Kinkelbossie / Coral garden stepping stone - Goewerneur Park

Description

The Kinkelbossie/ Coral Garden stepping stone is part of WCID's Renosterveld Rehabilitation Project, which seeks to create green corridors, linking fragmented Swartland Shale Renosterveld ("SSR") habitat in the Tygerberg Nature Reserve with other fragments in Critical Biodiversity Areas along the urban perimeter and remnants on nearby farms.

Renosterveld remnants in Goewerneur Park are protected from mowing during the flowering season and our stepping stone garden seeks to improve biodiversity by reintroducing plants which would have occurred here naturally. To this end, we propagate plants from seeds and cuttings collected from SSR remnants on nearby farms (up to a radius of 15km), local parks and seed donations from the Tygerberg Nature Reserve (TNR).

The Kinkelbossie/ Coral Garden stepping stone is our first stepping stone, with WCID aiming to add at least 3-4 stepping stone gardens each year. Gardens are planted and maintained by local volunteers, with the kind assistance and input from experts such as Rupert Koopman (botanist) and Tshepo Mamabolo (manager, TNR).

It is WCID's hope that we can increase knowledge and awareness of SSR, as well as build up a knowledge base which could be shared with other residential areas who have SSR habitats.

Our species list (as at January 2023) is set out below. Every winter, we will add further species to the garden, as it matures).
AIZOACEAE:
- Acrodon subulatus (endangered)
- Drosanthemum hispidum
- Drosanthemum hispifolium (vulnerable)
- Erepsia anceps
- Lampranthus debilis (endangered)
- Lampranthus sociorum (endangered)
- Tetragonia fruticosa
- Tetragonia saligna
ASTERACEAE:
- Athanasia capitata (endangered)
- Athanasia trifurcata
- Helichrysum teretifolium
- Metalasia densa
FABACEAE:
- Psoralea decumbens
GENTIANACEAE
- Chironia baccifera
GERANIACEAE:
- Pelargonium capitata
- Pelargonium myrrhifolium
- Pelargonium triste
IRIDACEAE:
- Moraea miniata
- Moraea vegeta
- Romulea rosea
- Sparaxis grandiflora subs. fimbriata (near threatened)
LAMIACEAE:
- Salvia africana
- Salvia africana- lutea
- Stachys aethiopica
LOBELIACEAE:
- Lobelia erinus
MALVACEAE:
- Hermannia alnifolia
- Hermannia multiflora
ORCHIDACEAE
- Holothrix villosa
POACEAE:
- Cymbopogon marginatus
SCROPHULARIACEAE:
- Selago corymbosa
TECOPHILAEACEAE:
- Cyanella hyacinthoides
THYMELAEACEAE:
- Gnidia laxa