Cussonia paniculata among diverse neighbours

More than 130 tree species are found in the Magaliesberg. Some of them one will see almost everywhere where trees grow in the area. The common species include the karee (Searsia lancea), blue guarri (Euclea crispa) and the wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. africana).

Other trees will be common in specific habitats, like the cross berry (Grewia occidentalis) in the dry forest, the mountain cabbage tree (Cussonia paniculata subsp. sinuata) in southern slope open woodland, the stamvrug (Englerophytum magalismontanum) or the wild elder (Nuxia congesta) on the vertical cliffs and gullies, the cork bush (Mundulea sericea) and the bergtaaibos (S. magalismontana subsp. magalismontana) on the crest of the mountain and the wild syringa (Burkea africana) or the lekkerbreek (Ochna pulchra) on the northern slopes.

In the kloofs one is likely to see Cape holly (Ilex mitis) and kasuur (Pittosporum viridiflorum), while on the river banks the river bushwillow (Combretum erythrophyllum) and dogwood (Rhamnus prinoides) may be encountered.

Then almost every one of the species associated with one of the veld types will surprise by also appearing where least expected... exceptions prove rules (Carruthers, 1990).