Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetlands

• Description

  Distribution: W Cape; altitude from 0-400m. 14.7% of this vegetation type occurs within and 85.3% outside the City. However transformation rates are higher inside City borders (55%) than nationally (22%).
  Vegetation & Landscape Features: Flats & depressions with extensive tall reeds of Phragmites australis & Typha capensis, temporarily or permanently flooded restiolands, sedgelands & rush-beds as well as macrophytic vegetation embedded in permanent water bodies. Important species include Senecio halimifolius, Paspalum vaginatum, Pennisetum macrourum, Triglochin bulbosa, Bolboschoenus maritimus and Juncus krausii.
  Geology, Soils & Hydrology: Substrate built of fine sandy, silty or clayey soils over young Quaternary sediments, largely derived from weathering Cape Supergroup shales & granites & Table Mountain sandstones. In places, especially on shales, these wetlands can acquire a brackish character.
  Endemic Taxa: Low shrubs: Passerina paludosa; water bodies: aquatic herbs: Aponogeton angustifolius, A. distachyos, Cotula myriophylloides
  Conservation: Critically Endangered; Target 24%, some 14% conserved in Cape Peninsula & Agulhas National Parks, Rondevlei, Zandvlei etc.

• Status

  Historical cover 14 km2
  Percentage in Cape Town 15.0%
  Current area in Cape Town 6.0 km2
  Conserved/managed in Cape Town 5 km2
  National Ecosystem Status CR: Critically Endangered