The plant communities of the Bergfontein , Rooiwaterspruit and Phesantefontein areas

The fynbos shrubland communities of the southeastern Langeberg. Cape Province were analysed after sampling 97 quadrats in the Bergfontein, Rooiwaterspruit (Garcia's Forest Reserve) and Phesantefontein areas. Data were initially analysed using TWINSPAN and the resulting classification refined using Braun-Blanquet (BB) procedures. One Afromontane forest commu­ nity and 16 fynbos communities are recognized and described. A hierarchical classification of the fynbos communities is

straddling the Langeberg at intervals between Swellendam and the Gouritz River.Each transect is treated separately (McDonald 1993a & b) but whereas the Marloth Nature Reserve (MNR) and Boosmansbos Wilderness Area (BWA) transects were more or less continuous from south to north, the third transect is a composite of samples from the Bergfontein area and the Rooiwaterspruit-Phesantefontein area (BRP) (Figure 1).This presented certain problems with respect to data analysis and interpretation which are discussed below.
STUDY AREA

Location
Numerous extensive wildfires have occurred on the Langeberg between Garcia's Pass and the Gouritz River in the past ten years (C.Martens pers.comm.).The fynbos vegetation on this part of the Langeberg is therefore al most all in a juvenile phase (<10 years) (Kruger 1979).Little choice was left in finding mature fynbos along a continuous transect for sampling vegetation on the third transect over the southern Langeberg.A transect which satisfied most logistic and sampling criteria was selected in the Bergfontein area, 33° 58' S, 21° 33' E. This area lies northeast of Riversdale, approximately midway be tween Garcia's Pass and the Gouritz River and is in the most easterly zone of the Langeberg.One negative feature was that the vegetation at Bergfontein was seven years old.However, despite the structural immaturity of the fynbos communities, the vegetation was in the 'maturing' successional phase (Kruger 1979) with the non-ephemeral species well established.It was therefore accepted that the floristic composition would reflect the 'mature' phase ad equately and sampling could proceed.
The boundaries of the study area at Bergfontein fol lowed the boundary between State Forest land and private agricultural land.The northern extreme of the designated transect extended onto private land where the vegetation was not disturbed by agriculture.
The Bergfontein transect followed the bridle path (Muir 1929) and sampling was largely confined to southl and southwest-facing slopes east of Witelsrivier.Four sample plots were located west of Witelsrivier opposite the western end of Koksposberg to accommodate the Erica hispidula-Protea nitida Shrublands not found in the remainder of the study area.
Shortly after 74 releves had been recorded on the southern slopes of the Bergfontein transect, a wildfire de stroyed all the vegetation on the transect.Therefore alter native sites with vegetation and habitat as similar as possible to the vegetation on the northern slopes and highaltitude south-facing slopes had to be found.Since no suit able sites were available east of Garcia's Pass, alternative sites were chosen west of Garcia's Pass above Rooiwaterspruit (high-altitude south-facing slopes) and above Phesantefontein (north-facing slopes) 33° 57' S, 21° 9' E.
At Rooiwaterspruit, which falls within the Garcia's Forest Reserve, four releves (301)(302)(303)(304) were recorded in vegetation on the Cedarberg Formation shaleband east of Stinkhoutbos.One plot (297) was located on the western side of the w atershed betw een the headw aters of Rooiwaterspruit and Korinte River and three plots (298-300) were located on the steep, high-altitude south-facing slopes of the unnamed peak immediately west of Sleeping Beauty (near trigonometric beacon 48).This latter peak is referred to as Korinteberg.

Bergfontein
The south slopes of the Langeberg above Bergfontein are not as steep as the south slopes of the range further west.At the forefront of the mountain is Koksposberg, a prominent, isolated, low ridge-like hill or 'koppie\ This hill and others similar to it, to the west and east, ranging in altitude from 457-727 m and situated between the Kaffirkuils and Gouritz Rivers, are the remnants of the Peninsula Formation sandstone which is much more prominent further west.South of Koksposberg is a silcrete-capped mesa which supports fynbos.This area was excluded from the study since it fell outside the south ern boundary of the transect and has been disturbed by agricultural practices.Immediately north of Kojcsposberg is the Cedarberg Formation shaleband which separates the Peninsula Formation sandstone from the Nardouw Sub group sandstone.There is no deeply incised intermontane valley following the shaleband as there is in other parts of the Langeberg e.g. in BWA (McDonald 1993a).North of the shaleband is another 'koppie', of higher altitude than Koksposberg consisting of Nardouw Subgroup sand stone.Further north is Witelsberg which is a massive block of Nardouw Subgroup sandstone with steep south and north sides but with an expansive 'flat* top with shallow gradient from the west to the peak at 1 166 m at the eastern end.
Below the steep north slopes of Witelsberg is a plateau extending from west of Witelsberg to Waboomsrivier.North of the plateau is a dissected sandstone ridge which gives way to arid sandstone slopes.They in turn make contact with the Bokkeveld Group shales of the Little Karoo.

Rooiwaterspruit and Phesantefontein
In the Garcia's Forest Reserve west of Garcia's Pass, the Peninsula Formation sandstone forms massive peaks on the southern side of the mountain range.Sleeping Beauty (1 343 m) is the most prominent peak with Korinteberg (1 330 m) to the west and lower peaks further westwards towards Gysmanshoek.Behind the peaks lie two incised valleys where streams have eroded the shales of the Cedarberg Formation.North of the shaleband lies the Nardouw Subgroup sandstone with Aasvoelkrans west of Stinkhoutbos reaching 1 341 m and another prominent peak east of Stinkhoutbos with a height of 1 330 m, re ferred to here as Phesanteberg.
Below the southern slopes of the mountain the Penin sula Formation sandstones make contact with silcretecapped plateau-like mesas which in turn are dissected by numerous watercourses.The high northern slopes of Nar douw Subgroup sandstone grade at a moderate angle to the undulating foothills at Phesantefontein.The foothills consist of sandstone overburden and the remains of a once extensive silcrete-capped landscape.Remnant mesas are encountered extending well into the Little Karoo (Figure 2).

Soils
The soils of the Bergfontein and Rooiwaterspruit-Phesantefontein areas of the Langeberg are the same as those of the MNR and BWA (McDonald 1993a & b) at the level of 'form' (SCWG 1991).The climate of the three areas is similar (see below) as is the geology.Topograph ical variation and changes in parent material therefore ac count for most differences between the soils encountered on the BRP 'transect' and those of BWA and MNR.A description of the soil forms found on the southern Langeberg is given in McDonald (1993a); a summary of soil forms found on the BRP 'transect' follows: Champagne Form soils are found at sites where there is a a deep (>200 mm) accumulation of organic material.On the BRP transect such sites are found mainly at high altitude on cool, moist south-facing slopes e.g. on Ko-rintebei^.These soils also occur at lower elevations often in depressions where plant remains collect.
The catena of 'non-organic* soils derived from sand stone parent material in the study area include Houwhoek, Cartref, Glenrosa and Mispah Forms.Houwhoek and Car tref Form soils are closely related.The characteristics they share are an orthic A-horizon and presence of an E-horizon.They differ in that Houwhoek Form has a podzolised B-horizon overlying saprolite.whereas Cartref Form has a lithocutanic B-horizon.Glenrosa Form is similar to Car tref but lacks the eluviated E-horizon of the former.Mispah Form in turn is similar to Glenrosa Form, but here the orthic A-horizon overlies hard rock as opposed to the lithocutanic B-horizon of Glenrosa Form.Clovelly Form soils which have an orthic A-horizon over a yellow-brown apedal B-horizon are found in two situations derived from different parent materials: 1, on the Cedarberg Formation shale both at Bergfontein and at Rooiwaterspruit, behind Korinteberg; and 2, where there is accumulation of sand derived from Nardouw Subgroup sandstones, on dry north-facing slopes where leaching is limited.
Oakleaf Form soils which have limited extent in BWA (McDonald 1993a) but which were not identified in MNR occur on the lower south slopes at Bergfontein.below Koksposberg and on the west side of Witelsrivier.These soils which result from mixing of shale and sandstone have an orthic A-horizon and a reddish brown neocutanic B-horizon.

