The Reserve is home to several plant species that enjoy special status as threatened and protected flora. The threatened flora is classified according to the industry standards determined by the IUCN Red List, which assists specialists in determining the threat level of a species. The threat levels range from the most threatened category, Extinct (EX), to the less threatened category, Least Concern (LC). Some species have insufficient data available for determining their threat level, and they are classified as Data Deficient (DD) or Not Evaluated (NE). Botany and conservation specialists are responsible for classifying and updating the threat levels of specific species, regulated by the South African National Botanical Institute and compiled online as the Red List of South African Plants. SANBI has further elaborated on the IUCN categories to include Rare and Critically Rare classifications. Threats to these species may include alien species, habitat degradation, human harvesting, hybridization, among others.
The Reserve serves as a secure haven for several threatened species, including:
- Carex capensis (NT)
- Curtisia dentata (NT)
- Dioscorea burchellii (V)
- Dioscorea mundii (NT)
- Ocotea bullata (E)
- Oxalis pendulifolia (NT)
- Protea susannae (NT)
- Prunus africana (VU)
- Pterygodium cleistogamum (VU)
- Satyrium princeps (VU)
Protected species are those occurring within South Africa and have been declared in a Government Gazette as species of importance. The list of species enjoying protected status can be found in section 12 of the National Forests Act of 1998, published by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment. The Act prohibits cutting, disturbing, damaging, or destroying any protected tree, as well as possessing, collecting, removing, transporting, exporting, purchasing, selling, donating, or acquiring in any manner any protected tree or forest product derived from a protected tree, without a license granted by the Minister or an exemption published in the Gazette. Violating this prohibition constitutes a first category offense, punishable by fines or imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
The Reserve is fortunate to be home to specimens of the protected Afrocarpus falcatus (Outeniqua Yellowwood), Curtisia dentata (Assegai tree), Ocotea bullata (Black Stinkwood), Pittosporum viridiflorum (Cape Cheesewood), Podococarpus latifolius (Real Yellowwood), Prunus africanus (African Cherry), and Sideroxylon inerme subsp. inerme (White Milkwood)
