Fynbos · Samscapes Photography

Blue Aristea|Aristea oligophala
This member of the Iris family is endemic to the Western Cape

aspalathus microphylla — Aspalathus microphylla|Aspalathus microphylla
A member of the pea family endemic to the Western Cape

Broad-leaf Featherbush|Aulax umbellata
Often seen as pioneers after a fire this Aulax has male and female plants. This is of course the female.

Wild Thistle|Berkheya barbata
Unmistakable whether flowering of not, these spiky thistles can survive with very little water

Silver Brunia|Brunia laevis
Another species native to the Western Cape this Brunia is very popular in the cut-flower market and in gardens. It's rootstock is fire resistant

Skunkbush|Chaenostoma hispidum
Another insignificant looking plant with interesting features. The flowers are sweetly scented but the leaves give off an unpleasant odour when crushed

Concertina Plant|Crassula rupestris subsp. rupestris
This plant is widespread and adapted to the dry regions of the Karoo. Hard to kill it is a popular garden plant

Erica latituba|Erica latituba
Not sure why but there is almost no information on this Erica. How strange

Green Heath|Erica sessiliflora
One of the most distinctive of the Erica's with its profusion of green flowers

protea compacta — Botriver Protea|Protea compacta
This hugely popular garden and cut-flower protea is near threatened in the wild

Leucospermum prostratum|Leucospermum prostratum
These tiny pincushion proteas grow low on the ground and are considered vulnerable

Heart-leaved Sugarbush|Protea cordata
This near threatened Protea is unique in that it grows at ground level spreading vine-like and is pollinated by rodents

Witch Moederkappie|Disperis capensis var. capensis
This delicate orchids flower mimics a Polygala flower, and tricks carpenter bees into pollinating it. The flower produces no nectar.

Long Stalked Spiderhead|Serruria elongata
This near threatened species is one of many endemic to the Western Cape Province. The way the flower-head develops makes it hard to photograph this plants flowers.

Hermanus pincushion|Leucospermum gracile
First described from a specimen collected in Hermanus, this pincushion, endemic to the Western Cape, has a very limited range and is near threatened.

Swamp Daisy|Osmitopsis asteriscoides
As the name suggests, this Osmitopsis likes to grow where there is moisture in the kloofs and wetlands. It grows up to 2m high.

Woody Sundew|Drosera glabripes
There are various species of carnivorous Drosera in the fynbos. They are easy to overlook as they are small and grow low on the ground.

King Protea|Protea cynaroides
South Africa's national flower and the largest of the Protea. Very popular as garden plants and many variants exist.

Christmas Candles|Saltera sarcocolla
A common sight on the mountains, the bright pink flower-heads are hard to miss through Spring and Summer.

Cape Edelweiss|Lanaria lanata
Often the first to flower after fires Lenaria lanata flowers are very wooly

White Bristle Bush |Metalasia muricata
This hardy Metalasia is widely distributed in Southern Africa and often seen growing at the roadside

Hair-like Blister Bush|Nanobubon capillaceum var. rigidum
A widespread and common species native to South Africa

Cape Bellflower |Roella incurva var. incurva
There are many subspecies of this plant that grows close to the ground

Gold-and-Silver Everlasting|Syncarpha gnapphaloides
Everlastings are very popular with the cut-flower market for the fact that, fresh or dried, they last well, forever

Shade Daisy|Thaminophyllum latifolium
If you see a the lovely Shade Daisy you are lucky as they are considered rare

6 Million years ago a visitor to South Africa would would not have seen the seen the fynbos as we do today. The landscape was covered in palm forest and other non-flowering seed-bearing plants with any fynbos that we would recognise today, competing in the undergrowth and at the fringes.

The fynbos biome comprises up to 80% of the the plants of the Cape Floristic Region, making it one of the richest regions on earth in terms of plant diversity. This has led to “fynbos” often being used interchangeably with “Cape Floral Kingdom”. Not accurate, as all fynbos are part of the Cape Floristic Region, but not all the species in the region occur exclusively in the fynbos.

Despite the dominance of the fynbos it is largely confined to the mountains and coastal sands of the Western Cape Province. Three plant families characterize the fynbos; Proteas (Proteaceae), Heaths (Ericaceae – the biggest by number of species) and Cape Reeds (Restionaceae). In addition there are seven endemic or near-endemic fynbos families; Blacktips (Bruniaceae), Guyalone (Geissolomaceae), Sillyberry (Grubbiaceae), Brickleaf (Penaeaceae), Buttbush (Retziaceae), Dewstick (Roridulaceae) and Candlestick (Stilbaceae).