top of page

Species Cards

Widdringtonia wallichii

The Clanwilliam cedar, an iconic conifer of the Cederberg, is critically endangered. Its assembled genome will serve as a reference for mapping short-read sequences from trees of different ages and locations, allowing us to measure genetic diversity across space and time.

Clanwilliam Cedar

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Plectranthus madagascariensis

Plectranthus species are used in traditional medicine for coughs, colds, and scabies, and their pungent foliage helps repel flies.

Thicket Coleus

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Clivia robusta

Clivia robusta is adapted to wetlands, where it helps stabilise streambanks and saturated soils. It is also used in interspecific breeding to produce vigorous hybrids.

Swamp Clivia

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Aloidendron ramossisimum

Aloidendron ramosissimum is threatened by plant theft, overgrazing, and ongoing habitat degradation.

Maiden's Quiver tree

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Plectranthus zuluensis

The Zulu spurflower is cultivated locally and internationally as a flowering ornamental plant, valued for its velvety foliage and blue to mauve blooms.

Zulu spurflower

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Plectranthus saccatus

This species is cultivated locally and internationally as a flowering ornamental. Compared with other members of the genus it has relatively large flowers and is easy to propagate.

Stoep jacaranda

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Plectranthus fruticosus

The Spurflower is grown locally and internationally as a flowering ornamental plant.

Spurflower

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Wachendorfia brachyandra

Wachendorfia brachyandra is one of only five known species worldwide that exhibits floral asymmetry in the form of enantiostyly. Studying this species will help improve understanding of pollination adaptations in fynbos plants.

Short-stamen butterfly-lily

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Arctotis acaulis

The species is endemic to South Africa and has contributed to hybrids that are grown commercially as ornamentals worldwide. It is common throughout the Western Cape and is a conspicuous and important component of fynbos and renosterveld.

Renostergousblom

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Aloe pearsonii

Rising temperatures and prolonged drought in the Richtersveld (2015–2020) caused major die-offs of Pearson's Aloe, which has very low recruitment and grows extremely slowly.

Pearson's Aloe

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Pachypodium namaquanum

These trees are said in Nama folklore to be people turned into plants, forever facing north toward their lost homeland. Pachypodium namaquanum is highly poisonous and difficult to grow outside the Richtersveld.

Halfmens

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Dicoma capensis

Eaten by insects and pollinated by bees, Dicoma capensis is used in traditional medicine to treat colds, fever, back pain, haemorrhoids, bladder infections, kidney problems, influenza, nausea, liver problems, stomach problems, diarrhea, and rheumatism, and as a bitter tonic.

Fever bush

VIEW SPECIES CARD
bottom of page