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14-615: Uitkamp Wetland Nature Reserve is a 32-hectare (79-acre) wetland reserve located in Durbanville in the Western Cape province of South Africa . A wetland valley that was proclaimed a nature reserve in 2001, this park lies within a region of Swartland Shale Renosterveld . The reserve consists of five disjointed areas separated by roadways. It protects over 279 species of plants, of which 30 are threatened and many are very rare. More common pink watsonia and arum lily cover

28-507: A break in mid-summer. During a mild winter the flowers may continue to appear intermittently. In deeper water the dormant plants survive the winter at the bottom of the pond, but where winters are severe it is a good idea to lift them and overwinter indoors. They can be divided from November to April. Seeds can be found floating on the surface of the aquarium / pond and can be sown in the Spring in about just over an inch of water (3 cm) on

42-409: A range of species of tall reed (e.g. Phragmites australis , Typha capensis ), Restios , sedges , grasses, floating aquatics and a great many species of shrub. Plant cover is very high. Sedgelands predominate on the floodplains, floating aquatics grow in the open pools, taller shrubs and small trees grow in drier soils (e.g. Erica and Restio sp.) and the taller, bigger reed-beds dominate on

56-457: Is an aquatic flowering plant. Native to South Africa's Western Cape and Mpumalanga provinces, but introduced elsewhere in quiet ponds in warm temperate to subtropical climates in winter rainfall areas. It grows in ponds and vleis which dry up in summer, becoming dormant in the dry summer and growing again when the pools fill with autumn rain. It is an aquatic plant growing from a tuberous rhizome . The often mottled leaves float on

70-581: Is not particularly rich in endemics (by Cape Floristic Region standards) but is an exceptionally rich and important habitat for the Waterbirds and Frogs of the Cape. It is also the breeding ground of the endangered Western Leopard Toad . These ecosystems are threatened by invasive alien plants such as Kikuyu grass , Water Hyacinth ( Eichornia crassipes ), Red River Gum ( Eucalyptus cladocalyx ) and Port Jackson ( Acacia saligna ), as well as

84-671: Is the Ocellated gecko . Some of the snake species are: Tortoises include the Marsh terrapin and the Parrot-beaked tortoise . One species of amphibian has been found in the reserve, the Clicking stream frog . The Cape autumn widow is found here. Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland This type of riparian vegetation and its accompanying ecosystem is found in the Western Cape , South Africa , on freshwater floodplains, along

98-572: The confines of the reserve are mostly smaller and nocturnal. Bucks found are the Common duiker , Steenbok and Cape grysbok . Large grey mongoose is the top predator within the reserve. Caracal and the Cape fox are thought to visit occasionally. Other mammals include: There are 67 species of birds found within the reserve. There are 13 species of reptile found within the reserve; 4 lizard, 6 snake, and 3 tortoise species. The most common lizard species

112-493: The draining and diversion of water for agricultural reasons and development. A significant proportion of these wetlands have now been transformed and lost and the ecosystem as a whole is now classed as endangered. All remaining wetlands are protected by national legislation. Aponogeton distachyos Aponogeton distachyos or Aponogeton distachyum , also known as waterblommetjie ( lit. trans. water-floret), Cape-pondweed , water hawthorn , vleikos and Cape pond weed

126-433: The fringes of permanent water. Some of the most noticeable and dominant species are Senecio halimnifolius , Paspalum vaginatum , Pennisetum macrourum , Triglochin bulbosa , Bolboschoenus maritimus and Juncus krausii . Plant species which are endemic to this vegetation type include: Passerina paludosa , Aponogeton angustifolius , Aponogeton distachyos , and Cotula myriophylloides . This ecosystem

140-535: The lower stretches of rivers and around seasonal vleis and estuaries . The terrain is typically flat and the soil is rich and silty. It is restricted to a winter rainfall area. This used to be one of the major ecosystems on the Cape Flats of Cape Town. The Cape Flats used to have a great many wetlands , rivers and seasonal vleis , but these have largely been drained and built over for housing. A few remain at places such as Rondevlei . The flora consists of

154-455: The water surface from a petiole up to 1 m long from the rhizome; the leaf blade is narrow oval, 6–25 cm long and 1.5–7.7 cm broad, with an entire margin and parallel veins. The flowers are produced on an erect spike with two branches at the apex like a 'Y', held above the water surface; they are sweetly scented, with one or two white petal-like perianth segments 1–2 cm long, and six or more dark purple-brown stamens. The species

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168-454: The wetland in the spring, along with restios, orchids, sundews and other colourful flowers. A major threat to the wetlands is from the invasive alien plants Port Jackson ( Acacia saligna ) and Kikuyu grass ( Pennisetum clandestinum ); 15 invasive plant species have been recorded. The most abundant aquatic plant species are Typha capensis (which is an indigenous invader in this environment) and Juncus effusus . Animals found within

182-566: The wild and has become widely naturalised in Australia , and more locally in France and England . In North America it is naturalised in southern and western California . It will grow in full sun or partial shade. Planting depth should be about 45 centimetres (18 in). In the UK at least, it flowers rather unpredictably, but the first flowers generally appear from mid-spring onwards with

196-594: Was described by Carolus Linnaeus the Younger in Supplementum Plantarum 32, 214. 1782 (as "distachyon" ). It is widely cultivated in South Africa for its edible buds and flowers, used in the recipe waterblommetjiebredie . It is also used as an aquarium and pond plant. It was introduced to Europe in the seventeenth century, and later into other parts of the world. It has escaped into

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