Several plant species in the fynbos are sticky, whether in their stems, leaves, or flowers, and this characteristic is often reflected in their scientific names. One such plant is Moraea bituminosa, a member of the iris family known for its very sticky flowering stems. The specific name bituminosa is derived…
With over 100 species of Erica in the Klein River Mountains, you would be hard-pressed to call a winner amongst them in a beauty contest. But if one species were to take pride of place, then it would probably be Erica aristata. This is reflected in its common name Pride…
The first autumn rains bring the arrival of the Single-leaved Cape Stars, Pauridia monophylla, to the upper slopes of Phillipskop. These are members of the Hypoxidaceae family, one of the geophytic members of the fynbos flora with small corms. Most species flower in winter and spring, but the yellow star-shaped…
One of the challenges of identifying species in the fynbos is that sometimes very different looking plants are classified under the same species. This is not surprising when species have a wide distribution range, but is more challenging when they grow in close proximity. This variation may be just due…
The vygie family, Aizoaceae, is best known for the dazzling displays found in the Little Karoo and up the West Coast. But there are a number of species found in true fynbos, which also have the glistening many petalled flowers. One of these, Oscularia deltoides, is a widespread species of…
One of our most beautiful plants at Phillipskop and indeed in the Cape flora itself is Nerine sarniensis. But both the scientific name and the common name, Guernsey Lily (Sarnia is the Latin for the English Channel island of Guernsey), are decidely inappropriate for a species confined to the Western…
