141-172 - SABONET

Flora zambesiaca area, but I have one reservation. 

Here in PRE specimens move, albeit slowly, as the 

collection expands, and so the cupboard locations 

are about the least stable data we have ever collected. 

We had a similar system in the very first 

version of PRECIS, way back in 1974, and then it 

was useful to ensure that the specimens were not 

too badly misfiled after encoding. But we quietly 

stopped maintaining that information very early 

on, and now only a few cabinets still have the 

numbers they were all marked with. However, our 

northern neighbours have produced a very impressive 

piece of work, and one can only wish them 

well in future endeavours. 

Townsend, C.C. & Guest, E. eds. (various 

dates). Flora of Iraq. Ministry of Agriculture, 

Baghdad. (4 volumes received). 

Iraq is a long way from the SABONET region, 

isn’t it? It is, but this flora includes more than a 

few species common to both, and an account of 

the cultivated taxa in each family covered. These 

four parts, plus the two already in the Mary Gunn 

Library, appear to cover about two thirds of the 

entire flora. 

Dassanyake, M.D. & Clayton, D.W. eds. 1999. 

Revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon 13. 

Balkema, Rotterdam. ISBN 90 5410 791 X 

The latest volume of this well-known flora contains 

accounts of 31 small families, and must 

surely almost complete the project. Dare one hope 

for an index before the revised handbook is declared 

complete? 

Jongkind, C.C.H. 1999. Flore du Gabon 35: 

Combretaceae. Museum nationale d’Histoire 

Naturelle, Paris. ISBN 2-85654-204-2. Price FF 300.00. 

There are several species of the family treated here 

that are known from southern African cultivation, 

and I suspect that particularly our Angolan colleagues 

will find this volume essential reading. 

The line drawings are some of the best I have 

seen, combining aesthetic satisfaction with scientific 

accuracy. 

Some of these books were still being catalogued 

when this column closed. It is quite possible that 

some may be more fully reviewed in a later issue 

of SABONET News. 

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 

Christopher Willis draws our attention to: 

South African Journal of Botany 65(1) was 

published in February 1999. It contains, amongst 

others, the following articles: 

◗ A reappraisal of the identification and distribution 

of Asparagus asparagoides in southern 

Africa (C.A. Kleinjan and Penelope B. Edwards). 

Pages 23–31. Relevant to the countries of Lesotho, 

Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa. 

◗ New species of Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) 

from Namaqualand (Elizabeth M. Marais). Pages 

50–58. Pelargonium angustipetalum 

(Namaqualand, South Africa), P. parvipetalum 

(Gamoep to Pakhuis Pass, Northern/Western Cape 

Provinces) and P. rubiginosum (Richtersveld to 

Kourkamma Mountains south of Komaggas) are 

described as new species. 

◗ Resurrection of two previously confused 

species, Olinia capensis (Jacq.) Klotzsch and 

O. micrantha Decne. (Oliniaceae) (R.J. Sebola 

and K. Balkwill). Pages 97–103. 

◗ Merxmuellera cincta subsp. sericea (Poaceae), 

a new subspecies from the Eastern Cape Province, 

South Africa (Nigel P. Barker). Pages 104– 

109. 

South African Journal of Botany 65(2) was 

published in April 1999. It contains, amongst 

others, the following articles: 

◗ Taxonomy of the genus Pelargonium 

(Geraniaceae): the section Polyactium 3. The 

subsection Polyactium (G.L. Maggs, P. Vorster, 

J.J.A. van der Walt and M. Gibby) Pages 115–143. 

◗ Lobostemon daltonii (Boraginaceae): a new 

species from the Western Cape, South Africa 

(Matt H. Buys and J.J.A. van der Walt). Pages 

144–148. 

◗ Leaf anatomy of the southern African 

Icacinaceae and its taxonomic significance 

(M.J. Potgieter & A.E. van Wyk). Pages 153–162. 

◗ A convenient thin layer chromatographic 

technique for chemotaxonomic application in 

Maytenus (Celastraceae) (C.B. Rogers, A.T.D. 

Abbott & A.E. van Wyk). Pages 174–176. 

◗ Systematic studies in subfamily Celastroideae 

(Celastraceae) in southern Africa: reinstatement 

of the genus Gymnosporia (Marie Jordaan 

and A.E. van Wyk). Pages 177–181. 

141

Aloe 36(1)(1999), Journal of the Succulent Society 

of South Africa. 

◗ A species recovery contribution for Haworthia 

limifolia var. limifolia, the umathithibala of the 

Zulu (Neil R. Crouch, Gideon F. Smith, Geoff 

Nichols, Jenny A. Burden & J. Mark Gillmer). 

Pages 8–13. 

◗ Notes on Bulbine mesembryanthoides Haw. 

