fynbos

English

Etymology

From Afrikaans fynbos (“fynbos”), from Afrikaans fyn (“fine”) and bos (“bush”).

Noun

fynbos (plural fynboses)

1. (botany) Vegetation unique to the Cape Floral Kingdom made up chiefly of proteaceae, restios and Ericaceae.
   • 1992, Reader's Digest, The Great South African Outdoors

     The southern and western Cape is the home of a unique type of vegitation known as fynbos. Covering around 90 000 square kilometers of often harsh terrain, fynbos is made up of approximately 6 000 different plant species.

Related terms

• macchia
• macchie
• maquis

Translations

References

• Readers Digest: The Great South African Outdoors: Readers Digest 1992.