Plant checklist for Table Mountain National Park and surrounding areas

Abstract

Checklists play a fundamental role in biodiversity conservation by facilitating species monitoring, conservation planning and biogeographical assessments. The Cape Peninsula, South Africa, has a unique combination of nutrient-poor soils in a winter rainfall region, characterised by mountainous and coastal areas, all of which contribute to high levels of plant endemism. The Table Mountain National Park is a core conservation area within this global biodiversity hotspot, encompassing approximately 250 km² of diverse vegetation types, ranging from Sandstone, Granite, Shale and Sand Fynbos, to Afrotemperate Forest, Renosterveld and Strandveld and covers roughly 50% of the Cape Peninsula. Historical land use and urbanisation have also introduced a wide diversity of non-native species. This study presents an updated checklist of the flora of the park and surrounding peninsula, incorporating recent taxonomic revisions and newly recorded species. The checklist was compiled using data from herbarium records, conservation agency databases, citizen science platforms and historical surveys. Nomenclature follows the South African National Plant Checklist as of March 2024. The resulting dataset comprises 2785 plant taxa, excluding cultivated and urban parkland species. Asteraceae (300 taxa), Fabaceae (210) and Poaceae (173) emerged as the richest families, with Erica (118 species) as the most speciose genus. A total of 437 non-native naturalised plant taxa were recorded, with Fabaceae, Poaceae and Myrtaceae among the most diverse families. Additionally, 261 species are currently classified as threatened, including 38 Critically Endangered taxa. The Table Mountain National Park flora stands out as being among the most diverse within the South African National Parks network.
Conservation implications: This updated checklist serves as a critical resource for conservation efforts, providing a baseline for future ecological research, climate change impact assessments, restoration initiatives and monitoring programmes. The data contribute to understanding species vulnerability and informing strategies for preserving the unique plant diversity of the Cape Peninsula.