List of vegetation types of South Africa

Listing of the diverse vegetation types of South Africa that have been sampled, classified, described, and mapped by the SANBI VEGMAP project. Vegetation types of Lesotho and Eswatini are included in the project. The vegetation map is useful for biodiversity assessment, research, conservation management and environmental planning, and includes a database. The project is ongoing as more data becomes available over time. The first map was published in 2006, and has been updated in 2009. 2012 and 2018.^[1]

The classification system uses a hierarchy to organise the vegetation types within the nine defined biomes and a tenth azonal group. Bioregions are described within the biomes, and the vegetation types are at the more detailed level, and represent groups of communities with similar biotic and abiotic features. The vegetation types are plotted on the map in as much resolution as is available using a GIS system.^[1]

Mapping of the distribution and extent of natural vegetation of South Africa started in 1918 when the Botanical Survey of the Union of South Africa was established. Maps by Pole-Evans (1936), Acocks (1953), and Low and Rebelo (1996) preceded the current system, which is the combined effort of participants from various centres in the country.^[2]

Listed by biome:

Savanna[]

88 Savanna vegetation types, code SV:^[3]

(SVcb 11)
(SVkd 3)
(SVl 13)
(SVs 7)
(SVmp 3)
(SVcb 12)
(SVl 4)
(SVcb 1)
(SVcb 4)
(SVs 6)
(SVl 6)
(SVcb 10)
(SVk 7)
(SVcb 9)
(SVkd 1)
(SVkd 2)
(SVk 16)
(SVl 3)
(SVl 7)
(SVl 12)
(SVk 12)
(SVk 4)
(SVk 15)
(SVk 10)
(SVk 9)
(SVk 8)
(SVs 3)
(SVs 5)
(SVl 17)
(SVl 9)
(SVmp 2)
(SVcb 19)
(SVcb 13)
(SVcb 14)
(SVmp 6)
(SVcb 2)
(SVk 1)
(SVl 21)
(SVcb 20)
(SVl 1)
(SVl 11)
(SVcb 24)
(SVcb 6)
(SVk 11)
(SVcb 8)
(SVmp 4)
(SVmp 8)
(SVmp 1)
(SVs 4)
(SVcb 7)
(SVl 15)
(SVl 22)
(SVkd 4)
(SVl 2)
(SVcb 26)
(SVk 13)
(SVmp 7)
(SVcb 5)
(SVcb 23)
(SVk 14)
(SVcb 25)
(SVl 10)
(SVcb 18)
(SVk 6)
(SVk 3)
(SVcb 28)
(SVcb 27)
(SVs 8)
(SVl 16)
(SVcb 21)
(SVcb 15)
(SVk 2)
(SVl 14)
(SVl 18)
(SVs 2)
(SVs 1)
(SVmp 5)
(SVl 5)
(SVl 8)
(SVk 5)
(SVcb 22)
(SVcb 17)
(SVl 20)
(SVl 19)
(SVcb 16)
(SVcb 3)
(SVl 24)
(SVl 23)

Grassveld[]

73 Grassveld vegetation types, code G:^[3]

(Gh 2)
(Gd 2)
(Gd 1)
(Gm 13)
(Gm 17)
(Gm 5)
(Gs 18)
(Gh 4)
(Gh 5)
(Gh 8)
(Gh 15)
(Gh 6)
(Gd 10)
(Gs 10)
(Gd 6)
(Gs 12)
(Gm 3)
(Gm 4)
(Gm 12)
(Gm 10)
(Gm 6)
(Gs 7)
(Gs 2)
(Gm 16)
(Gh 1)
(Gh 13)
(Gs 6)
(Gm 20)
(Gd 8)
(Gs 3)
(Gm 18)
(Gm 21)
(Gs 13)
(Gs 9)
(Gs 8)
(Gs 14)
(Gd 5)
(Gm 24)
(Gm 22)
(Gm 23)
(Gm 7)
(Gs 4)
(Gs 5)
(Gs 1)
(Gm 15)
(Gs 16)
(Gm 11)
(Gm 19)
(Gm 2)
(Gd 4)
(Gs 11)
(Gm 28)
(Gm 8)
(GM 30)
(Gd 3)
(Gm 27)
(Gs 17)
(Gm 9)
(Gs 15)
(Gd 7)
(Gh 12)
(Gh 10)
(Gh 11)
(Gm 14)
(Gm 29)
(Gh 9)
(Gh 14)
(Gd 9)
(Gh 7)
(Gm 26)
(Gm 25)
(Gh 3)
(Gm 1)

Fynbos[]

