Floristic composition of wetlands of the South African section of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Park

A survey was conducted on the wetlands in the South African section of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Park (MDTP), along attitudinal gradients from the foothills to the summit plateau in six different catchments. Environmental indices of soil wetness, texture and organic contents of the soil were determined to relate wetland community types to their environment. Thirty-six plant communities were recognized with a total of 56 subcommunities. These communities fall into five different categories: I, the It fens and seepages are it loose grouping of distinct vegetation types from the summit plateau and just below; 2. hygrophilous grasslands are the marginal areas of the wetlands that are temporarily wet and dominated by grasses, most of which are common outside wetlands; 3, shrubby wetlands are in most cases hygrophilous grasslands that have been invaded by shrubby species due to disturbance; 4, mixed sedge lands are the largest grouping and are dominated by sedges or grass species that are specifically adapted to wet conditions; S. low-altitude sedge and reedlands are vegetation types that occur only marginally in the Maloti-Drakensberg area and are dominated by Carex acutiformis and Phragmites australis. The most important variables that explain the variation in wetland vegetation are altitude and sod wetness.