
Groot Karoo (Great Karoo)
Karoo is a Khoisan word that means 'dry, hard, thirst land'. This semi-desert interior region is a unique arid zone, considered a wonder of the scientific world. It boasts the richest diversity of succulents (over 9,000 species) and greatest variety of land tortoises on the planet, as well as the Western Cape's largest collection of San (Bushman) rock art and the country's first Braille fossil trail which boasts a record number of mammal-like reptiles dating as far back as 250 million years. Although the Groot Karoo initially appears to have been unscarred by time, those who dig deeper will find that it has a fascinating historical and cultural heritage.
At the 19th century, Imperial British forces moved across its vast plains to engage the Boers in the Anglo-Boer War, leaving a trail of British graves to mark their northward path. In the past century it made medical history, being the birthplace of both Dr Christiaan Barnard (heart-transplant pioneer) and Dr Emil Hoffa (founder of the modern science of orthopedics). A tourist route through Kwa-Mandlenkosi Township in Beaufort West continues on to Nelspoort (where the largest collection of San rock art is found) and the quiet town of Murraysburg.
South of Beaufort West along the N1 are the small settlements of Leeu Gamka and Merweville and the picturesque and historic town of Prince Albert, with its thriving dried fruit industry. Laingsburg, further south on the N1, is the most geologically interesting area of the Groot Karoo. Traces of the devastating flood of 1981 can still be seen on some of the buildings. Still further south is Matjiesfontein, a small fragment of Queen Victoria's Empire.
Excerpt from: http://www.southafrica.com/western-cape/groot-karoo/
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Hermannia

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Hermannia

Hermannia

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Hermannia

Gladiolus

Oxalis

Dipcadi brevifolium
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Taxonomy term
Albuca
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La. albus = white or albicans = becoming white; referring to the colouring of some Albuca flowers.
Albuca virens
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Present active participle of the Latin vireō (“I am green”).
Aloe longistyla
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From the Latin longus = 'long' and stylus = 'style'; referring to the long style, the stalk that bears the receptive stigma
Anacampseros
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Gk. anakampto = to cause the return of; eros = love. The plant was supposed to be able to restore love.
Anacampseros ustulata
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From the Latin ‘ustulata’ / ‘ustulatus’ meaning ‘slightly scorched’
Anisodontea capensis
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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
Aptosimum spinescens
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From the Latin spina = 'spine', 'thorn', 'prick' or 'prickle' and -escens = 'becoming like'; i.e. the thorns are incompletely formed
Argyrolobium collinum
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From the Latin collinus = 'pertaining to hills'; referring to the habitat
Athanasia microcephala
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From the Greek mikra = 'small' and kephalos = 'head'; i.e. having a small head of flowers
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