81 Fynbos vegetation types, code FF:^[3]

(FFl 1)
(FFd 7)
(FFd 9)
(FFs 29)
Atlantis Sand Fynbos (FFd 4)
(FFs 1)
Boland Granite Fynbos (FFg 2)
(FFa 2)
(FFq 4)
(FFd 8)
(FFh 4)
(FFl 3)
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (FFd 5)
Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos (FFh 5)
(FFs 4)
(FFb 4)
(FFb 3)
(FFl 2)
(FFb 6)
(FFb 5)
(FFh 6)
(FFf 1)
(FFg 5)
(FFh 9)
(FFs 2)
(FFh 7)
(FFq 5)
Hangklip Sand Fynbos (FFd 6)
(FFs 10)
(FFd 3)
(FFg 1)
(FFt 1)
(FFd 10)
Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 11)
(FFa 1)
(FFh 1)
(FFs 28)
(FFs 27)
(FFd 2)
(FFt 2)
Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 4)
(FFq 3)
(FFh 2)
(FFh 8)
(FFd 1)
(FFs 7)
(FFs 25)
(FFs 15)
(FFs 18)
(FFs 21)
(FFs 13)?
(FFs 23)
(FFb 1)
(FFs 3)
(FFs 12)
Peninsula Granite Fynbos (FFg 3)
Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 9)
(FFs 6)
(FFf 2)
(FFs 17)
(FFg 4)
(FFs 8)
(FFs 26)
(FFs 16)
(FFs 19)
(FFs 22)
(FFs 14)
(FFs 24)
(FFd 11)
(FFq 1)
(FFq 6)
(FFh 10)
(FFs 31)
(FFh 3)
Swartland Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 3)
(FFq 2)
(FFc 1)
(FFs 20)
(FFs 30)
(FFb 2)
(FFs 5)

Renosterveld[]

29 Renosterveld vegetation types, code FR:^[3]

(FRs 18)
(FRa 1)
(FRs 8)
(FRs 5)
(FRs 12)
(FRs 4)
(FRs 13)
(FRd 2)
(FRs 19)
(FRl 1)
(FRs 17)
(FRs 6)
(FRs 7)
(FRs 14)
(FRg 1)
(FRs 2)
(FRd 1)
Peninsula Shale Renosterveld (FRs 10)
(FRg 3)
(FRs 3)
(FRc 2)
(FRs 15)
(FRa 2)
(FRg 2)
Swartland Shale Renosterveld (FRs 9)
(FRc 1)
(FRs 16)
(FRs 1)
(FRs 11)

Succulent Karoo[]

65 Succulent Karoo vegetation types, code SK:^[3]

(SKr 19)
(SKv 3)
(SKr 15)
(SKr 18)
(SKk 2)
(SKr 1)
(SKk 7)
(SKr 10)
(SKv 1)
(SKv 11)
(SKr 17)
(SKr 3)
(SKt 2)
(SKn 6)
(SKs 13)
(SKk 6)
(SKk 3)
(SKk 4)
(SKv 6)
(SKr 12)
(SKr 4)
(SKv 10)
(SKs 11)
(SKn 3)
(SKs 8)
(SKs 14)
(SKn 4)
(SKs 9)
(SKn 1)
(SKn 2)
(SKs 12)
(SKs 7)
(SKk 1)
(SKr 7)
(SKs 2)
(SKs 6)
(SKk 8)
(SKn 5)
(SKv 13)
(SKs 1)
(SKs 5)
(SKs 4)
(SKs 10)
Robertson Karoo (SKv 7)
(SKt 3)
(SKr 11)
(SKr 8)
(SKk 10)
(SKr 14)
(SKr 13)
(SKs 3)
(SKv 14)
(SKr 6)
(SKv 2)
(SKv 4)
Tanqua Karoo (SKv 5)
(SKr 9)
(SKr 16)
(SKr 2)
(SKk 5)
(SKr 5)
(SKt 1)
(SKv 9)
(SKv 8)
(SKv 12)

Albany Thickets and Strandveld[]

54 Albany thickets and Strandveld vegetation types, codes AT and FS:^[3]

(AT 15) – Also known as Albany Spekboomveld, and shown on the 2012 VEGMAP as AT8 Kowie Thicket. Albany Arid Thicket occurs in the Eastern Cape Province. The type location is a steep, arid, north facing slope north of Grahamstown. It is a low thicket vegetation type of about 2m height dominated by succulent shrubs and woody karroid shrubs with occasional trees and emergent succulent trees. The soils are mainly argillaceous (clay) of the and , at altitudes from 254 to 521m above sea level. Land type is Fb,^{[clarification needed]} mainly tillites. Rainfall is non-seasonal, typically from 475 to 521mm per year, with occasional frost higher up the slopes, and snow may fall in winter. Mean monthly maximum temperature is 27°C in February and mean monthly minimum 6°C in July. Albany Arid Thicket is the most species rich South African arid thicket type. Characteristic species include: Aloe ferox, Aloe speciosa (endemic), (endemic), , Crassula ovata(endemic), Digitaria eriantha, Encephalartos trispinosus (endemic), , (endemic), (endemic), Pappea capensis, Portulacaria afra, Ptaeroxylon obliquum, , Strelitzia reginae. There is no data on threat level and the vegetation type is poorly protected.^[4]
(AT 16) — A vegetation type from the Eastern Cape Province, on flat-topped hills between the southern end of the Ecca Pass and Table Hill, to the north and northeast of Grahamstown.^[4]
(AT 17)
(AT 18)
(AT 19)
(AT 20)
(FS 8)
(AT 21)
(AT 22)
Cape Flats Dune Strandveld (FS 6)
(AT 23)
(AT 24)
(AT 25)
(AT 26)
(AT 27)
(AT 28)
(AT 29)
(AT 30)
(AT 31)
(AT 32)
(AT 33)
(AT 34)
(AT 35)
(AT 36)
(AT 37)
(AT 38)
(AT 39)
(FS 9)
(AT 56)
(AT 40)
(AT 41)
(AT 42)
(FS 1)
(FS 5)
(AT 43)
(AT 44)
(AT 45)
(AT 46)
(FS 7)
(FS 3)
(FS 2)
(FS 4)
(AT 47)
(AT 48)
(AT 57)
(AZs 3)
(AT 49)
(AT 50)
(AT 51)
(AT 52)
(AT 53)
(AT 54)
(AT 55)
(AT 58)

