top of page

Species Cards

Cyclopia longifolia

Cyclopia longifolia is endemic to South Africa. It has historically been used by the Khoi-San for its medicinal properties. Today, it is popular as a herbal infusion and consumed worldwide as a hot or cold beverage.

Honeybush

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Apongeton distachyos

Waterblommetjie flowers and buds are edible and are used to make the traditional South African stew called Waterblommetjie Bredie
(https://pza.sanbi.org/aponogeton-distachyos).

Waterblommetjies

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Trachyandra falcata

Namaqua wild cabbage (Veldkool) is a useful and edible plant in season. The young fleshy inflorescences are boiled with salt and added to meat dishes.

Namaqua wild cabbage

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Cyclopia subternata

Honeybush is endemic to South Africa and has historically been used by the Khoi-San for its medicinal properties. Today, it is popular as an herbal infusion and consumed worldwide as a hot or cold beverage.

Honeybush

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Vachellia sieberiana

Widely spread across Africa, this tree is known for its iconic flat-topped canopy, often depicted in films set in Africa.

Paperbark thorn tree

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Pentzia incana

This species is an important pasture plant in the Karoo. The aromatic compounds in its leaves are thought to contribute to the distinctive flavour of Karoo lamb. It has a unique shallow root system.

Skaapbossie

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Pteronia glauca

This species is an iconic pasture plant of South Africa's dry interior (the Karoo). Its leaves have a pungent yet pleasantly herbal aroma when bruised. This aromatic flavour is associated with the distinctive taste of Karoo lamb.

Boegoekaroo

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Erica verticillata

Erica verticillata is a critically endangered fynbos species once extinct in the wild and now reintroduced through conservation efforts. As part of the unique Cape Floristic Region, it plays a role in sustaining pollinators and ecosystem balance.

Whorl heath

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Thinopyrum distichum

It is the sole species of the genus that occurs in the Southern Hemisphere. It is a wild relative of bread wheat and is a halophyte.

Coastal Wheatgrass

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Oedera humilis

This species is one of the bushes recognized in the Government Gazette No. 49556 as an essential part of the sheep diet required for producing certified Karoo lamb.

Perdekaroo

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Secale africanum

This is the only rye species from southern Africa. It is palatable and has been used for grazing. It is not known whether it was used as a cereal by the indigenous peoples in the past (pza.sanbi.org/secale africanum).

African rye

VIEW SPECIES CARD

Lupulella mesomelas

The black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas, formerly Canis mesomelas) is a keystone species in South Africa, maintaining ecosystem balance through rodent control and carrion scavenging that limits disease spread.

Black-backed jackal

VIEW SPECIES CARD
bottom of page