Wild flowers of the Cradle of Humankind – Photo essay of the week

January 15, 2010

The Cradle of Humankind covers an area of more than 47000 hectares of privately owned land in the north-western corner of Gauteng, South Africa, and is home to the Maropeng Visitor Centre and the Sterkfontein Caves.

The land supports a wide variety of fauna and flora, and is also a treasure trove of animal fossils, spanning millions of years. This photo essay features just a few of the interesting plant species the area supports. 

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The evolving landscape of the Cradle of Humankind is today dominated by the Rocky Highveld Grassland, which supports a great diversity of plants and animals, some of which are rare and endangered.

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Native to the area, the Kniphofia or “red-hot poker” is known for its bright, rocket-shaped flowers.

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The gardens surrounding the Maropeng Visitor Centre are filled with plants indigenous to the Cradle of Humankind.

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The first flowering plants began to grow about 118-million years ago.

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From animal and plant fossils, we can also determine ancient environments and climate conditions. Traces of certain plants and small mammals are among the key indicators of past climate.

If you would like to see more pictures of Maropeng, visit our Flickr group or our Facebook fan page.