(Graham Williamson). Pages 14–15. 

◗ A new species of Khadia N.E. Br. 

(Mesembryanthemaceae) from the Northern 

Province of South Africa (P.J.D. Winter & N. 

Hahn). Pages 16–19. 

◗ Ceraria namaquensis (Sond.) H.Pearson & 

Stephens (R. Frandsen). Page 20. 

◗ The status of Brachystelma campanulatum 

N.E.Br. in the Eastern Cape, South Africa 

(Tony Dold and Dez Weeks). Page 21. 

◗ Pachypodium lealii Welw., the Bottle Tree 

(François Steffens). Page 22. 

PLANT TALK Issue 17 (April 1999) contains the 

following articles which may be of interest to our 

readers: 

◗ South Africa’s “Flower Valley” SAVED 

(Anonymous). Page 17. 

◗ Rare plants in the Netherlands: the problems 

of small populations (Gerard Oostermeijer). 

Pages 26–28. 

◗ Drawing plants: ten pointers to botanical 

illustration (Rosemary Wise). Pages 29–32. 

PLANT TALK Issue 18 (July 1999) contains the 

following article which will certainly be of interest 

to our Malawian readers and those who have had 

the privilege of experiencing the granitic massif of 

Mount Mulanje in south eastern Malawi: 

◗ Malawi’s Mulanje Mountain (Russ Clare). 

Pages 19–22. 

Bulletin of the Grassland Society of Southern 

Africa 9(1) 1999 

◗ Convention on Biological Diversity: Its implications 

for the conservation, collection and 

supply of plant genetic resources (M.M. 

Wolfson). Pages 26–29. 

Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 130(1) 1999 

◗ A new species of Rhus (Anacardiaceae), 

endemic to serpentine near Barberton, 

142 

Mpumalanga (Eastern Transvaal), South 

Africa (R.O. Moffett). Pages 37–42. Rhus 

pygmaea, a serpentine endemic, is described by 

Rodney Moffett. R. pygmaea, a dwarf evergreen 

shrublet between 10 and 20 cm high, is restricted 

to serpentine west and north-west of Barbeton, 

Mpumalanga, where it occurs in grassveld. 

American Journal of Botany 86(6) 1999 

◗ Molecular phylogenetics of Diseae 

(Orchidaceae): a contribution from nuclear 

ribosomal ITS sequences (E.J.P. Douzery, A.M. 

Pridgeon, P. Kores, H.P. Linder, H. Kurzweil & 

M.W. Chase). Pages 887–899. The first molecular 

phylogeny of the tribe Diseae (Orchidoideae: 

Orchidaceae) is presented. 

Novon 9(2)1999 

◗ Senecio aetfatensis (Asteraceae: Senecioneae), 

a new species from Zimbabwe (B. Nordenstam). 

Pages 245–247. A new species, Senecio 

aetfatensis, is described from the Chimanimani 

Mountains of eastern Zimbabwe. The plant was 

found during the AETFAT post-congress excursion 

to the mountains of eastern Zimbabwe in February 

1997. 

Cimbebasia 15 1999 

◗ Folk and formal, local and national—Damara 

knowledge and community conservation in 

southern Kunene, Namibia (S. Sullivan). Pages 

1–28. This paper explores aspects of culturallymediated 

knowledge and uses of natural resources 

among contemporary Damara farmers in southern 

Kunene Region, and considers the potential 

relevance of these for current ‘community’ 

approaches to conservation. 

◗ Flora of the Cuvelai wetlands, northern 

Namibia (N.V. Clarke). Pages 99–115. 

British Cactus and Succulent Journal 17(2) 1999 

◗ A visit to the Patatsrivier area of the Ceres 

Karoo (P. Fourie). Pages 66–67. 

Journal of Biogeography 26 March 1999 

◗ A vegetation map of Central Africa derived 

from satellite imagery (P. Mayaux, T. Richards & 

E. Janodet). Pages 353–366. 

◗ Fossil wood charcoal assemblages from 

Elands Bay Cave, South Africa: implications 

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999

for Late Quarternary vegetation and climates 

in the winter-rainfall fynbos biome (R.M. 

Cowling, C.R. Cartwright, J.E. Parkington & J.C. 

Allsopp). Pages 367–378. 

Journal of Bryology 21(2) 1999 

◗ Bryophytes collected in Lesotho, the Natal 

Drakensberg and the Orange Free State, southern 

Africa (N.G. Hodgetts, H.W. Matcham & J.G. 

