ABSTRACT
Introduction Fynbos is a unique type of vegetation which is dominant in the Cape Floral Region (CFR) in the south western Cape, at the southern tip of Africa. The CFR covers an area of 90,000 km2, which is less than 4% of the area of South Africa, yet it contains 8,600 plant species and is by far the richest temperate flora in the world. (Compare the CFR with the 2,500 species occuring in the United Kingdom, which is three times the area.) Over two-thirds of the Cape plant species and seven of the plant Families are endemics. Fynbos, which is a community of small shrubs, evergreen and herbaceous plants and bulbs (267-269), is exceptionally rich in species and contributes most of the species to the flora of the CFR. It is well-known as the home of the South African Proteas (sugarbushes, pincushions and conebushes) and Ericas (Cape heaths). It is also typified by the Restionaceae (Cape reeds or Cape grasses, which are evergreen rush-like plants) and Bruniaceae (muchbranched, fine-leaved, heath-like shrubs with characteristic flowering heads) plus the Cape spring
and winter flowering bulbs (Brown et al., 1995). Many of the species from these fynbos Families are
well-known ornamentals grown in parks and gardens around the world (269) or are of importance as floricultural crops. It is of concern that at least 1,491 of the 8,600 CFR species are also Red Data List species and in need of conservation (Hilton-Taylor, 1996). Propagation of fynbos plants from seed is difficult, as seeds of many species are dormant when they are shed and they then require very specific environmental messages or cues before they will germinate (Brown, 1993a).
