Taxa Field Guide
C
Magnoliopsida
(dicots)NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
F
FABACEAE
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Faba, Latin, a bean.
O
Oxalidales
NE
7
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Named after the genus Oxalis
G
Hibiscus
NE
16
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Gk. hibiskos = name for the ‘marsh-mallow’ used by Virgil (Palmer), possibly derived from Gk. ibis = a stork that fed on some species of mallow.
S
Hibiscus aethiopicus
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Latin aethiopicus = 'Ethiopia'; pertaining frequently to Africa in general, not just Ethiopia.
Description:
Roughly hairy subshrub to 30 cm, from woody rootstock. Leaves ovate-elliptic, toothed above, 3--5-veined from the base, glabrescent above. Flowers on axillary peduncles, cream to yellow often with dark centre, epicalyx with 10--12 lanceolate to linear lobes, staminal tube c. 10 mm long. Mainly Aug.--Dec. Stony sandstone or clay slopes, SW, AP, LB, SE (Cape Peninsula to KwaZulu-Natal).
G
Olea
NE
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Gk. elaia, La. olea = classical Latin name for the olive.
S
Olea capensis
(Ysterhout)
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Cape Province of South Africa, previously known as the Cape Colony. -ensis is a Latin adjectival suffix meaning “pertaining to or “originating in,” Thus these organisms were first discovered in the Cape. In the early days of exploration this epithet was frequently applied to anywhere in South Africa or even Southern Africa
Description:
Shrub or tree to 12 m. Leaves elliptic-ovate. Flowers in terminal panicles, white. Feb.--Dec. NW, SW, AP, LB, SE (Olifants River Mts to E Cape and to tropical Africa).F
ORCHIDACEAE
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Greek orchis, testis; referring to the resemblance to the twin pseudo-bulbs of some genera.
G
Disperis
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Gk. dis = twice; pera = a pouch, sac; alluding to the pouches formed by the lateral sepals.
S
Disperis capensis
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Cape Province of South Africa, previously known as the Cape Colony. -ensis is a Latin adjectival suffix meaning “pertaining to or “originating in,” Thus these organisms were first discovered in the Cape. In the early days of exploration this epithet was frequently applied to anywhere in South Africa or even Southern Africa
Description:
Tuberous geophyte with softly hairy stem to 50 cm. Leaves 2, suberect, lanceolate. Flower 1, green and magenta or cream, sepals conspicuously tailed, lip limb curled downwards, lanceolate, warty, rostellum arms tightly coiled. July--Sept. Sandstone seeps, NW, SW, AP, KM, LB, SE (Pakhuis Mts to Grahamstown).G
Holothrix
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Gk. holos = entire, whole; thrix (thricos) = hair; the plant is hairy all over.
S
Holothrix villosa
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Description:
Slender tuberous geophyte to 36 cm, scape silky hairy. Leaves 2, basal, ovate, hairy. Flowers many in a dense raceme, green, petals entire, lip spurred and with 3--5 lobes. Oct.--Jan. Sandstone and granite slopes and pavements, NW, SW, AP, KM, LB, SE (Richtersveld and W Karoo to E Cape).G
Schizodium
NE
1
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Gr. schizein = to split; odium = resemblance; referring to either the bipartite column, which has the stigma and anthers separated, or to the bilobed petals.
S
Schizodium obliquum
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Latin obliquus meaning ‘slanting sideways’
Description:
Like S. inflexum but spur constricted at base. Mainly Aug.--Sept. Sandstone slopes, NW, SW, LB (Ceres to Cape Peninsula to Riversdale).
G
Alectra
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Gk. alektor, alektruon = a cock; an allusion to the resemblance of the flowers to a cock’s comb.
S
Alectra sessiliflora
3
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Latin ‘sessili’ / ‘sessilis’ meaning ‘spreading’; and the Latin ‘flora’ / ‘flos’ meaning ‘flower’.
Description:
Hemi-parasitic perennial to 25 cm. Leaves coarsely toothed below, spreading, longer than the flower buds. Flowers in spikes or racemes, yellow to orange, stamens unequal, filaments glabrous. Mainly Nov.--Apr. Damp flats and lower slopes, NW, SW, AP, KM, LB, SE (Gifberg to tropical Africa and Madagascar).G
Melasma
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Gk. melas = black. The plants turn black on drying.
S
Melasma scabrum
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Latin scabo meaning 'to scratch' meaning 'rough'
Description:
Shortly hairy hemi-parasitic perennial, sparsely branched above. Leaves narrow and lightly toothed. Flowers on long pedicels in lax racemes, cream with a purple throat. Nov.--Mar. Damp mountain slopes, SW, KM, LB, SE (Cape Peninsula to Mpumalanga).G
Osteospermum
NE
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Gk. osteon = bone; sperma = seed. The achenes are bone-hard.
