the vegetation types and veld condition - Maremani Nature Reserve

Herbaceous species in this community cover 5% of the area, with Barleria affinis a prominent perennial
species.
1.1 Entandrophragma caudatum - Portulacaria afra mountain bushveld
(Mountain mahogany - Porkbush mountain bushveld)
This community occurs on gneiss and quartzitic mountains in the north of Maremani. The vegetation on
these high mountains of Palm Grove and Malalahoek e.g. Ga-Dowe, differ floristically from the other hills
and rocky outcrops on Maremani due to the presence of diagnostic species such as Mountain mahogany
(Entandrophragma caudatum), Porkbush (Portulacaria afra), Wild apricot (Ancylobotrys capensis) and
Aloe globuligemma. This community covers approximately 381 ha.
2. Androstachys johnsonii - Terminalia sericea sandstone hills
(Lebombo iron wood - Silver cluster-leaf sandstone hills)
This community occurs mainly on the rocky sandstone ridge in the south-eastern parts of Maremani and
covers approximately 491 ha (Figure 2). It forms the southern border of the farms Dawn, Frampton and
Skirbeek, and the northern border of Solitude. It occurs on shallow to deep red-brown loamy sand with a
rock cover varying from 50 to 100%.
Some of the diagnostic species are the Lebombo iron wood (Androstachys johnsonii), Silver cluster-leaf
(Terminalia sericea), Herringbone grass (Pogonarthria squarrosa), the grass Digitaria milanjiana and the
sedge Coleochloa pallidior (see species group 2, Table 6).
High trees (>6 m) have an average canopy cover of 1% and are characterised by Mountain false-thorn
(Albizia brevifolia), Propeller tree (Gyrocarpus americanus), Shepherd’s tree (Boscia albitrunca) and the
Lowveld milk berry (Manilkara mochisia).
Trees (>3 - 6 m) cover on average 13% of the area and the dominant species are the Lebombo iron wood
(Androstachys johnsonii), Silver cluster-leaf (Terminalia sericea), Small-leaved rock fig (Ficus tettensis)
and Paperbark corkwood (Commiphora marlothii).
Shrub species (