Kniphofia typhoides: a spectacular species from South Africa's grasslands
Charles Craib
PO Box 67142, Bryanston 2021, Gauteng, Republic of South Africa

Kniphofia typhoides was once widely recorded from the grasslands of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Northern Province, the Free State and Kwazulu/Natal. This species is endemic to heavy, black clay soil regions and is generally found in climax Themeda triandra grassland. The areas in which the plants grow are subject to grazing by cattle and sheep and habitat destruction and degradation. The populations found in Gauteng and the western part of Mpumalanga have been much reduced by urbanisation and the intensive agricultural development of the region.

Kniphofia typhoides is one of two species having scented dark brown or brownish maroon flowers. It is closely related to K. umbrina, a rare species endemic to the Forbes Reef area of northeastern Swaziland.

Kniphofia typhoides generally flowers in the first three weeks of February, often at the rainiest time of the year. The habitat, which is usually low lying marshy ground, may become inundated for several weeks while the plants are flowering. This species has declined markedly since the 1950s, but locating and counting populations is difficult as they only seem to flower during years of average or above average rainfall. The ideal conditions for a survey occurred during February 1996 when much of eastern South Africa had weeks of heavy rainfall.

A Survey of Kniphofia Typhoides

Herbarium records in the National Botanical Institute in Pretoria indicated that K. typhoides was widely collected in the 1950s in Gauteng, Western Mpumalanga, the eastern section of the North Western Province and the North Central Free State, areas formerly known as the Witwatersrand, Eastern Transvaal and Western Transvaal. Some botanists stated that the plants were frequent where found, for example the Delmas area of Mpumalanga.

It was evident that since the 1950s and first years of the 1960s the species had declined. An effort was made to ascertain the status of the species in its former range in these regions and the time chosen for the survey was the first three weeks of February 1996. The time was ideally chosen for substantial rains throughout the summer had broken a drought of some six years duration. All populations were in flower. The modus operandi was to drive by car along roads in the vicinity of the headwaters of various rivers in the census area. This is the primary habitat occupied by K. typhoides. When suitable Themeda triandra or other pristine grassland was found, occurring on heavy black clay soils, a brief investigation was made from the vehicle through strong binoculars. If populations of K. typhoides were evident they were investigated to determine their status. Approximately 3,000 kilometres were travelled during the course of the survey.

The survey area could not be covered in totality owing to the limited number of roads near suitable habitat, but despite this the results are instructive concerning the causal factors which have led to the plant's decline.

Kniphofia typhoides Habitat in the Survey Area and Associated Kniphofia Species

Most K. typhoides habitat comprises grassy vleis (a South African term for low lying marshy ground). These vleis form the headwaters of various rivers which rise in the area such as Bronkhorstspruit near Delmas in Mpumalanga and the Mooi River near Derby in the eastern part of the Northern Province. Much of this habitat is heavily grazed and degraded. The species is very rarely found in degraded veld (grassland) in the survey area. It is nearly always associated with climax Themeda triandra grassland—the probable reasons for this are discussed below.

The plants have only been found growing on heavy black clay soil and this preference considerably limits the amount of suitable habitat available to them.

The largest colonies, numbering well over 2,000 plants per colony, were all situated in pristine Themeda triandra grassland. These colonies were found to be associated with the headwaters of the Bronkhorstspruit and Mooi Rivers where the habitat was relatively undisturbed. In areas where the habitat had been degraded the plants were found in pristine grassland patches in otherwise degraded habitat or the road reserves [protected areas along the sides of roads], particularly in the Villiers district close to the border between Gauteng and the Free State.

Parallel research was conducted simultaneously on populations of K. multiflora, a spectacular species frequenting pristine vleis which has been very much reduced in its former habitat in the Carolina and Nelshoogte areas of Mpumalanga through forestry and habitat degradation associated with overgrazing.

Overgrazing limits the ability of several Kniphofia species to reproduce themselves. The inflorescences are broken by grazing stock and their seeds are heavily trampled into the soil where they are buried too deeply to germinate. This phenomenon affects several Kniphofia species and in the survey area was found to affect the following species: K. albescens, K. multiflora, K. splendida and K. typhoides.