Climate
Characteristics of the climate of the BPR 'transect* are similar to those described by McDonald (1993a & b) for BWA and MNR.The southern Langeberg falls within a uniform bioclimatic zone, transitional between the winter rainfall region in the west and the year-round rainfall re gion in the east.The major climatic events which affect the weather of the southern Cape coast and the coastal mountains are the passage of cold fronts advancing from west to east, coastal lows and cutoff lows (Fuggle 1981;Van Heerden & Hurry 1987).A Walter-Lieth climate di agram for Riversdale (Figure 3A) gives an approximation of the climate of the lower south slopes of the Langeberg in the Riversdale-Gouritz River District.

Winds
The direction of surface winds affecting the southern Langeberg is dependent on season with summer winds blowing mainly onshore and winter winds mainly off shore.Calm periods occur approximately one-third of the time in both summer and winter (Schulze 1965).
Extreme fire-hazard conditions prevail when hot. dry berg winds occur in the southern Cape, mainly in winter (Van Wilgen 1984).They arise from air subsiding in re sponse to pressure gradients between an established anti cyclone and an advancing depression (Fuggle 1981).The fire which swept through the Bergfontein area in May 1991 occurred in such conditions.

Precipitation
Precipitation on the Langeberg is from rain, mist and snow.Snowfalls occur once or twice each winter mainly on the high peaks and ridges and do not persist.Mist is a year-round phenomenon, usually occurring at elevations from 1 (XX) m upwards.Rainfall occurs throughout the year with peaks in autumn (April) and spring (October).It may occur from unstable prefrontal conditions but is most often associated with postfrontal events.Eastwardmoving cold fronts are usually followed bv a *ridging-in' by the South Atlantic anticyclone behind the fronts.Air movement over the warm Agulhas Current results in on shore advection of cool moist air (Cowling 1984 The high peaks in the MNR at Swellendam and in BWA receive an estimated 1 2(X)-1 4(X) mm rainfall per annum.Proceeding eastwards, Kanetberg receives 5(X)-6(X) mm.Aasvoelkrans 6(X)-7(X) mm, Korinteberg 7(X)-800 mm and Sleeping Beauty 8(X)-9(X) mm rainfall p.a. East of Garcia's Pass the peaks receive from 8(X)-9(X) mm rainfall but the Bergfontein area (including Witelsberg south slopes) is much drier, receiving 600-7(X) mm rain fall p.a. (Dent et al. 1987).This gradient is opposite to that reflected in the mean annual rainfall for Heidelberg (378 mm) and Riversdale (426 mm) (Rebelo et al. 1991).The difference is attributed to the effect of orographic rainfall on the Langeberg; the more westerly higher alti tude peaks receive more rainfall than the somewhat lower eastern part of the Langeberg close to the Gouritz River.
The north slopes of Witelsberg are in a rain shadow' and are consequently much drier than the southern slopes.The mean annual precipitation for a seven-year period (1984)(1985)(1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990) at Waboomsrivier at the northern base of Witelsberg was 496 mm (PE.Wadman pers.comm.);sea sonal distribution of the rainfall is as shown in Figure 3B.Rooiwaterspruit and Korinteberg receive a mean annual precipitation of 7(X)-8(X) mm.whereas the upper north slopes above Phesantefontein (east of Aasvoelkrans) re ceive 5(X)-6(X) mm and the lower north slopes 300-500 mm depending on locality (Dent et al. 1987).

Temperature
No temperature data are available for the study area; a situation commonplace in the Cape mountains where there are few weather stations (Bond 1981;Fuggle & Ash ton 1979;Fuggle 1981).Extrapolation of temperature data from 'lowland' weather stations to montane situations has been done (Van Wilgen 1984) but this does not reflect the true montane temperature regime in most cases.The clos est temperature recording station to the study area is at Riversdale.Temperatures recorded here may approximate those experienced on the lower south slopes of the Langeberg.Therefore, if the environmental lapse rate of 0.6°C/1(X) m (Cowling 1984) is used to predict montane temperatures, the high altitude south-facing slopes of Witelsberg at 1 150 m are predicted to have temperatures 6.26°C lower than Riversdale at 106 m.

Solar radiation
Incoming radiation may be measured directly (Morris 1981), which is cumbersome in mountainous terrain, or derived from sunshine duration.No data are published for sunshine duration on the Langeberg.Bond (1981) used Swift's (1976) algorithm to calculate potential radiation for a range of slopes and aspects for the 33° 30' S latitude which is roughly equivalent to the latitude for the southern Langeberg.Bond (1981) found that potential radiation on the Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountains is relatively sim ilar on all aspects and slopes in summer, with marked differences between north and south aspects, particularly on steep slopes, in winter.This holds for the Langeberg as well.METHODS Ninety-seven 5 x 10 m quadrats (McDonald 1983, 1988, 1993a& b: Campbell 1985: Boucher 1987) were sampled on a "composite transect' over the Langeberg in the Bergfontein, Rooiwaterspruit and Phesantefontein areas.No stratification of the study area was undertaken since no suitable aerial photography was available.Plots were therefore subjectively placed at sites representative of major landscape features and vegetation communities.
Floristic, structural and environmental data were col lected from each sample plot.Permanently recognizable species were recorded using the Braun-Blanquet coverabundance scale (Mueller-Dombois & Ellenberg 1974;Werger 1974;Westhofif & Van der Maarel 1973).The mid point of the BB values given as percentage cover is as follows: 5 = 87.5%; 4 = 62.5%; 3 = 37.5%; 2 = 15.0%; 1 = 2.5%; + = 0.1% : R = value ignored.Ephemeral geophytes and annuals were noted in each releve but were not used in analyses and descriptions of communities.A border zone of 1.5 m from the perimeter of each plot was searched for any species not found in the marked plot.Species occurring outside the plot are represented by O' in the phytosociological tables.Vegetation structure was measured by estimating the projected canopy cover and height of the respective strata.Env ironmental v ariables re corded include altitude, aspect, slope, geology, soil form, drainage and estimated soil depth.Mean annual rainfall was estimated from isohyet maps prepared by IX'nt et al. (1987).
Samples were taken only in fynbos shrubland commu nities.Stinkhoutbos in the Rtx>iwaterspruit area is a welldeveloped stand of Afromontane Forest but was not formally sampled (see below).
Two-way Indicator Species Analysis-TWINSPAN (Hill 1979a) was used to obtain an initial tabular clas sification of the data.This was followed by successive refinement of the phytosociological tables following the Braun-Blanquet method (Mueller-Dombois & Ellenberg 1974: Werger 1974) using the PCTables programs (Bou cher pers.comm.).Detrended Correspondence Analysis- DECORANA Hill 1979b) was used to assess the re lationship of the Erica versicolor-Agathosm a ovata Shrublands to the other shrublands in the Bergfontein area (see below).
The plant communities are described in the order of the proposed hierarchical classification (see above).No syntaxonomic rank is assigned to any given community.Structural description follows the a priori system of Campbell et al. (1981).
The 'relationships' between communities described in this study and those described in other, previous studies of Mountain Fynbos were determined on the basis of flor istic (mainly) and structural similarity.The similarities were determined from published descriptions and phyto sociological tables.No rigid system was applied and the relationships serve merely as a guide for future synthesis of fynbos communities.

