the environmental standpoint, there is very little to bargain with. On what future, then, should we place our wagers? The very nature of this article lumps the majority of my share with the small group of dedicated conservators and environmentalists, past and present, amateur and profes­ sional, who have expended a considerable amount of time and energy in an effort to conserve the Racecourse's flora and fauna and to ensure its future survival. We know of the treasures contained within the Racecourse but now need to impress upon Gold Circle stakeholders their significance, as well as the value and rarity of the greater ecological system that supports them. Here I must make a direct appeal to the Gold Circle Board of Directors: In your hands rests the destiny of Kenilworth, a unique, biodiverse habitat and very possibly the last viable natural vegetation remnant Acknowledgements remaining within our rapidly growing In closing, it must be said that the Kenilworth city. A relatively small sacrifice on your Atlas has benefited greatly from several behalfwould provide a truly great, long­ sources, without which field study would lasting service for conservation! not have been possible, or at least extreme­ Furthermore, those working within ly difficult. Firstly I must thank Anthony the realm of conservation are not blind Hitchcock and Tilla Raimondo, for without to the benefits that judicious business their innovation, this study would not have practise can offer. We are all part of the been realized. economic engine. But many of us are I am also indebted to Clive McDowell and naive when it comes to the business Lynette Brown for their comprehensive 1991 world. study of the Racecourse. This Conservation Perhaps this stems from the fact Management Plan for the Kenilworth that we are driven by the acquisition Racecourse fynbos and surrounding area and sharing of scientific knowledge. identified major threats facing the natural We speak of nothing else when placed vegetation remnants contained within the in a room together! This intellectual course and included a list of approximately capital is not nearly as visible as direct 220 indigenous plant species. monetary wealth and it takes much The staff of the Compton Herbarium, past longer for the benefits thereof to be and present, have also provided invaluable realized. As the business world knows, assistance with plant identifications. Humble critical, analytical thought is crucial for thanks in particular go to Dee Snijman success. and John Manning, for their authoritative Despite the fact that botanical identifications of geophytic material and research involves objective observation, Asteraceae. Chris Cupido, Hubert Kurtzweil TOP: Wahlenbergia capensis. it is impossible to ignore one's emotion­ and Pascal Chesselet have provided identi­ al responses to these stimuli. If a large fications of Fabaceae and Campanulaceae, ABOVE: Cyanella hyacinthoides. multi-national corporation were to pos­ Orchidaceae and Aizoaceae. BELOW: The infrequently encountered Drimia sess branches in ten different nations Thanks also to Cornelia Klak of the Bolus filifolia (gifbol) flowering on the Racecourse. and then witness the demise of eight Herbarium for identifications belonging to BOTTOM: Sparaxis bulbifera and Geissorhiza or nine of those functional branches, the latter family. Collectively, no library or aspera on Kenilworth Racecourse in September. would not the response be one of con­ computer program is worth your expertise! Photos: Ross Turner. cern, shock or anger? In other words, Thanks to David 'Botany-Boy' Gwynne­ we deal with different, although mutu­ Evans, Rupert Koopman and Debby Laing al, aspects of the world and both assign for eyes and company in the field. extreme importance to them. What's To Mr Van der Ross, who grew up in ahouse more, we both use programmes such in the centre of the racetrack, thank you for as Microsoft Excel as the basis for data walking with me on several occasions and collection and statistical analysis! for imparting your knowledge, spanning Are we out of line to suggest a charity several decades of the site's history. event such as 'The Elsie Esterhuysen To the management of the Kenilworth Cup', with specific attention paid to Racecourse, for unrestricted access to the Kenilworth's ecology and significant premises, thank you too. proceeds going towards its conserva­ And to Ted Oliver, for much more than the tion? The potential for a marketing­ superb camera, without which this study coup exists, although it would have to would have been monochrome by compari­ be remembered that the ultimate goal son, long may you peruse and pursue the should not only be an improved media Heather! profIle and the financial benefits there­ of, but also the survival of a unique, endangered ecosystem. We also need to encourage conserva­ tion study groups from schools, uni­ versities and the private sector to par­ ticipate in and to support any such initiatives. Let's all prove Uncle Bill wrong by not merely being actors, but rather playwrights, and in this way, togeth­ er, secure a functional, viable future for this glittering gem, this botanical time capsule known as the Kenilworth Racecourse! ~

September 2006 Veld&Flora 145