Kniphofia albescens, a spectacular white flowered species, was once widespread in the Wakkerstroom area of Mpumalanga. It has now been reduced to a road reserve plant in several areas through heavy grazing and frequent burning.

The Eastern Section of the North Western Province

Kniphofia typhoides was recorded from the Swartruggens and Groot Marico areas of the North Western Province in 1953. This area and the black clay soil regions around Boons, Derby and Koster were surveyed in the first half of February 1996. Kniphofia typhoides was not observed in the Swartruggens and Groot Marico districts. The black clay soil within the vicinity of streams in these regions has been extensively used for crop production and areas adjacent to the streams are heavily forested with exotic poplars. The small amount of remaining habitat has been much degraded, usurped by weeds and pioneer grasses associated with overgrazing and changes in land usage.

One the largest colonies of K. typhoides seen during the survey was found near Derby, associated with the headwaters of the Mooi River. The plants were all growing in large vleis in climax Themeda triandra grassland. The extensive colony comprised scattered groups of plants each containing from 20-1,000 individual plants over a distance of some 3 kilometres.

Populations in Western Mpumalanga

An extensive search for K. typhoides populations was carried out in the first three weeks of February 1996 in the Bethal, Ermelo and Kinross districts. It was collected several times in the Bethel district in the 1950s and near Delmas in 1950 and 1971. Plants were said to be frequent where found in the Bethal area.

Colonies were not located in the Bethal district, but might have been overlooked owing to limited access roads near suitable habitat in this area. Extensive but disjunct colonies were found associated with black clay soil and Themeda triandra grassland around the headwaters of the Bronkhorstspruit south of Bethal. Many of these colonies were dwindling owing to degradation of the habitat by weeds and pioneer grasses. The plants were only found in small patches of Themeda triandra grassland in otherwise degraded habitat.

In areas of pristine Themeda triandra grassland, K. typhoides is well represented near Bethal, but this sort of habitat is now very limited. One large population exists close to Rietkol west of Bethal in a large vlei of typical Themeda triandra grassland.

Populations Near the Free State and Gauteng Border

Kniphofia typhoides was collected in the 1950s north of Villiers in Themeda triandra grassland on black clay soil. Plants were said to be widespread, growing in small groups in open grassland. The survey indicated that plants are still well represented in this area, which has been subjected to less habitat degradation than the other regions discussed in the survey.

Several large colonies were found in vleis and scattered groups of plants were widespread in open veld. All colonies were growing in the typical conditions discussed above. In one area the habitat had been degraded and K. typhoides was found only as a road reserve plant, remnants of larger populations which had once occurred in the surrounding farmland.

Grazing cattle were observed to knock over stems of flowering plants, but they were only lightly grazed and would still have been able to set seed. A very low number of plants was observed in all these colonies. This also was noted in all the other regions where the plants were investigated.

Populations in Gauteng

Gauteng is the most densely settled region of South Africa, containing Johannesburg and the various gold mining towns of the Witwatersrand. Kniphofia typhoides populations were reported from various areas of typical habitat during the 1950s. Most of these places are now surrounded by urban development and suitable habitat has largely disappeared. One small colony of plants was found east of Springs in an isolated patch of Themeda triandra grassland situated in a vlei in otherwise degraded habitat.

It is probable that the species still survives in small numbers in its former habitat in Gauteng but these populations are not viable in the long term. (The settled and industrialised areas of Gauteng were not so extensively searched as the other regions.)

Discussion

Kniphofia typhoides has declined throughout its former range, largely as a result of habitat degradation. The species is an indicator plant of climax Themeda triandra grassland and seems to disappear quickly when such habitats are degraded. Grazing livestock trample some plants and their hooves damage the root systems. The species, however, does not appear to be heavily grazed. As the cattle are moved around from one area to another, grazing in the habitat is temporary and grazing may not take place in some seasons, allowing the plants the chance to recover. The low number of young plants at all colonies requires further investigation, but appears to be related to trampling by domestic stock at some localities.

