{{Short description|Shallow minor lake, often seasonal}} [[File:Rondevlei1.jpg|thumb|right|256px|Rondevlei, near Cape Town]] [[File:Dead Vlei 4.jpg|thumb|right|256px|Dried-up Dead Vlei, Namibia]] [[File:Sossusvlei aus der Vogelperspektive.jpg|thumb|256px|Aerial view of Sossusvlei. Most of the time without water]] A '''vlei''' ({{IPAc-en|f|l|eɪ}}; {{IPA|af|fləi}}) is a shallow minor lake, mostly of a seasonal or intermittent nature. It even might refer to seasonal ponds or marshy patches where frogs and similar marsh dwellers breed. Commonly, vleis vary in their extent, or even in the presence or absence of water, according to the fall of rain or dryness of the season.<ref name=theal>"Compendium of South African history and geography", by George McCall Theal, Edition: 3 - 1877, [https://books.google.com/books?id=zVSVsyjwl4UC&q=%22vlei+is%22p.&pg=PA9 9]</ref> In terms of water salinity, vleis may be freshwater, saltwater, or brackish.<ref name=theal/> Over time a vlei may degrade into a salt pan or clay pan, such as Dead Vlei or Sossusvlei.
== Ecology == Vleis of various types can be of considerable local ecological importance, harboring many endemic and migratory species.
Most vleis are too minor to be granted recognition in the form of a name. However, some major vleis are accorded names, for example Rondevlei and Zeekoevlei in the Cape Peninsula, which are permanent bodies of water. Indeed, Rondevlei is home to hippopotamus.
The term is the basis of various biological common names, such as * vlei rat, rodents in the genus ''Otomys'' * ''vleiroos'' (literally "marsh rose") * ''vleikuiken'' (literally "vlei chick")<ref name="isbn0-624-00533-X">{{cite book |author=Bosman, D. B.; Van der Merwe, I. W.; Hiemstra, L. W. |title=Tweetalige Woordeboek Afrikaans-Engels |publisher=Tafelberg-uitgewers |year=1984 |isbn=0-624-00533-X }}</ref> * vlei frog
== Etymology == The word ''{{lang|af|vlei}}'' is used predominantly in South Africa. It is an Afrikaans word derived from the Middle Dutch word for "valley" (''{{lang|dum|valeye}}'').<ref name=MW>{{MerriamWebsterDictionary|vlei}} Unabridged {{subscription required}}</ref> In Afrikaans, however, its meaning changed into that of the shallow lake. The Afrikaans and modern Dutch word for "valley" is ''{{lang|nl|vallei}}''.
The North American placename ''vlaie'' is cognate with ''{{lang|af|vlei}}'', having the same Middle Dutch derivation.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{portalbar|Lakes}}
Category:Ecoregions Category:Lakes of South Africa Category:Intermittent lakes Category:Afrikaans words and phrases