The name of the principal vegetation type of this region, fynbos,  is derived from the Dutch word 'fijn bosch' which is the collective name for a myriad of evergreen shrub-like plants with small firm leaves, often rolled, typically defined as ericoid leaves -- but also includes woody plants with hard leathery leaves, usually broad, often rolled. Fynbos plants include the King Protea, South Africa's national flower, the beautiful Red Disa orchid, symbol of the Cape Province, and the popular garden plants, pelargoniums, commonly known as geraniums.

Fynbos is the principal flora type of the Cape Floral Kingdom, also known as the Cape Floristic Region. The diversity of fynbos plants is said to be greater than that of some tropical rainforests, with over 9000 species of plants occurring in the area, around 6200 of which are endemic. Many of these are threatened with extinction, which is why conservation projects such as Wildcliff are important. If you cannot get there personally, you still can take a virtual mountain hike through the fynbos at Wildcliff.

Fynbos plants are readily recognised by the sclerophyllous (hard, tough and leathery leaved) and microphyllous (small leaved) nature of almost all woody plants. The biome is characterised by having more than 5% cover of Cape reeds or restios. Additionally, it contains proteas, ericas and members of seven plant families found nowhere else in the world. Most of the plants have small, thin leaves,