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Phylum:

Angiosperms

Estimated genome size:

1O meters (height)

Organism size:

1O meters (height)

Distribution:

Schotia brachypetala occurs in warm dry areas in bushveld, deciduous woodland and scrub forest most often on the banks of rivers and streams or on old termite mounds at lower altitudes from around Umtata in the Eastern Cape, through KwaZulu Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Northern Province and into Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

PromethION Sequencing Report:

Output:

86.11 Gigabases

Approximate N50:

12.38 kilobases

Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:

Genome Length:

1333.64 Gigabases

BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):

98.4% [S85.2%, D:13.2%]

Importance:

Schotia brachypetala an exceptional ornamental tree and has a number of other uses including medicine, food, timber and as a dye. The seeds are edible after roasting, and although low in fat and protein they have a high carbohydrate content. Both the Bantu-speaking people and the early European settlers and farmers are said to have roasted the mature pods and eaten the seeds, a practice which they learned from the Khoikhoi. The timber was chiefly used in wagon making.

Sample Contributor contact details

Thabang Makola
South African National Biodiversity Institute

Phylum:

Magnoliophyta

Estimated genome size:

391 million DNA base pairs (0.391 Gigabases)

Organism size:

5-10 cm

Distribution:

Coastal regions of the Western Cape from Onrus to Stilbaai and confined to sunny, rocky and sandy seashores.

PromethION Sequencing Report:

Output:

81.28 Gigabases

Approximate N50:

9.52 kilobases

Prenia vanrensburgii

African Spinach

Species Card Details

Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:

Genome Length:

0.53 Gigabases

BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):

99.3%

Importance:

The soft fleshy leaves of the African Spinach / Seepampoen / Cape spinach are edible, and delicious when prepared in a stew, like spinach. First used by the Khoi and San.

Sample Contributor contact details

Ernst Van Jaarsveld,
University of Western Cape | Babylonstoren

Photo credit:

© C. Whitehouse

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