A Botanist in the Western Cape, South Africa

A totally digital presentation.

Protea cynaroides - King Protea

I have had the great fortune to make 3 long trips to the southern tip of South Africa, drawn by the magnet of the famous fynbos vegetation and the Cape Floral Kingdom. The latter is designated as a World Heritage area and is very special. Whilst the vegetation is described as Mediterranean the species are so very different with some 6000 endemic to the Cape Floral Kingdom. Even with extended stays, I have only had but a glimpse of the floristic wealth of the region.


Erica cerinthoides	Manulea tomentosa	Watsonia sp.

As usual,the talk does not concentrate on any one particular area but visits many sites around the area of the Western Cape, from Cape Point to Clanwilliam in the north and across to Sedgefield in the east. The vegetation illustrated varies fom fynbos to semi-desert and from coast to mountain regions. Identification and finding common names has proved somewhat of a challenge.

		Identification
Gazania krebsiana		Leucospermum cordifolium


Lebeckia sepiaria		Aristea africana

Syncarpha vestita		Dimorphotheca pluvialis

Romulea rosea	Satyrium carneum	Moraea papilionacea

More pictures can be seen in the photo gallery "Images from the Western Cape"

email - IanWhitehead1@virginmedia.com

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All photographs are the copyright of Ian R.Whitehead and may not be used without written permission.

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