Situated in the southern subtropical zone, the Drakenberg escarpment reaches 3150 m above sea level. A climatic upper treeline does not exist because of regular fires and because of the steep cliffs. However, the plateau vegetation at the very top (> 3000 m) resembles all feature of alpine plant life. Low stature grass heath, cushion plants, rosette forbs. Winters are cold with ice and snow, summers are warm, with frequent storms in the raining season. The examples are from Mt. Sentinel, Royal Natal National Park.

1 - The Drakensberg escarpment reaches 3100 m, its slopes are treeless because of fire.

2 - Cushions of Helichrysum sp. (Asteraceae) on "safe" sites which cannot be reached by fire (2700 m).

3 - Instead of montane forests, there are montane grassland, Monocymbium cerciformis (Poaceae) is an important species (2600 m).

4 - Solid cushions of succulent Euphorbia sp. (Euphorbiaceae) (2600 m).

5 - Aloe af. cooperi (Aloaceae) (2600 m)

6 - Eucomis bicolor (Hyacinthaceae) (2500 m)

7 - Low alpine grassland species (2950 m).

8 - Moraea alticola (Iridaceae), found in alpine grassland on Mt. Sentinel at 3050 m.

9 - Brunsrigia radula (Amaryllidaceae), a rather unusual, flat and massive rosette (2700 m).

10 - Species rich alpine grassland with first late season snow (3050 m). Dead leaf ends similar to alpine grassland in the Alps or New Zealand.

29 August 2011
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