VEGETATION
The primary objective of a study such as this is to characterize the plant communities of a given area so that they may be repeatedly identified w here they occur in the landscape.The early descriptions of the vegetation of the southeastern Langeberg by Muir (1929) in his treatment of the vegetation of the Riversdale area are highly infor mative but.apart from a broad classification, do not pro vide clear delineations of the fynbos communities.The fynbos vegetation sampled on the com posite BPR 'transect' is classified into 16 communities: 10 at Berg fontein.two at Rooiwaterspruit and the remaining four at Phesantefontein.One Afromontane Forest community is recognized.The classification of the plant communities of the BPR transect is not complete since the scale of the study dictated that not all communities could be exhaus tively sampled in the limited study area.Emphasis is on the sclerophyllous fynbos plant communities, since com munities of this type make up the major pan of the vege tation in the study area.Afromontane Forest communities are extremely limited in extent.
The vegetation of the south slopes of the Bergfontein area is mainly wet to mesic proteoid fynbos with a few isolated patches of trees in protected places.These trees such as Cunonia capensis are representative elements of Afromontane Forest.A well-developed stand of this forest type is located on an east-facing cliff of Perdeberg oppo site Witelsberg.This forest is difficult to reach and fell outside the study area so it was not sampled.On the north ern extreme of the Bergfontein transect, i.e. on the lower north slopes of W itelsberg.dry proteoid fynbos is encoun tered.
At Rooiwaterspruit. the south slopes also support wet proteoid and ericaceous fynbos with one well-developed patch of Afromontane Forest, Stinkhoutbos.in a moist kloof or ravine.The north-facing slopes above Phe santefontein have mesic proteoid to dry asteraceous fynbos communities.
During preparation of the phytosociological tables it was initially doubted whether releves taken in mature or senescent vegetation (sensu Kruger 1979) would be sat isfactorily accommodated, for reasons such as lack of dif ferential species and overriding dominance of tall shrubs.It was interesting to note, however, that these releves were appropriately placed in the tables and that they gave in sights into the nature of the respective communities when they reach the mature and senescent phases (see 1.3.1 and 1.3.2.1 below).

Afromontane Forest
The description of Afromontane Forest is confined to the community found at Stinkhoutbos (Figure 4).No sam ples were taken in this forest which covers approximately 2 ha.A list of species confirms that it may be classified as the Cunonia capensis-Platylophus trifoliatus Sub association (McKenzie 1978), also found in BWA (Mc Donald 1993a).As the colloquial name of the forest stand suggests, the stinkwood Ocotea bullata is common and co-dominant with Cunonia capensis and Platylophus tri foliatus in the canopy.Virgilia oroboides forms large trees mainly on the forest margins.Plectranthus fruticosus is the dominant understorey shrub.

Fynbos 1. Erica hispidula Shrublands
The role of Erica hispidula in linking the fynbos com munities of the mesic to wet slopes of the southwestern and southern Cape mountains has been indicated by Mc Donald (1993a & b) Owing to the fire in the Bergfontein area during this survey, sampling of the vegetation of the high altitude south-facing slopes of Witelsberg was not possible.As a substitute, four samples (297-300) were taken on similar slopes on Korinteberg.The community represented is equivalent to that found on Witelsberg prior to the fire (D.J. McDonald pers.obs.).
Moist air moving onshore from the southern Cape coast, together with mist and stratus cloud result in high orographic precipitation on the high altitude (above 1 000 m) south-facing slopes.The high precipitation, low tem perature and reduced insolation result in low rates of or ganic matter decay and consequent accumulation of deep layers of peat-like material.This deep acid peat (pH 3.0 in 1 mol/1 CaCl2) with underlying Peninsula Formation sandstone, or Champagne Form soil, supports the Erica hispidula-Brunia alopecuroides Shrublands which are typical of these habitats (McDonald 1993a & b).

R+ + Grass fine leaves bulbous base
.2 1 1 0 1 .+ . .R + .++++ the Langeberg mountain range.A small population of the rare Langeberg endemic species Empleurum fragrans (Rutaceae) was also located close to plot 298 but not in the Erica hispidula-Brunia alopecuroides Shrubland: this represents a range extension of some 30 km east of its previously recorded range (Williams 1984).Leucadendron radiatum (Proteaceae), also a Langeberg endemic, is found on rocky promontories amongst the more uniform Erica hispidula-Brunia alopecuroides Shrubland.

