Abstract:
The ecological and economical importance of African grasses in sustaining animal production prompted studies
to quantify the wealth of grass genetic resources indigenous to southern Africa. Plant collection and occurrence
data were extracted from two southern African datasets, BODATSA and PHYTOBAS, and analysed to establish
biogeographical patterns in the grass flora indigenous to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. A total of 1 648 quarter
degree grid cells, representing 674 grass species, were used in an agglomerative hierarchical clustering to determine
biogeographical units being referred to as grasschoria. Six distinct groups formed, mainly following existing biome
vegetation units, termed the Grassland, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Fynbos, Savanna, Central Arid Region and
Succulent Karoo grasschoria. The description focuses on associated phytochoria, floristic links, key species, climate
and soil properties. The main gradient distinguishing grasschoria was a rainfall-temperature gradient. The collection,
conservation and breeding of pasture grass species adapted to especially arid and semi-arid environments, could
be managed more efficiently by using these results, but also calling on the need to describe and label infraspecific
genetic variants, including ecotypes.
