Restios | Cape Reeds

RESTIONACEAE – Fynbos Family of Note

RESTIOS for ROOKIES

A very basic introduction to the Restionaceae family

The sheets of tawny gold and brown which cover the mountainsides are called Cape reeds, restios or more commonly, Biesies and Dekriet. They are all members of the family Restionaceae, which form one of the most important components of the South African fynbos.

Of the 480 species globally, mainly in the southern hemisphere countries, 330 are found in the Cape Floral Kingdom. These comprise about nineteen genera, fifteen of which are found in the Fernkloof area. MORE