Erica hispidula-Restio inconspicuus Shrublands
This community, similar to the shrublands of the same name in BWA, comprises most of the shrublands where Restio inconspicuus is present.R. inconspicuus is not found in the Erica hispidula-Brunia alopecuroides Shrub lands and is sparingly present in the Tetraria bromoides-Berzelia galpinii Shrublands (Table 2).The Erica his pidula-Restio inconspicuus Shrublands described here were sampled on the southern mid-to lower slopes of the Bergfontein area and are characterized by presence of Agapanthus africanus, Berzelia galpinii, Nevillea sp.nov.(Restionaceae) (newly discovered in the Bergfontein area) amongst other species (Table 2).Chondropetalum mucronatum is widely distributed from the eastern Langeberg to Bainskloof and the Cape Peninsula in marshy places (Linder 1985).In the Cape Hangklip area Boucher (1978) records it as occurring on mountain slopes at sites with impeded drainage irrespec tive of aspect or altitude.This is similarly true on the Langeberg, however, at BWA and MNR (McDonald 1993a & b), stands of C. mucronatum are scattered and simply form part of the vegetation mosaic on south-facing wet slopes.At B ergfontein the distribution of C. mucronatum is not so scattered and the species differen tiates a distinct community on localized seepages with a 'peaty coarse sand' substratum as it does in the Cape Hangklip mountains (Boucher 1978).Chironia jasminoides is also characteristic of marshy places from the southwestern Cape to the Riversdale District (Bond & Goldblatt 1984) and at Bergfontein, is almost at the eastern limit of its range.
This community has an upper stratum dominated by Chondropetalum mucronatum (up to 1.5 m) w h ich emerges above a low closed stratum (<0.5 m) where grasses, restios and ericas are present in more or less equal proportions.Blaeria coccinea (Ericaceae)  nity (McKenzie et al. 1977); Subcommunity C of the Penaea-Erica Fynbos Community (Glyphis et al. 1978); Low Ericoid Open Heath or Open graminoid-heath (Kruger 1979); Erica viridescens-Hypodiscus aristatus Commu nity (Bond 1981); Nuweberg Mesic Ericaceous Fynbos (Campbell 1985); Hypodiscus aristatus-Berzelia interme dia Shrublands (McDonald 1993a).This community (Figure 7) is found on east-to southwest-facing rocky sites where surface rock was estimated at 32% on average.Slope inclination ranges from 17°-37° and the sandy Mispah Form soils (lithosols) are well drained.In general this shrubland has a single low stratum (<1 m) with Psoralea pinnata occasionally emergent to 2 m.This shrubland community is poorly differentiated.It has only three character species, Othonna quinquedentata, Selago serrata and Syncarpha vestita which are poorly represented.It lacks the moisture-loving species common to communities 1.1 and 1.2.1 but has a strong graminoid component, a characteristic which it shares with the Restio inconspicuus-Chondropetalum mucronatum Shrubland.Apart from the dominant species, Calopsis membranacea and Hypodiscus aristatus (Restionaceae) are well repre sented, whereas Berzelia galpinii is not prominent.The low cover-abundance of Berzelia galpinii is ascribed to the shallow, rocky, well-drained nature of the soil.This community (Figure 8) is found on a variety of aspects from northeast through south to southwest.The soils are grey sandy shallow lithosols, seldom exceeding 0.3 m and mostly <0.2 m deep.Amounts of exposed rock range from very low to 98% with most sample sites hav ing 85% rock cover.Despite this, total vegetation cover is high at 94%.The absence of differential species in this community is apparently related to the drainage regime.Species such as Berzelia galpinii, Erica cubica and Elegia asperiflora which have a strong preference for sites with impeded drainage, although occurring in other communities, play a dominant role here.Erica melanthera which favours shallow sandy soils is also mainly found in these shrublands, but this species is generally much less com mon than in the Hypodiscus aristatus-Berzelia intermedia Shrublands of BWA (McDonald 1993a).

Restio inconspicuus-Erica melanthera
The low stature of the community is ascribed to the shallowness of the soil and high percentage rock cover.It could be speculated, however, that some stands would reach mid-high to tall stature in older vegetation.

Erica hispidula-Tetraria bromoides Shrublands
These shrublands include five distinct communities that have T. bromoides as the common denominator.T. bromoides (Cyperaceae) is a robust leafy sedge that is known for its preference for heavier soils i.e. soils with a high clay fraction, derived from shale or sandstone (Boucher 1978;McDonald 1993a & b).Of note is the occurrence of Penaea mucronata in these shrublands.This species shows a distinctly different habitat preference (lower, drier slopes) to Penaea cneorum subsp.ovata which is found in communities of the Erica hispidula-Restio inconspicuus Shrublands on wetter, higher slopes.
Relationships: Berzelia-Leucadendron Moist Tall Fyn bos (Boucher 1978); Mixed-sclerophyllous Scrub (Kruger 1979); Mangold Wet Proteoid Fynbos (Campbell 1985).This community (Figure 9) is found on south and southwest-facing slopes at altitudes ranging from 350-550 m.Soils are derived from sandstone of either the Peninsula Formation or Nardouw Subgroup and are generally 0.5 m deep, with soils at some sites as shallow as 0.1 m.The average slope of sampled stands is 21.3° (8°-32°).Rock iness is generally low, with an average of 12%, but with some sites having as much as 90% surface rock.Amount of litter depended on the age of the stand, with the old vegetation having an estimated 75% litter cover below the shrub canopy.
Two of the stands sampled (releves 212 & 213) of the community were located in vegetation estimated to be 16 years or possibly older.The remainder of the samples were in six-year-old vegetation.The two mature stands gave a clear indication of how the Tetraria bromoides-Berzelia galpinii Shrublands would appear over a much wider area when mature.In the mature state they would be classified structurally as Tall Closed Proteoid Shrublands with a Closed Ericoid Shrubland Understorey, in contrast with the structural formation given above.conspicuus Shrublands on shallow sandy soils and the Erica hispidula-Tetraria bromoides Shrublands on soils with a high clay fraction derived either from shale or an admixture of sandstone and shale.Since the Tetraria bromoides-Berzelia galpinii Shrublands are ecotonal their floristic composition is complex, displaying elements of both the Erica hispidula Shrubland types given above (Table 1).

Tetraria bromoides-Ischyrolepis hystrix Shrublands
The two communities found on the Cedarberg Forma tion shaleband, the Tetraria bromoides-Phylica rubra and Tetraria bromoides-Know ltonia capensis Shrublands have many species in common but also a number of differences (discussed below).However, the absence of many species from these communities which are otherwise generally found in the Erica hispidula-Tetraria bromoides Shrub lands sets these shrublands apart.These distinctions are ascribed to soil-related rather than climate-related factors.
The Ischyrolepis hystrix-Phylica rubra Shrublands (Figure 10) were sampled on the Cedarberg Formation shaleband.east of Stinkhoutbos.behind Korinteberg.The mean altitude of the sample sites (releves 301-304), which were located relatively close to each other in mature pro teoid fynbos, is 824.5 m.Aspect ranged from southwest to west on shallow (5°) to moderate (22°) slopes.The yellow-brown sandy clay loam soils are classified as Clovelly Form, reaching a mean depth of 0.45 m.Surface rock cover is low, not exceeding 10% and the soils are moderately to well drained.Litter cover is high (60-80%) and the shrub canopy cover is closed (100%).