Duckett). Pages 133–155. This paper lists the 

bryophytes collected during a month-long expedition 

(January–February 1995) to Lesotho and the 

Natal Drakensberg. Of the species recorded, 12 

(2 hepatics, 10 mosses) are new to Africa, with 

one (moss) new to sub-Saharan Africa, 21 

(12 hepatics, 9 mosses) new to southern Africa, 

84 (43 hepatics, 41 mosses) new to Lesotho, 

2 (mosses) new to South Africa and 3 (1 hepatic, 

2 mosses) new to Natal but recorded previously 

elsewhere in South Africa. 

Kew Bulletin 54(1) 1999 

◗ A morphometric study of Dioscorea 

quartiniana A. Rich. (Dioscoreaceae) (P. Wilkin). 

Pages 1–18. 

◗ A revision of the compound-leaved Yams 

(Dioscorea, Dioscoreaceae) of Africa (P. Wilkin). 

Pages 19–39. 

◗ The genus Tarchonanthus (Compositae– 

Mutisieae) (H.J. Beentje). Pages 81–95. 

◗ Three new species of Brachystegia Benth. 

(Leguminosae–Caesalpinioideae) (A.C. Hoyle & 

R.K. Brummitt). Pages 155–161. The three new 

Brachystegia species are Brachystegia astlei, B. 

michelmorei and B. torrei. 

Bothalia 29(1) May 1999 

◗ Studies in the liverwort genus Fossombronia 

(Metzgeriales) from southern Africa. 7. F. 

capensis var. spiralis, a new variety from Western 

Cape (S.M. Perold). Pages 1–4. 

◗ Revision of the genus Calpurnia (Sophoreae: 

Leguminosae) (A.J. Beaumont, R.P. Beckett, T.J. 

Edwards & C.H. Stirton). Pages 5–23. 


(Metzgeriales) from southern Africa. 8. F. 

elsieae and F. spinosa, two new Western Cape 

species with spinose spores (S.M. Perold). Pages 25–33. 

◗ Revision of the genus Faucaria (Ruschioideae: 

Aizoaceae) in South Africa (L.E. Groen & L.J.G. 


van der Maesen). Pages 35–58. Faucaria is a 

small genus of succulents, concentrated in southcentral 

Eastern Cape, South Africa. The revision 

reduces the number of species from 33 to six. 

◗ New species of Sparaxis and Ixia (Iridaceae: 

Ixioideae) from Western Cape, South Africa, 

and taxonomic notes on Ixia and Gladiolus 

(P. Goldblatt & J.C. Manning). Pages 59–63. 

◗ The genus Amphiglossa (Gnaphalieae, 

Relhaniinae, Asteraceae) in southern Africa 

(M. Koekemoer). Pages 65–75. Relevant to South 

Africa and Namibia. Includes the conservation 

status of the individual species, with Amphiglossa 

corrudifolia, A. callunoides and A. celans each 

considered rare. A. perotrichoides is listed as 

probably endangered, as it grows together with the 

threatened Renosterveld. 


(Metzgeriales) from southern Africa. 9. A new 

species from Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, 

with notes on other species (S.M. Perold). Pages 

77–82. 


(Metzgeriales) from southern Africa. 10. Three 

new species from Northern and Western Cape 

(S.M. Perold). Pages 83–93. 

◗ Notes on African plants: Ericaceae. Two new 

species of Erica from Western Cape, South 

Africa (E.G.H. Oliver & I.M. Oliver). Pages 95– 

98. Erica hansfordii and Erica feminarum are 

described. The specific epithet of Erica feminarum 

(= of women) was, according to the authors, 

chosen because the species was first collected by a 

woman, Elsie Esterhuysen, 50 years ago and found 

again by the authors on National Women’s Day, 

1997! 

◗ Notes on African plants: Solanaceae. Three 

new records of Solanum section Oliganthes in 

southern Africa (W.G. Welman). Pages 98–99. 

Distribution records are provided for three Solanum 

species previously not recorded for the 

region: Solanum litoraneum, S. torreanum and 

S. usaramense. Relevant to Mozambique, 

Swaziland and South Africa. 

◗ Notes on African plants: Agavaceae. Agave 

vivipara: the correct name for Agave 

angustifolia (G.F. Smith & E.M.A. Steyn). Page 100. 

◗ Notes on African plants: Lamiaceae. Salvia 

thermara, a new species from the Western 

Cape, South Africa (E.J. van Jaarsveld). Pages 

143

100–102. The specific epithet thermara pertains to 

the Goudini warm springs where the plant was 

collected. 

◗ Notes on African plants: Polypodiaceae. 

Polypodium ensiforme, the correct name for 

Microsorum ensiforme (Polypodioideae) 

(J.P. Roux). Pages 103–107. 

◗ Notes on African plants: Rubiaceae. A new 

species of Pavetta from the Soutpansberg, South 

Africa (N. Hahn). Pages 107–109. Pavetta 

tshikondeni is described for the first time. According 

to the author, P. tshikondeni is one of at least 

36 plant species endemic to the Soutpansberg 

range (including the Blouberg). A key to all 

known Pavetta species in the Soutpansberg and its 

surroundings is included. 

