The reserve consists of dense forest of red and black mangrove trees. An English common name is black mangrove. The most important species are the red mangrove, button and the black mangrove. They are almost completely homogenous and dominated by black mangrove ("Avicenna germinans"). The name "black mangrove" refers to the color of the trunk and heartwood. The black mangrove is a protected tree in South Africa. Avicennia germinans, the black mangrove, is a shrub in the acanthus family, Acanthaceae. Pneumatophores differentiate the Black mangrove and Grey mangrove from other mangrove species. The black mangrove do not grow in water like the red mangrove. Black mangrove trees grow to a heights of 133 feet and average 66 feet. Younger black mangrove trees are shade intolerant but become more shade tolerant as they mature. It includes black mangrove forest, mangrove fringe along the shoreline, and pine and scrubby flatwoods. Indian mangrove ("Ceriops tagal") and black mangrove ("Aegiceras corniculatum"). The coastal mangrove forests feature the Asiatic mangrove ("Rhizophora mucronata") and Black mangrove ("Bruguiera gymnorhiza"). "Avicennia germinans" (black mangrove) and "Laguncularia racemose" (white mangrove).