Nama Karoo and desert[]

29 Nama Karoo and desert vegetation types, codes NK and D:^[3]

(NKl 4)
(NKb 2)
(NKb 3)
(NKb 6)
(NKb 4)
(NKl 2)
(NKu 4)
(NKl 1)
(NKb 5)
(NKb 1)
(NKl 3)
(NKu 3)
(NKu 2)
(NKu 1)
(Dn 1)
(Dg 9)
(Dg 10)
(Dg 6)
(Dg 5)
(Dg 4)
(Dn 2)
(Dg 1)
(Dg 7)
(Dg 2)
(Dg 3)
(Dg 8)
(Dn 5)
(Dn 4)
(Dn 3)

Azonal[]

35 Azonal vegetation types, code AZ:^[3]

(AZa 6)
(AZs 2)
(AZs 1)
(AZe 1)
(AZi 5)
(AZe 2)
(AZi 9)
(AZa 2)
Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetlands (AZf 1)
(AZd 3)
(AZf 2)
(AZf 4)
(AZf 3)
(AZa 1)
(AZa 5)
(AZi 10)
(AZf 5)
(AZa 3)
(AZi 8)
(AZi 1)
(AZi 2)
(AZd 2)
(AZd 1)
(AZi 3)
(AZi 4)
(AZi 6)
(Azm 2)
(AZa 7)
(AZs 3)
(AZe 3)
(AZf 6)
(AZi 11)
(AZd 4)
(AZi 7)
(AZa 4)

Forest and coastal belt[]

17 Forest and coastal belt vegetation types, codes FO and CB

(CB 3)
(CB 1)
(CB 2)
(CB 4)
(CB 5)
(FOz 9)
(FOa 1)
(FOa 3)
(FOz 2)
(FOz 7)
(FOz 4)
Sand Forest (FOz 8)
(FOz 5)
Southern Afrotemperate Forest (FOz 1)
(FOz 6)
(FOz 3)
(FOa 2)

Subantarctic[]

8 Subantarctic vegetation types, code ST:^[3]

(ST 2)
(ST 7)
(ST 1)
(ST 4)
(ST 6)
(ST 5)
(ST 3)
(PD 1)

References[]

^ ^a ^b "National Vegetation Map". www.sanbi.org. SANBI. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
^ "National Vegetation Map Project (VEGMAP) - Map versioning". bgis.sanbi.org. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ South African National Biodiversity Institute (2006- ). Mucina, L.; Rutherford, M.C.; Powrie, L.W. (eds.). "The Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland" (Version 2012. ed.).CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
^ ^a ^b Grobler, A.; Vlok, J.; Cowling, R.; van der Merwe, S.; Skowno, A.L.; Dayaram, A. (2018). National Vegetation Map Project (VEGMAP) 2018 Vegetation Map. Technical Report: Integration of the Subtropical Thicket Ecosystem Project (STEP) vegetation types into the VEGMAP national vegetation map 2018 (Report). SANBI.

[NatVegMap-1] "National Vegetation Map". www.sanbi.org. SANBI. Retrieved 18 November 2020.

[Map_versioning-2] "National Vegetation Map Project (VEGMAP) - Map versioning". bgis.sanbi.org. Retrieved 18 November 2020.

[Vegmap_2012-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ South African National Biodiversity Institute (2006- ). Mucina, L.; Rutherford, M.C.; Powrie, L.W. (eds.). "The Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland" (Version 2012. ed.).CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)

[Grobler_et_al_2018-4] Grobler, A.; Vlok, J.; Cowling, R.; van der Merwe, S.; Skowno, A.L.; Dayaram, A. (2018). National Vegetation Map Project (VEGMAP) 2018 Vegetation Map. Technical Report: Integration of the Subtropical Thicket Ecosystem Project (STEP) vegetation types into the VEGMAP national vegetation map 2018 (Report). SANBI.

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