Golden Gate Highlands National Park is currently the only grassland National Park in South Africa. The park contains over 60 species of grasses. Structurally, the vegetation of Golden Gate can be divided into grassland and woodland/forest. The climate is considered to be the major environmental factor that influences the floristic composition and distribution of the vegetation units.
Impala is the most common antelope of the bushveld regions of South Africa. A very graceful, rufous-fawn antelope, with white underparts, measuring approximately 900 mm at the shoulders. Rams weigh around 60 Kg and ewes 40 Kg. A black stripe extends from the top of the rump down the back of each thigh. The lower hind legs have glands beneath tufts of black hair. Only the rams have horns which are lyre-shaped, and reach a length of 700 mm.
Most species of water lilies have rounded, variously notched, waxy-coated leaves on long stalks that contain many air spaces and float in quiet freshwater habitats. The stalks arise from thick, fleshy, creeping underwater stems that are buried in the mud. The showy, fragrant, solitary flowers are borne at or above the water surface on long stalks that are attached to the underground stems. Each cup-like flower has a spiral arrangement of its numerous petals.
