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…
Members of the Protea family are some of the most photogenic plants in the fynbos. However, Serruria elongata is one species that proves an exception. It is not that it is an unattractive plant. It is just that it is extremely hard to get a good photo that captures its…
With over 800 species of Erica in the Cape, it is not surprising that inventiveness is needed in describing the names of the species. In fact it is even harder than that as many species have inadvertently been described more than once. In total, over 2,000 different names have been…
In colder climates, heath gardens are often created to provide winter colour, but in South Africa most heathers flower in spring or summer. However, there is a common heath, Erica imbricata, that flowers here at Phillipskop from June onwards. The flowers are white but they have contrasting dark brown exserted…
A curious aspect of living amongst the Cape Flora is that we sometimes forget how special some of our commoner plants actually are. A case in point is Saltera sarcocolla. This species is found widely across the whole of the Klein River Mountains. It is found both at low and…
The golden yellow heads of Leucadendron, conebushes, are easy to identify, but the species can often be a challenge to separate. A key character in narrowing down the options is the size of the colourful leaves that surround the flowerhead. One of the species with comparatively large flowerheads is Leucadendron…
