Life form and dispersal spectra of the flora of Namaqualand, South Africa

• Published in: Journal of arid environments 1990-09, Vol.19 (2), p.133-145
• Main Authors: Van Rooyen, M.W., Theron, G.K., Grobbelaar, N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adaptation; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Demecology; dispersal; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; life form; plant communities; Plants and fungi
• ISSN: 0140-1963; 1095-922X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-1963(18)30812-7

The biological spectrum of the Hester Malan Nature Reserve deviates from the normal spectrum in the high percentage values for chamaephytes, geophytes and therophytes and the low percentage values for phanerophytes and hemicryptophytes. Although adaptations to telechory are common among Namaqualand plant species a closer investigation shows that adaptations to both telechory and antitelechory can be present in the same species. Of the telechorous dispersal methods anemochory is best represented (66·3% of the total number of species), whereas the number of zoochorous species is fairly limited (14·8%). The antitelechorous mechanisms which are common among the plant species in the area are myxospermy (11·3%), hygrochasy (9·3%), synaptospermy (7·6%), trypanocarpy (5·7%) and heterodiaspory (3·6%). Each life form has its own distinct dispersal spectrum.