Indigenous Plant Genetic Resources of South Africa

South Africa is considered to be a “hotspot” for biodiversity and more than 22,000 plant species occur within its boundaries. This represents 10% of the world’s species, although the land surface of South Africa is less than 1% of the earth. The country is divided into seven biomes and into 68 vegetation types (Low and Rebelo 1996). The Savanna biome covers 33% of the surface of the country, but it is especially the Flora Capensis that is unique. This, the Cape Floral Kingdom, is the smallest of the world’s six Floral Kingdoms. It contains 8,700 species of which 68% are endemic. Despite the enormous richness in plant species, relatively few of these plants are economically utilized. Business ventures that have developed from the use of indigenous plants is the trade in medicinal and cultural plants, food crops, and ornamental plants. Although indigenous wood has been previously used, the source is almost depleted and today these wood types are utilized on a limited scale. Dekriet (Chondropetalum tectorum Pillans), and dekgras (Schizachyrium semiberbe Nees) is still largely used to thatch vernacular buildings. South Africa beholds her indigenous plants as a valuable natural resource and accepts responsibility to conserve the unique flora. Attempts are also made to utilize the plant kingdom economically for the nation, but with legal acknowledgement of the legal owners.