The age of the Ischyrolepis hystrix-Phylica rubra
Shrublands. estimated at 15 years, could be a factor in fluencing the difference in species composition between this community and the closely allied but younger Ischyrolepis hystrix-Phylica pinea Shrublands found at Bergfontein (see below).Alternatively it may be postu lated that geographical separation of the two areas where the shrublands were sampled may account for the differ ences between them (gamma diversity).These two shrublands may also be interpreted as variants of a broader shaleband community dominated by Cannomois virgata.Erica grata, Ischyrolepis hystrix, Phylica pinea and Protea aurea, since P. aurea and Tetraria bromoides dominated shaleband shrublands have been recorded in other parts of the Langeberg (McDonald 1993a & b).As much as the differential species separate the above two communi ties from each other, absence of numerous species, the most notable of which are Gnidia galpinii, Lanaria lanata, Penaea mucronata and Struthiola garciana, reinforce the distinction between the two shrublands (Table 2).
Apart from releve 227, samples representing the Ischyrolepis hystrix-Phylica pinea Shrublands (Figure 11) were found at altitudes from 300-400 m on southeast-to southwest-facing slopes of the Cedarberg Formation shaleband, where it traverses the Bergfontein area.Releve 227 was sampled on a shale lens on a moderate north west-facing slope above Rooiwaterspruit, where the soil is a 0.3 m deep, yellow-brown loamy Clovelly Form soil.The soils at Bergfontein were not classified except that they were noted to have a grey-brown orthic A-horizon.
At Rooiwaterspruit, the vegetation in releve 227 was dominated by Leucadendron eucalyptifolium in the tall (1.5-3.0 m) mid-dense canopy.Non-ericoid shrubs and graminoids combined to form a closed understorey, 1.5 m high.The community represented by releve 227 is somewhat different to the Bergfontein Community since many of the typical shaleband-associated species are ab sent (Table 2).However, it is similar enough to the Ischyrolepis hystrix-Knowltonia capensis Shrublands and different enough from the Ischyrolepis hystrix-Phylica rubra Shrublands for it to be included in the former.The community at Bergfontein was dominated by the tall (1.2-5.0 m) Cannomois virgata in the canopy, with a mid-high, mid-dense stratum dominated by Phylica pinea and Pro tea aurea and a low, closed stratum dominated by restioids.
The Ischyrolepis hystrix-Phylica pinea Shrubland is the only community from which Erica hispidula is totally absent.No explanation for this can be advanced since this species occurs in similar communities in the MNR and BWA (McDonald 1993a & b).A combination of wetness and shale-derived soil may account for the absence of this species.These shrublands (Figure 12) were sampled on the north and northwest slopes of Koksposberg and on the w est-facing m id-slopes of W itelsberg, overlooking Witelsrivier (Bergfontein area).The community occurs at altitudes from 300-550 m on sites with shallow ( 0.2 m) well-drained sandy loam soils, where the slopes are mod erate to steep (16°-36°) and where rock cover varies from almost nil to 90%.

Tetraria bromoides-Hypodiscus striatus
Presence of Tetraria bromoides points to soils with a higher fertility, however, soil-vegetation relationships of this community are not clear and require further investi gation.The community is clearly defined and character ized by differential species (Table 1) which have a preference for stony or rocky well-drained sites.All the differential species are also species of low stature which are found in the understorey of mature stands of the Tetra ria brom oides-H ypodiscus striatus Shrublands.Anomalanthus scoparius (Ericaceae) grows as a prostrate dwarf shrub covering stony soil but not over rocks (E.G.H. Oliver pers.comm.) and the erect Hypodiscus striatus (Restionaceae) is found as tussocks in shallow pockets of soil.Heteropogon contortus is a subtropical C4 grass which Bond (1981) recorded as differential for his Protea nitida Community (Waboomveld) on fertile soils.At Bergfontein, H. contortus is faithful to the Tetraria bro moides-Hypodiscus aristatus Shrublands and not found at all in the Erica hispidula-Protea nitida Shrublands de scribed below.Diosma tenella (Rutaceae) is a shrublet which Williams (1982) described as 'rather rare' but hav ing a wide tolerance for different soil types, from shales to sandy gravels and silcrete.
From Table 1 it is seen that there are numerous species which, although not differential or dominant, are strongly represented in this community: Acmadenia trigona, Leucadendron salignum, Lanaria lanata, Penaea mucronata, Staberoha cemua, Tetraria flexuosa and Rhodocoma fruticosa.
One or two strata were found in these shrublands at the time of sampling.One stratum was found where the shrubs were co-dominant with the graminoid component up to a height of 1 m.Two strata occurred where the shrubs, mainly proteoids such as Leucadendron eucalyptifolium and Protea neriifolia, exceeded 1 m, forming a sparse to mid-dense overstorey.The immaturity of the vegetation gave a false impression of the potential struc ture of the community, which is predicted to become a tall closed proteoid shrubland with a low closed ericoid or restioid shrubland understorey when mature (as in releves 261 & 262).Relationships: Broad-sclerophyllous Scrub (Kruger 1979); Outeniqua Wet Proteoid Fynbos (Campbell 1985); Wet Proteoid Fynbos (Rebelo et al. 1991).This community (Figure 13) occurs on the lower south east-, southwest-and west-facing slopes of Koksposberg in the Bergfontein area.At plot 221 the soil is derived from Cedarberg Formation shale, whereas at the remainder of the plots (214-216 & 247) the soils are apparently de rived from accumulated material at the footslopes.The soils are well-drained shallow (0.2-0.3 m) fine-textured grey-brown to dark brown sandy loams, with negligible surface rock cover.

Tetraria bromoides-Protea coronata Shrublands
The distribution of Protea coronata is strongly related to edaphic factors with this species favouring heavy soils with a high clay fraction (Rourke 1980).At Bergfontein, Protea coronata occurs on sandy loam soils but, contrary to Rourke's description where Protea coronata is said to form 'densely massed stands', the species occurs as scat tered individuals.Frequent fires may have excluded P. coronata, a reseeding proteoid, at three of the five sample sites.Alternatively these sites may be marginally more mesic and P. coronata, which prefers wetter sites (Rourke 1980), may have been outcompeted by Protea neriifolia and Leucadendron eucalyptifolium (Table 2).Even though the Tetraria bromoides-Protea coronata Shrubland is poorly characterized by the differential species Alepidea capensis, Erica cf.zwartbergense and P. coronata, it is substantiated by absence of numerous species found in the Tetraria bromoides-Hypodiscus striatus Shrublands on the one hand and the Tetraria bromoides-Protea nitida Shrublands on the other.It also has many species in com mon with the latter community, in particular the ubiquitous 'waboomveld' species Montinia caryophyllacea and Rhus rosmarinifolia.Helichrysum cymosum is not a true differ ential species of the Tetraria bromoides-Protea coronata Community as stated by Rebelo et al. (1991) since this species is also well represented in the more mesic Erica  hispidula-Protea nitida Shrublands which were not sam pled or described by these authors.
Two strata were found in these shrublands.Graminoids are marginally more abundant than woody shrubs in the low stratum, which was the dominant stratum when sam pled.In releve 247, the low stratum had been disturbed by grazing animals.The upper stratum was dominated by mid-high proteoid shrubs, Leucadendron eucalyptifolium and Protea neriifolia.Following Campbell's (1985) sys tem, the Tetraria bromoides-Protea coronata Shrublands would be placed in the Mesic Proteoid Subseries, how ever, based on floristic composition and relationships, the community is placed unequivocally in Wet Proteoid Fynbos.Haw. var.decumbens Reynolds was found in this community and the Erica hispidula-Protea nitida Shrublands. Reynolds (1950) gives the distribution of this endemic variety of Aloe gracilis as from near Garcia's Pass westwards to Kleinberg at altitudes 272-364 m.Records of A. gracilis var.decumbens at Bergfontein represents a range extension for this species on the Langeberg, 30 km east of Garcia's Pass.Future searches could reveal that it may occur further east, perhaps beyond the Gouritz River.(Bond 1981); Protea nitida Woodland ( 'Waboomveld') (Taylor 1984); Rooiberg Talus Asteraceous Fynbos (Campbell 1985); Ischyrolepis gaudichaudiana-Myrsine africana High Closed Shrubland (McDonald 1983(McDonald , 1988)).

