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Indigenous Plants

( Article Type: Explanation )

Indigenous plants are plants that are native to a particular area. South Africa has many indigenous species that which are found only in Africa. ‘Fynbos’ is one example. The fynbos region is the seventh of the world’s Floral Kingdoms, with thousands of indigenous plants, particularly in the protea family, which is only found in the Southern Cape region.

It is important to protect indigenous species because they have often evolved to cope with particular conditions, circumstances or situations. Fynbos, for example, has evolved to cope with veld fires and, in many cases, requires the smoke and heat of the fire to germinate its seeds.

There are many indigenous species that have been found to contain unique properties, which have been used to develop specialised drugs, which have saved thousands of lives. Once indigenous plants become extinct, they are lost forever.