The Growth Cycle

Kniphofia typhoides begins its growth cycle once the first substantial summer rains have fallen in October and November. Most leaves have formed by late December, and during January the flower stems start to form. During very wet years such as the summer of 1995-96, flowers may open in late January but the first three weeks of February are usually the peak flowering time.

The flowers are pollinated by honey bees and possibly other insects. They are strongly honey scented and contain large amounts of pollen. Numerous honey bees were observed pollinating the plants at all the colonies visited.

Seeds start to form in late February and are fully developed by the third week in March. A survey of the colonies near Derby on 24 March 1996 indicated that nearly all the flowers had produced fruits, allowing for millions of seeds to be liberated into the environment that season.

Seed is liberated in sunny autumn weather during April and May when the capsules split open. Seed liberated early in April would obtain the best chance to germinate as the cold weather has not started and the habitat is still sufficiently moist to allow seeds the chance to sprout. Seed is distributed by wind and the grazing activities of domestic stock, as well as in rain water once it has fallen onto the clay below. Most seed lies dormant until the following summer when the rains begin. In situations where the habitat is grazed and trampled much seed gets heavily buried in the clay and does not obtain the chance to germinate.

Further study is required concerning the relative abundance of seed produced from one year to the next, as well as the factors which govern germination patterns. Seeds are parasitised by insects but not to the same extent as Aloe seed which is nearly always heavily infested.

The habitat dries out during May and is dry from May to October. All areas in which the plants are found are subject to severe frosts from May to August and to winter grass fires. This is of little consequence as the parts of the plant above the ground die off during the first frosts and cold weather in May.

Winter fires have the effect of thinning out excessive grass cover. Periodic burning is required in order to maintain healthy populations of this species. (Fire plays a significant role in the ecology of many grassland plants in various genera in South Africa.)

Conservation of Kniphofia typhoides in Habitat

Kniphofia typhoides occurs in one of the most populated regions of South Africa, and all of the habitat is used for stock farming of various types. It is clear that a number of K. typhoides populations have disappeared over the last three decades, and the future of those that remain lies in the hands of property developers and the farming community.

Most landowners are probably unaware of the K. typhoides populations on their property. The most effective way of conserving the plants is to point out their significance to the various landowners, in order that they can control grazing pressures and the frequency of burning the grassveld. Themeda triandra is one of the best grazing grasses in the survey area and K. typhoides is an indicator plant of healthy habitats. It is, therefore, in the farmers interest to manage their grasslands well, which also directly benefits the kniphofia.

If K. typhoides populations ever needed to be translocated owing to land development, an instructive study exists on the distribution and status of the closely related rare K. umbrina in Swaziland. Populations of this species were translocated from an area zoned for settlement of Swazi families. Some of the factors (Heath 1985) which led to the decline of K. umbrina parallel those found in the K. typhoides survey, namely, repeated burning and overgrazing.

Horticultural Potential of Kniphofia Typhoides

The horticultural potential of most South African kniphofias has hardly been developed. There are many spectacular species and K. typhoides is certainly one of the most unusual with its brown flowers, strongly scented of honey.

Kniphofia typhoides makes an ideal bog plant and may also be grown in moist areas with heavy clay soil. It is resistant to sub-zero temperatures in winter and is likely to be an interesting horticultural item in parts of the Northern Hemisphere that do not experience excessively cold winters.

Plants lend themselves to hybridisation with other Kniphofia species such as K. multiflora, and some spectacular cultivars could be produced. A detailed study is currently under way concerning techniques for growing the plants from seed.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my thanks to the following people and institutions who assisted with this research: Mrs. Claire Archer who permitted me to consult the K. typhoides herbarium records at the National Botanical Institute Herbarium in Pretoria, and for permitting me to peruse the K. umbrina population and status reports in the herbarium files at the National Botanical Institute; and Mr. N.P. Frits van Oudtshorrn for discussing aspects of Highveld grassland ecology in areas where K. typhoides occurs.

References