Tanqua Karoo
Semi-arid and arid desert east of the Cedarberg Mountains. It is famous not only for its highly endemic flora but also is the locality of the outrageously outlandish Afrika Burn festival that takes place at Tankwa Town every May. The flowering period is typically brief and is often early relative to the rest of the Western Cape, typically peaking in August. In summer it is blisteringly hot with dust-devils raking the molten metamorphic rock covering portions of the Tanqua basin. Much of the Tanqua is used for grazing though there are increasing numbers of reserves including the Tanqua Karoo National Park that provide some measure of protection. The border between the Northern and Western Cape cuts through the Tanqua Karoo. Perhaps the best known of the plants is the Hoodia (Ngaap) that occurs naturally in the area and has been exploited as an appetite suppressant. Sceletium is a plant imbibed or sniffed for its energising and euphoric properties. Some creatures unique to the Tanqua include the terrifying Stofadil that terrorizes tourists to the area and has a particular prediliction for car tyres.
Nodes
Othonna
Tylecodon
APIACEAE
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Oxalis convexula
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Drimia
Drimia
Pages
Taxonomy term
Asteraceae
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Named after the genus Aster. The name Aster comes from the Ancient Greek word ἀστήρ (astḗr), meaning "star", referring to the shape of the flower head.
Babiana
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Unusual among South African plants in the name being derived from the vernacular Dutch, "baviaantjie", Afrikaans "bobbejaantjie" or its Cape corruption "babiaantjie". The baboon, bobbejaan, is partial to the corms.
Babiana
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Unusual among South African plants in the name being derived from the vernacular Dutch, "baviaantjie", Afrikaans "bobbejaantjie" or its Cape corruption "babiaantjie". The baboon, bobbejaan, is partial to the corms.
Babiana
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Unusual among South African plants in the name being derived from the vernacular Dutch, "baviaantjie", Afrikaans "bobbejaantjie" or its Cape corruption "babiaantjie". The baboon, bobbejaan, is partial to the corms.
Berkheya
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Named in honour of Lefranq von Berkhey.
Bulbine
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La. bulbus = an onion or bulb. A misnomer in that the plants do not have a bulbous base.
Bulbine
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La. bulbus = an onion or bulb. A misnomer in that the plants do not have a bulbous base.
Bulbine
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La. bulbus = an onion or bulb. A misnomer in that the plants do not have a bulbous base.
Chaenostoma
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Gk. khaino = gape, split, open; stoma = mouth; referring to the corolla tube, which opens widely.\
Cotyledon
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Gk. kotyledon = seed leaf, from kotyle = cup, bowl; referring to the bowl- or spoon-shape of the broad seed leaves.
Cotyledon
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Gk. kotyledon = seed leaf, from kotyle = cup, bowl; referring to the bowl- or spoon-shape of the broad seed leaves.
Crassula
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La. crassus = thick; -ula = diminutive; referring to the fleshy succulent leaves.
Crassula vaillantii
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Cyphia
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Gk. kyphos = bent; referring to the shape of the style and stigma.