G
Osteospermum
NE
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Gk. osteon = bone; sperma = seed. The achenes are bone-hard.
S
Osteospermum polygaloides
2
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Resembling members of the Genus Polygala (Polygalaceae)
Description:
Densely leafy, glabrescent shrub to 2 m, branches stiffly erect. Leaves oblong to ovate, leathery, ascending, recurved at the tips. Flower heads radiate, solitary on short, roughly hairy peduncles, yellow. Achenes ribbed and pitted, 5--7 mm long. Mainly Aug.--Dec. Rocky, mostly sandstone slopes, NW, SW, AP, KM, LB, SE (Olifants River Mts to KwaZulu-Natal).G
Oxalis
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Greek oxys = sharp, sour or acid and (h)als = salt. The plant is frequently consumed for its sour taste caused by the oxalic acid, particularly the flowering stalks of O. pes-caprae. In large quantities the oxalic acid inhibits digestion and in stock leads to the condition 'dikpens' or bloated belly.
S
Oxalis commutata
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Latin ‘commutata’ / ‘commutatus’ meaning ‘changed’
Description:
Small acaulescent geophyte. Leaves trifoliolate, leaflets rotund, with large epidermal cells. Flowers rose, lilac or white with yellow tube. Apr.--June. 50--300 m, NW, SW (Cold Bokkeveld to Cape Peninsula and Caledon).S
Oxalis polyphylla
(Vingersuring)
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From Latin poly = 'many' and phyllon = 'leaf'. It may also refer to a leaf divided into many leaflets.
Description:
Caulescent geophyte to 20 cm, bulb often gummy. Leaves terminal, 3(--7) -foliolate, leaflets linear-conduplicate, occ. thinly hairy beneath. Flowers rose, lilac or white with yellow tube and often darker margins. Mar.--June. Usually on flats, light or heavy soils, 100--300 m, SW, LB, SE (Malmesbury to Port Elizabeth).O
Oxalidales
NE
7
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Named after the genus Oxalis
G
Oxalis
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Greek oxys = sharp, sour or acid and (h)als = salt. The plant is frequently consumed for its sour taste caused by the oxalic acid, particularly the flowering stalks of O. pes-caprae. In large quantities the oxalic acid inhibits digestion and in stock leads to the condition 'dikpens' or bloated belly.
G
Fumaria
NE
4
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
La. fumus (terrae) = smoke of the earth; -aria = associated with, hence ‘fumitory’; referring to the disagreeable odour of the plant’s roots.
S
Fumaria muralis
(Duiwelskerwel)
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
From the Latin ‘muralis’ / ‘muralis’ meaning ‘relating to walls’
Description:
Sprawling annual to 1 m. Leaves bipinnate, segments cuneate, incised. Flowers in racemes, petals connivent, upper with a globose spur at the base, pink with purple tips. Fruits globose, erect. May--Oct. Weed of waste places, NW, SW, AP, KM, LB, SE (widespread European weed).
G
Clutia
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
For Theodorus Augerius Clutius (Outgers Cluyt) (1577–1636), Dutch botanist, horticulturalist, beekeeper and pharmacist, eldest son of Dirck Outgaertszoon Cluyt (Clutius) (1550–1598) from Delft, an apothecary, curator of the Leiden botanical garden, and an authority on medicinal herbs. Outgers studied and worked with his father in the garden. After his father died he hoped to become his successor, but failed in the attempt. Thereafter, he studied at the University of Montpellier for several years. Between 1602–1608 he travelled to France, Germany and Spain, and also, later, on three occasions to the desert of Barbary in North Africa to increase his knowledge and collect plants for the Leiden botanical garden. Leiden University rewarded him handsomely for his efforts. On his return to the Netherlands (1618), he worked as a physician and during that time worked hard to promote the Amsterdam Hortus Botanicus where he obtained a job against strong opposition. Herman Boerhaave honoured Outgers (and his father) by naming Clutia pulchella after them.
S
Clutia sp
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Description:
Like C. ericoides in leaf shape, but closely imbricate and spreading. Fruits subsessile, large and densely velvety. Probably June and July. Rocky slopes, SW (Bredasdorp).
F
APIACEAE
NE
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
Named after the genus Apium including Apium graveolens - celery.
G
Hermas
NE
13
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
The origin of the genus name Hermas is not known. Some sources state that Hermas, a freed slave who lived in Rome in the first or second century, was the seer of an apocalypse entitled The Shepherd, a work treated with great authority in ancient times and ranked with the Holy Bible. According to the Muratorian Canon and also stated in the Liberian Catalogue, he was the brother of Bishop Pius I, (c 145), who occupied the chair of the church of the city of Rome. However, there is no evidence that the genus name referred to him when Linnaeus created it in 1771.
G
Bulbine
NE
20
{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
Short etymology:
La. bulbus = an onion or bulb. A misnomer in that the plants do not have a bulbous base.