Aloe gracilis
Protea nitida is most often found on colluvial soils on debris or talus slopes but may also be found on fine-textured soils on lower mountain slopes (Taylor 1978;Kruger 1979; R.M. Cowling pers.comm.).These soils generally have a higher nutrient status than that of leached sandstone soils, due to colluvial mixing of soil derived from various parent materials such as sandstone, granite or shale.Fyn bos with P. nitida as a prominent, if not dominant shrub or tree, is found throughout the Fynbos Biome and ac cording to Taylor (1978) and Kruger (1979) characterizes a distinct formation, 'waboomveld'.The term 'waboom veld' encompasses more than one community where P. nitida is present, but throughout the distribution range of this species from the northwestern to the southern Cape there is a remarkably constant group of associated species including Anthospermum aethiopicum, Ischyrolepis gaudichaudiana, Montinia caryophyllacea, Rhus rosmarinifolia and Themeda triandra.Campbell (1985) explicitly stated that P nitida is diagnostic and must be present for Moun tain Fynbos to be classified as Talus Asteraceous Fynbos but he also indicated that P. nitida occurs in other com munities as well.
At Bergfontein these shrublands (Figure 14) have ei ther two or three strata.P. nitida forms a sparse canopy up to 2 m high.Where present the second stratum from 0.5-1.2m is dominated by Leucadendron salignum and the low stratum 0.0-0.5 m by Themeda triandra.The community was restricted to well-drained east-facing slopes above Witelsrivier, directly opposite the west-fac ing slopes of Koksposberg where the closely related Tetra ria bromoides-Protea coronata Shrublands occur.The altitude at which these shrublands are found ranges from 300-350 m with the slopes averaging 19°.Annual precip itation is estimated at 600-700 mm (Dent et al. 1987).The soils with pH 4.9 (n = 3) are a shallow (0.2 m) welldrained mix of sandstone debris from the Peninsula For mation sandstone and Cedarberg Formation shale.They are classified as Oakleaf Form soils.Rock cover ranges from 10-40%.
Apparently the Erica hispidula-Protea nitida Shrub lands at Bergfontein are not burnt often, so the composi tion of the understorey is not attributed to regular fires or other disturbances.The grassy understorey is rather attrib uted to soil factors since the grasses in the community are C4 grasses which show preference for more fertile soils (Bond 1981;Cowling 1983a & b;Linder 1989).This community qualifies for inclusion in Campbell's (1985) Rooiberg Talus Asteraceous Fynbos on the basis of pres ence of Protea nitida and 20 % grass cover.However, the lack of asteraceous 'elytropappoid' species and the high grass cover (70%) indicate closer affinities to Grassy Fynbos (sensu Cowling & Holmes 1992).
A stand of tall P. nitida with an understorey composed almost entirely of grasses was located on deep sandy soils on the plateau below the upper north slopes of Witelsberg.This community was not sampled but was observed to be quite different in structure and composition from the Erica hispidula-Protea nitida Shrublands.Further investigation, not possible in this study due to the fire, would be required to clarify the relationships.The estimated annual precipitation for Koksposberg is 500-600 mm (Dent et al. 1977).However, the north-fac ing slopes are in a rain shadow as well as being equatorially oriented.They are therefore hot and dry and probably receive much less rainfall than the above estimate.A sim ilar situation also exists on the upper north-facing slopes of Witelsberg.These dry, rocky slopes (Figure 15) with high incom ing radiation host the Erica versicolor-Agathosma ovata Shrublands.The soils are lithosols (Mispah Form), are shallow and acid (pH 3.4 in 1 mol/1 CaCb) and consist merely of accumulated sand and or ganic material in shallow depressions amongst the rocks.The parent rock of Koksposberg is Peninsula Formation sandstone and rock cover is 90% in the four releves (208)(209)(210)(211) representing this community.On Koksposberg the community is found at altitudes from 550-606 m on slopes varying from almost flat (7°) on the ridge to mod erately steep (18°) on the north face.On Witelsberg, con sisting of Nardouw Subgroup sandstone, the community is found from 788 m to 1 090 m.

Erica versicolor-Agathosm a ovata
Two strata are present in the Erica versicolor-Aga thosma ovata Shrublands.The upper stratum is from 0.5-1.2m and is dominated by the shrubby Erica versicolor.The lower stratum where shrubs and graminoids are co dominant is from 0-0.5 m.Dominant species in this stra tum are Ehrharta ramosa and Erica melanthera.However, the prevalence of succulent species in the genera Ad romischus, Aloe, Crassula, Lampranthus a n d Senecio which prefer dry, rocky sites gives this community its character and sets it apart from all other communities de scribed for the Bergfontein area (releves not included in Table 1 or Table 2).A. ovata also favours a dry, rocky habitat as does Oldenburgia paradoxa which grows in rock crevices forming large, compact, rounded masses of short shoots.
A detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) (Hill 1979b) of the Bergfontein data showed a clear distinction between the Erica versicolor-Agathosma ovata Shrubland and the other shrublands.DCA Axis I represented a mois ture gradient and the Erica versicolor-Agathosma ovata Shrublands are towards the drier end of the gradient.DCA Axis II apparently represented a soil depth/rockiness gra dient, showing that the community inhabits the rockiest sites with shallowest soils in the study area.

Cullumia aculeata var. aculeata Shrublands
The Cullumia aculeata Shrublands include the non-Erica hispidula shrublands represented by Table 2.All these shrublands are on the northern slopes of the Langeberg range adjacent to the Little Karoo.Most of the samples were taken in the Phesantefontein area; the ex ceptions are releves 278-281 which were recorded on the north slopes of Witelsberg before the May 1991 fire.

Cullumia acuIeata-Leucadendron eucalyptifolium Shrublands
This community is found on the mid-to upper slopes immediately east of Aasvoelkrans.They are mesic pro teoid shrublands and are separated into three distinct com m unities with Leucadendron eucalyptifolium a s th e common factor.

