FLORA OF SEHLABATHEBE NATIONAL PARK, LESOTHO

摘要

Sehlabathebe National Park (SNP) with the surface of 6805 ha was proclaimed on 27 February 1970. It is situated in the Qacha's Nek district, Lesotho, southern Africa (latitudes 29052'-29o58' and longitudes 29°02'-29°08'). The geological formations of SNP represent geological processes spanning a period in excess of 200 million years, i.e. from the Triassic period to the present. The park as a whole can be subdivided into three distinct geological formations: sedimentary materials as represented bya variety of sandstones, mud-stones and shales; igneous materials represented by the Drakensberg basalt flows; and intrusive igneous rocks as represented by the numerous dolerite and sills. Major soil types in SNP include: Lekholong-Rock outcrop complex(6744 acres, i.e. 37.7% of the park surface), Lek-holong loams (11.6%) and Rockland sandstone (10.5%). The water of SNP can be divided into: a) rivers, streams; b) oxbow ponds; c) marshes and bogs; d) rock pools; e) man-made dams. SNP includes two watersheds: Leqooa River and Tsoelikane River. SNP can be divided into four habitat units and several subunits: grassland (75%) with Themeda grassland, Themeda-Stiburus grassland, and Pentaschistis grassland; wetland (10%) with marsh land, stream and river banks, bogs, ponds and rock pools; rock land (10%) with outcrops, crevices/overhangs, dolerite dykes and ridges and rocky slopes; and disturbed land (5%) with kraals, tracks, road shoulders and old fields. A total of 596 different species and sub-species ofvascular plants represented 74 families and 270 genera have so far been recorded in SNP. Four families appear particularly significant: Poaceae (42 genera and 63 species), Cyperace-ae (12 genera and over 25 species), Asteraceae (45 genera and 143 species) and Orchidaceae (12 genera and 40 species).