**5.3 Nama-Karoo Biome affinities**

Limited affinities are found with the Nana-Karoo flora on Platberg. These are mostly succulents from the Mesembryanthemaceae (2 genera, 4 species) and low shrubs, *Chrysocoms ciliata, Felicia filifolia, F. muricata* the most representative, found on the warm north and west sides of Platberg (Brand et al., 2010), and may represent previous climatic conditions of hotter, drier periods with less seasonal fluctuation (Scott 1988). Succulent evolution and distribution is not favoured by high rainfall and freezing temperatures extended over days (Smith et al., 1998; van Wyk & Smith 2001), which would be the environmental limiting factors responsible for the low numbers of succulents found at altitude (Körner 2003) on Platberg and DAC.
