Roggeveld Plateau
The Bokkeveld Plateau is an area in the Northern Cape. It harbours possibly the highest densities of geophytes (bulbous plants) in the world, and hence is referred to by the locals as The Bulb Capital of the World. These bulbs occur mainly in the mountain renosterveld, to a lesser degree in the succulent karoo vegetation, and least of all in the mountain fynbos. Around the town of Nieuwoudtville heavy grazing in the renosterveld suppresses the growth of perennials leading to spring displays of annuals and bulbs. Most of the rainfall occurs in winter and spring with peak flowering varying considerably from year to year, but typically between August and September. In March the autumn flowering hysteranthus (flowers appear when the leaves are dormant) Amaryllidaceae put on a spectacular display.
Nodes
Nemesia leipoldtii
Annesorhiza altiscapa
Anisodontea anomala
Helichrysum
Tylecodon
Pelargonium tragacanthoides
Nerium oleander
Bulbinella
Limosella aquatica
Pages
Taxonomy term
Daubenya aurea var. coccinea
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From the Latin coccineus = ‘scarlet’
Dianthus namaensis
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From the region of Namaqualand in the Northern Cape
Diascia
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Gk. di- = two; askion = wineskin, bladder, belly; referring to the two lateral corolla pouches.
Dimorphotheca
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Gk. di- = two; morphe = form; theke =a fruit (a case or container); referring to the two different forms of cypselae (fruit) produced by the ray and disk flowers: those of the ray flowers wingless, three-cornered; those of the disk flattened and two-winged.
Dischisma
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Gk. di- = two; schizein = to split; referring to the divided corolla tube.
Disperis purpurata
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From the Latin pupureus = 'purplish'
Duvalia polita
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From the Latin 'politus' meaning polished/glossy
Eriocephalus africanus
(Wild Rosemary){"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[]}
From the Latin africanus = ‘relating to Africa’
Eriospermum
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Gk. erion = wool; sperma = seed. The seed is covered with white hairs.
Falkia
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For Johan Peter Falck (Falk) (1733–1774), Swedish botanist and doctor, traveller, professor of botany at St Petersburg, and pupil of Linnaeus. He accompanied Linnaeus on his expedition to the island province of Gotland and tutored Carl Linnaeus the Younger. He undertook an expedition at the behest of the Russian Academy of Sciences to explore a vast area of Siberia, during which he collected a great deal of information about plants, animals and local peoples and customs. He committed suicide in Kazan after having become addicted to opium and enduring long spells of depression.
Felicia amoena
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From the Latin amoenus = ‘pleasing / pleasant’
Gazania
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Gk. gaze, gaza = riches, royal treasure; chloe = grass; or possibly after Theodorus Gaza (many spellings of this name) (1398–1478), a Greek scholar who moved to Italy in 1430. He became professor in Greek at the University of Ferrara (1447) and a Greek-Latin translator for Pope Nicholas V (1450–1455). He worked for King Alfonso V of Aragon (Alphonso the Magnanimous) (1456–1458) and subsequently for Cardinal Bessarion. He translated many works including Aristotle’s Problemata, De Partibus Animalium, and De Generatione Animalium and Theophrastus’ Historia Plantarum, works by noted Greek authors, and a Greek grammar (four books). He is regarded as one of the greatest classical scholars and humanists of the Renaissance.