Leucadendron eucalyptifolium-Protea neriifolia Shrublands
Two communities are found in the Leucadendron eu calyptifolium-Protea neriifolia Shrublands.P. neriifolia links these shrublands, setting them apart from the Leucadendron eucalyptifolium-Elegia filacea Shrublands where P neriifolia is absent.These shrublands have affi nity to the Tetraria bromoides-Hypodiscus striatus Shrub lands found on the southern slopes at Bergfontein with Anomalanthus scoparius and Hypodiscus striatus, differ ential species of the latter community, being found here as well.Relationships: Proteoid Zone Fynbos (Taylor 1978); Broad sclerophyllous-Scrub or Open Scrub (Kruger 1979); Sanddrift Mesic Proteoid Fynbos (Campbell 1985); affinities with Tetraria bromoides-Hypodiscus striatus Shrublands and Tetraria brom oides-Protea coronata Shrublands described above.This community (Figure 16) is represented by five releves (286-290) at altitudes from 630-850 m on the northeast-to northwest-facing slopes east of Aasvoelkrans.These slopes are moderate, with shallow ( 0.2 m), yel low-brown sandy loam soil, classified as Glenrosa Form.The parent material of the soil is taken to be Nardouw Subgroup sandstone, but the heavy nature of the soil (releves 286-289) suggests a high clay fraction possibly derived from a clay lens or local exposure of the Cedarbeig Formation shale.This requires verification but the vegetation reflects a soil with a relatively higher nu trient status (see below).Surface rock cover is low to moderate (3-40%) except in releve 290 which is different from the other samples.It was located on a rocky sand stone outcrop with 95% rock cover.The soil is of the Mispah Form, but the floristic composition of the releve places it in the Protea neriifolia-Merxmuellera decora Shrublands.
At the time of sampling, the vegetation was seven years old.Depending on the site, the community had one or two strata,' with height not exceeding 1.2 m.The shrubland was thus classified as above, a Mid-high Closed Gra minoid Shrubland, but it is predicted that with time the community would mature to a Tall Closed Proteoid Shrub land with a Graminoid Understorey.
The Protea neriifolia-Merxmuellera decora Shrub lands are poorly differentiated from the closely allied Pro tea neriifolia-Erica articularis Shrublands based on the differential species of the first community.Merxmuellera decora presents problems with identification in mature vegetation since it usually flowers only in the immediate post-fire phase; Ischyrolepis sp.(Table 2) was not identi fied and Ficinia trichodes was poorly represented.Ab sence of the differential species of the latter community from the Protea neriifolia-Merxmuellera decora Shrub lands provides a sounder basis for the separation of the two communities.This community (Figure 17) occurs on the same northfacing slopes as the Protea neriifolia-Merxmuellera decora Shrublands but at lower altitudes (590-630 m).The shallow (0.2-0.3 m), light grey-brown soils were clas sified as Glenrosa Form (releves 291-293) and Mispah Form (releve 294).All the releves were situated on shal low slopes (9°-14°), between rock outcrops, where rock cover was very low except in releve 294 where it was estimated at 20%.The differential species of the Protea neriifolia-Erica articularis Shrublands are not constant throughout the community, nor do they have high cover-abundance.Of these species, Erica articularis and Ischyrolepis sieberi have highest cover-abundance whereas the remaining spe cies are rare (Table 2).The very rare legume, Coelidium cymbifolium, previously known from only two collections, Muir's type collection and a collection of Middlemost (Granby 1980), was found in releves 293 and 294 and appears to be narrowly endemic to this community.Protea aspera, a prostrate rhizomatous shrublet, was also re corded in this community and the Leucadendron eucalyptifolium-Elegia filacea Shrublands (see below and Table 2).This species is best known from Onrust to Bredasdorp but has also been recorded from an isolated population in the Langkloof, east of Garcia's Pass (Rourke 1980).Records of Protea aspera at Phesantefontein rep resent an extension of the range of the Langkloof popu lation 5 km west of Garcia's Pass.
The Protea neriifolia-Erica articularis Shrublands are dominated by restios such as Ceratocaryum decipiens, Elegia galpinii, Mastersiella purpurea, Restio filiformis, Thamnochortus ellipticus and Staberoha cemua, all spe cies preferring mesic to dry habitats.T. ellipticus was orig inally collected by Muir in the Phesantefontein area and is only known from this, the type locality (Linder 1985).Two releves, 295 and 2%, represent this community (Figure 18).It is found below the Leucadendron eucalyptifolium-Erica articularis Shrublands, and is floristically transitional between them and the C. aculeata-Protea lorifolia Shrublands.Both releves were at 530 m on slopes with a shallow gradient.The soil which is 0.25-0.3m deep is a light grey sandy loam with quartz pebbles and gravel on the surface.Rock cover is nil and the soils are classified as Glenrosa Form.

Leucadendron eucalyptifolium-EIegia filacea
Elegia filacea is most often found on accumulated sand and the sandy nature of the soil accounts for its presence here.In this community it dominates the understorey in which grasses are absent and sedges few, mainly of the genus Ficinia.Low shrubs play a subordinate role in the understorey composition, but the presence of Protea as pera,, which also favours sandy soil, should be noted.The upper (tall) stratum is composed of proteoid shrubs with Protea repens dominant.
The rare, endemic Erica rhodantha Guth.& Bol. was found in this community.This species is apparently re stricted to the fynbos shrublands of the lower north slopes of the Langeberg in the region of Garcia's Pass.Few col lections of this species have been made (E.G.H. Oliver pers.comm.).
The Leucadendron eucalyptifolium-EIegia filacea Shrublands are the same as the Leucadendron eucalyptifolium-Protea lorifolia Shrublands described from BWA (McDonald 1993a).but for the purposes of this paper are treated as slightly different.The difference is based on the presence of Calopsis filiformis; Hypodiscus laevigatus, Protea aspera and Thamnochortus ellipticus at Phesantefontein and not at BWA.  Relationships: Proteoid Zone Fynbos (Taylor 1978); Broad-sclerophyllous Scrub or Open Scrub (Kruger 1979); Elegia galpinii-Metalasia pulcherrima Commu nity (Outeniqua Mountains) and Protea repens-Protea lorifolia-Hypodiscus striatus Community (Swartberg) (Bond 1981);Mesic Mountain Fynbos (Moll et al. 1984); Thomas Dry Proteoid Fynbos (Campbell 1985); Leu cadendron eucalyptifolium-Protea lorifolia Shrublands (McDonald 1993a).This community was not found or sampled at Phe santefontein.The four releves (278-281) representing the Protea lorifolia-Ficinia laciniata Shrublands were situ ated on the moderately steep, rocky, north-facing slopes of Witelsberg on the Bergfontein transect at altitudes from 545-730 m.The soils are shallow (0.1-0.15 m) sandy Mispah Form lithosols and surface exposure of rock was estimated to be 91% on average.This community is well differentiated from the other shrublands represented in Table 2.This could be ascribed either to geographical separation of these releves from the Phesantefontein area or to the habitat where this shrubland occurs not being present or not sampled at Phesantefon tein.Topographically, in rockiness and in climatic regime, the north-facing slopes of Witelsberg closely resemble the north-facing slopes of Deception Ridge in BWA (McDon ald 1993a).At Phesantefontein, however, moderately steep, rocky, well-drained slopes of the same type are ab sent.The 'habitat explanation' for the absence of this com munity at Phesantefontein therefore seems the most plausible.

