Knersvlakte

A landscape of white quartz stones and tough little succulents, the Knersvlakte glitters under the Namaqualand sun. It’s quiet, mysterious, and full of life adapted to the harshest conditions. 

The Knersvlakte is a region of hilly terrain covered with quartz gravel in Namaqualand, situated in the north-west corner of the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The name, literally "gnashing plain" in Afrikaans, is thought to be derived from the crunching of wagon wheels as they moved over the hard quartz stones.

The Knersvlakte is a Succulent Karoo, dominated by leaf succulents belonging to the Aizoaceae and Crassulaceae families, with a variety of shrubs interspersed among them.

The climate of the region is semi-arid, characterized by long dry summers and rainfall occurring during the winter months. The white quartz gravel reflects sunlight, rendering it less hot than the darker rocks and soil found in adjacent areas.

Due to its isolation from other areas with abundant quartz stones, the Knersvlakte exhibits a high level of endemism in its plant species. Many of these plants are small and compact, presumably an adaptation to absorb heat during the short and cool winter period when rainfall occurs.

The dominant vegetation consists mainly of members of the Mesembryanthemaceae family. The bababoudjies (Argyroderma) are prominent dwarf compact plants resembling pebbles, which have been planted throughout the quartz gravel. Their silver-green or gray leaves reflect sunlight. Argyroderma, derived from the Greek words "argyros" meaning silver and "derma" meaning skin, display attractive purple or yellow flowers during the autumn and winter.

Many succulents are found exclusively in the Knersvlakte, including approximately 200 endemic species within the region's total plant population of 1,600 species

• The name “Knersvlakte” means “grinding plain,” from the crunch of wagon wheels over quartz gravel.

• Home to some of the smallest and rarest succulents on Earth.

• The white quartz reflects sunlight, helping plants survive intense heat.

• It forms part of the Succulent Karoo, a global biodiversity hotspot.

• Its stark beauty attracts photographers and botanists from around the world.