Abstract
The 73 soil forms of the South African classification can be placed into 14 groups (organic, humic, vertic,
melanic, silicic, calcic, duplex, podzolic, plinthic, oxidic, gleyic, cumulic, lithic and anthropic) which are
identified by means of an eliminative key based on the presence of defined diagnostic horizons or materials.(A short guide to the soils of South Africa, their distribution and correlation with
World Reference Base soil groups 1 – 6 August 2010.)