Cullumia aculeata-Protea lorifolia
Leucadendron salignum, Hypodiscus aristatus, Pen taschistis colorata and Tetraria ustulata dominate the community at this early stage of its development (6 years old), forming a low, mid-dense graminoid shrubland.As these shrublands mature it is predicted that the proteoid shrubs, Protea lorifolia and Protea repens will form a mid-high to tall, open to mid-dense overstorey.This community (Figure 19) is found on the low, arid northern foothills of Phesantefontein at altitudes from 450-520 m.The slope varies from almost level (5°) to 14° and the soils are mostly shallow (<0.1 m), welldrained, rocky (75-98%) Mispah Form soils.The excep tion is the Glenrosa Form soil of releve 285 which is 0.25 m deep with an estimated surface rock cover of only 3%! Releve 283 was situated on a rocky outcrop and was the only site where Passerina obtusifolia was recorded.The silcrete-capped mesas at Phesantefontein present a similar substratum and habitat to that found in releve 283 and therefore, although these mesas were not sampled, it is predicted that they will support shrublands of the Protea lorifolia-Leucospermum calligerum type (Phesantefon tein) or the Cannomois parviflora-Passerina obtusifolia type (Witbooisrivier; McDonald 1993a).
These shrublands are well defined with numerous dif ferential species.Heterolepis sp.nov.(as yet undescribed), the succulent Machairophyllum cookii (Mesembryanthemaceae) and Thamnochortus karooica are endemic to this community.Species with single occurrences have been retained in Table 2 specifically for this community, for the sake of completeness.They are, however, not truly differential.
Leucospermum saxatile which is endemic to the Arid Fynbos east of Garcia's Pass (Rourke 1972) was noted in this community on the northern footslopes of Witelsberg prior to the May 1991 fire.Serruria balanocephala Rourke ined.found in this community at Witbooisrivier (McDonald 1993a) has not been found at Phesantefontein nor further east.Leucospermum erubescens recorded from Springfontein immediately west and at Garcia's Pass di rectly east of Phesantefontein was also not encountered at the latter locality and is apparently also not found much further east than Garcia's Pass.
Owing to the extensive fires on the Langeberg east of Garcia's Pass in the recent past, much of the vegetation on the lower northern slopes of the range is immature and thus not suitable for sampling.However, it can be confi dently stated that the community named the Passerina obtusifolia-Leucospermum calligerum Shrublands (Mc Donald 1993a) and the Protea lorifolia-Leucospermum calligerum Shrublands (this paper) extend along the base of the Langeberg from Barrydale to the Gouritz River, fringing the Little Karoo.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
The hierarchical classification and description of the fynbos communities of the Bergfontein and Rooiwaterspruit-Phesantefontein areas satisfies the primary ob jective of the study.It also provides a framework which, together with differential species for each community, is a starting point for describing the communities over a wider area on the southeastern Langeberg.Further sam pling in other areas would serve to test this classification and would most likely identify additional communities.
From the perspective of management of the fynbos of the Langeberg mountain catchments, this classification is perhaps too detailed and, as may be argued, too floristically orientated.However, it is important to be able to classify plant communities at all stages of the succession.This has raised much debate (Cowling & Holmes 1992) and it has been generally concluded that when applying structural classifications it is only possible to satisfactorily classify mature fynbos plant communities (Campbell 1985).Finding stands of mature fynbos (>10 years old) is becoming increasingly difficult (Campbell 1985; this study) so applying structural classifications becomes equally difficult.Despite the complexity of the vegetation in this study, the successful hierarchical classification of the mainly immature fynbos, and the determination of character species for communities highlights a major ad vantage in using the floristic classification approach.If suitably interpreted, by using the character species for dif ferent communities, the complex taxonomy of the fynbos need not be the reputed daunting obstacle for managers of fynbos vegetation (Bond 1981).
In general, the communities described for the Bei^fontein and Rooiwaterspruit-Phesantefontein areas are similar to those described by McDonald (1993a & b) for the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area and the Marloth Nature Reserve.Degree of difference or conversely, similarity of the fynbos communities of the southern Langeberg, which is beyond the scope of this paper, can now be assessed.A proposed synthesis is now possible which is aimed at being generally applicable in the Langeberg fynbos shrublands, and hopefully beneficial to the conservation and management of these shrublands.
Apart from the purely descriptive reference to environ mental conditions pertaining to each community, little in dication is given of environmental variables as the causal agents of species distribution and species composition of communities.This forms a separate aspect to the study of the Langeberg vegetation and will be reported separately (McDonald unpublished data).
The Erica versicolor-Agathosma ovata Shrubland found on Koksposberg does not fit well within the hier archy of communities.This was evident in both the phy tosociological tables and the ordination of the data.Many of the fynbos species found generally on the south slopes of the Bergfontein area are found in this community but the succulent differential species indicate an azonal xeric community.A clear definition of this community and its relationships to other fynbos vegetation will only be pos sible given additional samples.It is predicted to occur on the sandstone outliers of the Langeberg east of Garcia's Pass as described and possibly on the Aasvogelberg near Albertinia.
Garcia's Pass has historically given ready access to the Muiskraal area at its northern entrance.It has thus been an area much visited by botanists since the time of Thunberg and Masson in the late 1700's.Many collections of Langeberg north slope endemic species have Muiskraal as the type locality, notably many of Muir's collections.Many of these species are considered rare.Some of these species such as Coelidium cymbifolium and Erica rhodantha have been found in this survey at Phesantefontein which lies just west of Muiskraal.The intensity of sam pling in this study has, however, been too limited to cover the area adequately.It is proposed therefore that the areas on the north slopes of the Langeberg west and east of Garcia's Pass require thorough botanical investigation.If these areas have high numbers of endemic plant species as is indicated by this survey, these north slopes of the Langeberg deserve a higher conservation status than is currently the case.
FIGURE 1.-Map of the mountains of the Fynbos Biome showing the position of the Langeberg and the location of the Bergfontein-Rooiwaterspruit-Phesantefontein areas.B, Barrydale; C, Cape Town; G, George; H, Heidelberg; M, Mossel Bay; P, Port Elizabeth; R, Riversdale; S, Swellendam and W, Worcester.

FIGURE 2 .
FIGURE 2.-Silcrete mesas on the north flank of the Langeberg.ex tending into the Little Karoo, at Phesantefontein.

FIGURE 10
FIGURE 10.-The Ischyrolepis hystrix-Phylica rubra Shrublands found on the Cedarberg Formation shaleband east of Stink houtbos.Note the tall Protea aurea shrubs behind the figure.

FIGURE 12
FIGURE 12.-The Tetraria bromoides-Hypodiscus striatus Shrublands on the west-facing slopes of Koksposberg with the south slopes of Witelsberg visible behind.
FIGURE 13.-The Tetraria bromoides-Proteacoronata Shrublands on the lower slopes of Koksposberg, in the Bergfontein area.
FIGURE 15.-The Erica versicolor-Agathosma ovata Shrublands found on the rocky north slopes of Koksposberg and Witelsberg.
ShrublandsThis community, found at the driest extreme of the south-north climatic gradient of the Langeberg, is divided into two: the Protea lorifolia-Ficinia laciniata Shrublands (which fall within the Leucadendron eucalyptifolium-Prv tea lorifolia Shrublands of the BWA) and the Protea lorifolia-Leucospermum calligerum Shrublands (which are equivalent to the Passerina obtusifolia-Leucospermum calligerum Shrublands at BWA).The Cannomois parviflora-Passerina obtusifolia Shrublands found at BWA(McDonald 1993a) were not identified as a separate com munity at Phesantefontein but as part of the Passerina obtusifolia-Leucospermum calligerum Shrublands.
FIGURE 19.-The Protea lorifolia-Leucospermum calligerum Shrub lands found on the flow, arid foothills of the Phesantefontein area.

Erica hispidula is found in all the fynbos communities at Bergfontein except in the Tetraria bromoides-Phylica FIGURE
. The south slopes of the Langeberg at Bergfontein and Rooiwaterspruit are no exception.Shrublands and with little occurrence in the wet 4.-Stinkhoutbos, a patch of Afromontane Forest in a secluded kloof at Rooiwaterspruit.pine a

TABLE 1 .
-Phytosociological table of the Erica hispidula Shrublands on the south slopes of the Bergfontein area, southern Langeberg . . .-,