South African Journal of Botany 2002, 68: 475–496 Copyright © NISC Pty Ltd Printed in South Africa — All rights reserved SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY ISSN 0254–6299 Vegetation ecology of Sekhukhuneland, South Africa: Combretum hereroense–Grewia vernicosa Open Mountain Bushveld SJ Siebert1,2*, AE van Wyk1 and GJ Bredenkamp1 1 Department of Botany, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa 2 Present address: SABONET, c/o National Botanical Institute, Private Bag X101, Pretoria 0001, South Africa * Corresponding author, e-mail:
[email protected] Received 18 September 2001, accepted in revised form 30 August 2002 A hierarchical classification, description, and ecological sub-associations. Many new syntaxa are described and and floristic interpretations are presented on one of the ecologically interpreted. For each of the plant commu- six major vegetation types of the Sekhukhuneland nities the species richness, endemism and conserva- Centre of Plant Endemism, namely the Combretum tion status were determined. A selected set of environ- hereroense–Grewia vernicosa Open Mountain mental factors is provided to aid with the delimitation of Bushveld. Relevés were compiled in 91 stratified ran- plant communities. The floristic information, proposed dom plots. A TWINSPAN classification, refined by classification, general description and vegetation key Braun-Blanquet procedures, revealed 20 plant commu- can be used for future identification of conservation nities, which are divided into six associations and 19 areas, land-use planning and further research. Introduction Although phytosociological studies have been conducted on Siebert et al. (2002) recorded six major vegetation types the savannas of ultramafic substrates in southern Africa for the SCPE during a comprehensive vegetation and floris- (Werger et al.