Indawo Yezitshalo Evelele

Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eNingizimu Afrika

NGEMVA kokuhlukanisa izinhlobo zezimbali zase-Afrika, isazi sezitshalo sekhulu le-18 uCarolus Linnaeus sachaza indawo ezivela kuyo ngokuthi “yilelo pharadesi emhlabeni, iCape of Good Hope, uMdali Onomusa alicebise ngezimangaliso zaKhe eziphambili.”

Lokhu okubizwa ngokuthi izimangaliso eziphambili kutholakala endaweni esesihlokweni seningizimu ye-Afrika. Izifiki ezingamaDashi zabiza izitshalo ezazivelele kule ndawo ngokuthi ama-fijnbosch, okusho ukuthi “izihlahlana ezinhle” noma “ihlathi elihle.” Njengoba igama elithi fijn lisho ukuthi “okuncane,” kungenzeka ukuthi lokhu kwakubhekisela ebuncaneni bamaqabunga nezitshalo kanye nasemithini emincane eyayimila kule ndawo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi igama elithi fijnbosch laba elithi “fynbos.” Amaqabunga ezitshalo zaseFynbos angase abe mancane futhi aqine, kodwa izimbali zinkulu, zinemibala emihle futhi zakheke kahle.

Indawo yaseFynbos isendaweni yezitshalo ehluke kakhulu kwezinye emhlabeni—indawo Yezitshalo YaseCape.a Nakuba le ndawo incane uma kuqhathaniswa, inezinhlobo zezitshalo ezihlukahlukene ngokumangalisayo—enye incwadi ithi zingaphezu kuka-8 550—ingxenye yazo yesibili engatholakali ndawo emhlabeni.

KuyiTable Mountain iyodwa, kuye kwatholakala izinhlobo zezitshalo ezingu-1 470! Umagazini i-New Scientist uyaphawula: “Lezi zingaphezu kwalezo ezitholakala eBrithani iyonke.” Kodwa iFynbos iye yathonya nezinye izindawo emhlabeni. Kanjani?

Izinhlobonhlobo Ezimangalisayo

Uma kungenzeka ukuthi une-geranium esefasiteleni lakho, kungenzeka ukuthi unakekela inzalo yaseFynbos. Ezinhlotsheni ezingu-250 ezizimilelayo emhlabeni, ezingaphezu kwengxenye yesibili zitholakala eFynbos.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, ingxenye yesithathu yezimbali ezingu-1 800 zohlobo lwe-Iridaceae imila lapha, kuhlanganise nezinhlobo ezingu-72 zomnduze ezingatholakali kwenye indawo emhlabeni. Esihlokweni esiseningizimu ye-Afrika kugcwele izinhlobo ezingu-1 646 ze-daisy ne-vygies.b Kulezi kukhona nezitshalo ezingabuni, ezihlala zigqamile futhi ezisetshenziswa iminyaka eminingi njengemihlobiso yezimbali ezomisiwe.

Kodwa isici esiphawuleka kakhulu seFynbos isitshalo esiqhakaza izimbali esibizwa ngokuthi i-erica, noma iceke. Uzomangala ukuthi iFynbos inezinhlobo ezingu-625 zeceke, kwezingu-740 emhlabeni wonke!

I-sugar-bush Ne-sugarbird

ULinnaeus wahlola iqoqo elithile lezimbali zaseFynbos elalime ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene eziyinqaba. Waziqamba ngokuthi i-Protea (ilungu lohlobo lwe-Proteaceae), unkulunkulu wamaGreki uProteus, okwakukholelwa ukuthi ushintsha abe imizimba ehlukahlukene. Sekukonke kunezinhlobo ezingu-328 ze-protea ezidabuka eFynbos. Akuve kumnandi ukuhamba ezintabeni zaseKapa bese uzithela phezu kwe-king protea enkulu! Imbali yayo enkulu ngezinye izikhathi iba ngaphezu kobuso bomuntu ngobukhulu.

Enye i-protea evamile i-sugar-bush. Izimbali zalo muthi zime njengezinkomishi futhi zinompe oluningi. Abantu abafika kuqala babevame ukuthintithela izimbali esitsheni ukuze baqoqe umpe, kamuva ababelubilisa benze usulubha.

I-sugarbird yaseKapa—inyoni etholakala eFynbos kuphela—nayo ithanda umpe lwe-protea. Ngomlomo wayo omude nolimi olude, i-sugarbird imunca umpe olukhiqizwa yilesi sitshalo bese ikhokha ngokuthutha impova isuka kwenye imbali iyiyise kwenye—inkonzo yokuthutha impova ephumelelayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-sugarbird idla izinambuzane eziza ezimbalini ezinkulu. Ngakho, le nyoni nale mbali kuyadingana ukuze kuphile.

Obunye Ubuhlobo Obubalulekile

Ezinye izimbali ze-protea zilala phansi enhlabathini, zifihlwe ezinye izitshalo. Amagundane adonswa iphunga elinjengelembiliso elikhishwa yile protea. Ecindezela amakhanda awo ezimbalini, amagundane aphuza umpe abese evakashela enye i-protea, edlulisela impova egcwele ebusweni bawo obunoboya. Ngakho amagundane kanye ne-protea kwakha ubuhlobo obubalulekile ukuze kuphile.

Kukhona ubuhlobo obufanayo phakathi kweceke nenyoni i-sunbird enesifuba esiphuzi, etholakala eFynbos kuphela. Ngenxa yokuthi zime njengamashubhu agobile, lezi zimbali zifanelana kahle nomlomo we-sunbird. Lapho inyoni ifaka umlomo wayo ukuze imunce umpe, impova igcwala ekhanda. Phakathi nawo wonke unyaka iceke eliqhakazile lanelisa izidingo ze-sunbird, futhi lezi zitshalo ziyazuza ezinkonzweni zokuthutha impova zale nyoni. Akuve kumnandi ukuhamba emmangweni ubuke lokhu kusizana okumangalisayo!

Ziningi ezinye izilwane ezibalulekile eFynbos. Ngokwesibonelo, uvemvane olubizwa ngokuthi i-Table Mountain beauty lungumthuthi wempova okhethekile wezinhlobo ezingu-15 zezimbali ezibomvu. Enye yalezi zimbali i-disa edumile, ehlobise iTable Mountain.

Bese kuba khona amabuzi athile adla izimpande eziyizigaxa zezitshalo zama-orchid, umnduze ne-iris. Amabuzi aseKapa athwala izinqamu zezimpande aziyise emigodini yawo azigcine khona. Ezinye izingxenye aziwisa endleleni noma zisale zingadliwanga emgodini, lezi zivame ukumila bese ziyakhula.

Amakhulu ezitshalo zaseFynbos akhiqiza imbewu enamaqhubu anamafutha anephunga elithandwa izintuthwane. Ngemva kokubamba lezi “zibambo,” izintuthwane zihudula imbewu ziyifake emigodini. Ngemva kwalokho, izintuthwane zidla la maqhubu athambile kodwa zishiye imbewu eqinile. Ngaleyo ndlela, imbewu egqitshiwe, evikelekile ezinyonini nasemagundaneni, ingamila kamuva.

Bese kuba khona izimpukane ezineshubhu elide, noma umboko, emilonyeni yazo. Lezi zimpukane zingabathuthi bempova abakahle bezitshalo zaseFynbos ezinezimbali ezinde ezinemibhobho. Enye impukane inomboko cishe ongamasentimitha angu-8. Ngempela, lobu buhlobo bubalulekile eFynbos!

Ubuhlobo Obubucayi

Encwadini ethi An Introduction to Fynbos, isazi semvelo uT.F.J. van Rensburg sithi: “Kuyadabukisa ukuthi uMuntu, njengoba ebekwe ukuba agade iNdalo, nguye ngokuvamile ocekela phansi izindawo zemvelo ezithile.” Ngempela, ngesikhashana nje kuye kwenzeka inhlekelele enkulu, njengoba uDkt. Piet van Wyk echaza: “Eminyakeni ebalelwa kwengu-300 kusukela kwaqala ukwenziwa kwamakoloni, umuntu uye wahlukanisa futhi washintsha ihlathi elisesigodini se-fynbos kakhulu kangangokuthi sekusele amaphesenti angu-31 kuphela . . . ezihlahlana zasekuqaleni. Izinhlobo ezingu-39 ze-fynbos seziqothuliwe kakade, kuyilapho isimo sezinye ezingu-1 033 siye sashintsha kusuka ekubeni ezisongelwayo kuya ekubeni eziyivelakancane kakhulu.”

Izenzo zomuntu zisongela nobuhlobo obubucayi obukhona phakathi kwezilwane nezitshalo zaseFynbos. Incwadi ethi Table Mountain—A Natural Wonder iyaphawula: “Izazi zendawo ezungezile yikhathi ziqala ukuqonda ubuhlobo obubucayi phakathi kwezilwane nezitshalo obukhona ehlathini le-fynbos. Uma isitshalo esithile siqothulwa, ingabe umthuthi wempova yaso (ibuzi, uvemvane noma ibhungane) uzoqothulwa naye?” Kuthiwani ngezinyoni zaseFynbos? Ngokwesazi sezinto eziphilayo saseNingizimu Afrika uC. J. Skead, ukusinda kwe-sugarbird kusengozini ngenxa “yobuhlobo bayo obuseduze nezinhlobo ze-Protea.”

Imibiko emibi kanjalo ngeFynbos iyisizathu sokukhathazeka. Noma kunjalo, labo abakholelwa “kuMdali Onomusa,” njengoLinnaeus, banesizathu sokuba nethemba. Ngoba umuntu angaqiniseka ukuthi umhlaba uzochuma futhi uqhakaze ngendlela engakaze ibonwe lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu efeza isithembiso sakhe ‘sokwenza zonke izinto zibe zintsha.’—IsAmbulo 21:5.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amabalazwe ekhasini 16]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

INdawo YaseFynbos (iphawulwe ngokuluhlaza)

ITable Mountain

[Umthombo]

Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

I-“painted lady,” olunye lwezinhlobo ezingu-72 zomnduze ezitholakala lapha kuphela kuwo wonke umhlaba

[Umthombo]

Una Coetzee (www.agulhasfynbos.co.za)

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Amanye ama-“protea” makhulu kunobuso bomuntu

[Umthombo]

Nigel Dennis

[Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]

ETable Mountain kuphela, kuye kwatholakala izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zezitshalo ezingu-1 470

[Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]

Imbali ye-“strawberry” engabuni

[Umthombo]

Nigel Dennis

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Olunye lwezinhlobo eziningi ze-“daisy” ezitholakala eFynbos

[Umthombo]

Kirstenbosch, Cape Town

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Uvemvane i-“Table Mountain beauty” luwukuphela komthuthi wempova yezinhlobo ezingu-15 zezimbali ezibomvu

[Umthombo]

Colin Paterson-Jones

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

I-“pincushion protea”

[Umthombo]

National Parks Board of South Africa

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Kukhona ubuhlobo obuvelele phakathi kwezimbali zeceke ne-“sunbird”

[Umthombo]

Colin Paterson-Jones

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

I-“protea” ne-“sugarbird” yaseKapa abangane abakhulu

[Umthombo]

Kirstenbosch, Cape Town

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

I-“Watsonia”

[Umthombo]

Kirstenbosch, Cape Town

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 18]

National Parks Board of South Africa