◗ Notes on African plants: Ophioglossaceae: 

Pteridophyta. Two new taxa of Ophioglossum 

from tropical Africa (J.E. Burrows). Pages 109–112. 

◗ Notes on African plants: Ericaceae. Three 

new species of Erica from Western Cape, South 

Africa (E.G.H. Oliver & I.M. Oliver). Pages 112–117. 

Erica cubitans, E. garciae and E. sperata are 

described for the first time. 

◗ Montane flora of the southern Langeberg, 

South Africa: a checklist of the flowering plants 

and ferns (D.J. McDonald). Pages 119–137. The 

flora of the southern Langeberg includes 1 228 

species and intraspecific taxa recorded in 361 

genera and 105 families. 

◗ Flora of the Kap River Reserve, Eastern 

Cape, South Africa (E.C. Cloete & R.A. Lubke). 

Pages 139–149. 

◗ Vegetation of the Sileza Nature Reserve and 

neighbouring areas, South Africa, and its 

importance in conserving the woody grasslands 

of the Maputaland Centre of Endemism 

(W.S. Matthews, A.E. van Wyk & N. van Rooyen). 

Pages 151–167. 

◗ Itinerary and specimen list of M.A. Pocock’s 

botanical collecting expedition in Zambia and 

Angola in 1925 (M.G. Balarin, E. Brink & H. 

Glen). Pages 169–201. A MUST for all botanists 

working in Angola and Zambia! This fascinating 

article describes Mary Pocock’s (or Mamie, as she 

was affectionately known to her colleagues) sixmonth 

expedition with Dorothea Bleek across 

Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and Angola to 

Benguela and finally to Lobito Bay between April 

and October 1925. During the 90 years of her life, 

144 

Mary Pocock probably collected over 30 000 

specimens in total. 

Systematics and Geography of Plants 

The proceedings of the 13 th Symposium on Morphology, 

Anatomy and 

Systematics have now 

been published as a 

special issue of Systematics 

and Geography of 

Plants, an international 

journal edited by the 

National Botanic Garden 

of Belgium. Systematics 

and Geography of 

Plants is the continuation 

of Bulletin du 

Jardin Botanique 

National de Belgique/Bulletin van de National 

Plantentuin van België. 

Clare Archer has reviewed the following books: 

Cyperaceae of Namibia: an illustrated key. 

Clarke, N. & Mannheimer, C. 1999. Occasional 

Contributions No. 1. National Botanical Research 

Institute, 

Windhoek, Namibia. 

ISBN 0-86976-485-3. 

96 pp. Soft cover, 

spiral bound. Price: 

R80-00. 

Since Podlech’s 1967 

treatment of 

Cyperaceae in 

Prodromus einer Flora 

von Südwestafrika 165, 

the family has undergone 

many taxonomic and nomenclatural changes. 

Also with increased exploration by the National 

Botanical Research Institute, many new records 

have been discovered. Hence the urgent need for 

this book. 

The 168 taxa of Cyperaceae in Namibia are keyed 

out to genus and species and are illustrated to 

varying degrees. Their geographical distributions 

are plotted on individual maps (pp. 66–88). Not 

only Cyperaceae are treated: there is also a key to 


the families of Cyperaceae-like plants (Juncaceae, 

Eriocaulaceae—here spelled Eriocaulonaceae— 

and Poaceae) plus keys to and illustrations of the 

Namibian species of Juncus and Eriocaulon. 

The authors are to be congratulated on tackling 

such a daunting task. As noted in the introduction, 

this is only the first step towards a well-researched 

Flora. Much more taxonomic and nomenclatural 

research—especially tracking down of type specimens—has 

to be done before that goal is achieved. 

Although the present publication is designed for 

use in the field and by non-specialists, with simplified 

terminology, it should encourage people to 

collect and identify material and to build up the 

specimen base in WIND. 

On paging through the book I came across a few 

glitches and inconsistencies which are perhaps 

forgivable as it was produced in a fairly short time. 

For example, Dinter 7599 is listed as Cyperus 

foliaceus, a tropical species. In Podlech Dinter 

7599 is cited as C. tenuispica and the duplicate in 

PRE is definitely that species. To sort this out 

sheets at M, PRE and WIND would need to be 

compared. And that is only one of the 168 listed 

species! There is a strange and incorrect reference 

to Rendle (Bibliography p. 90). It is a pity that the 

list of species (Appendix 1, pp. 91–96) is based on 

the published version of PRECIS, which is severely 

outdated, while an electronic version is 

available which is continuously updated. Unfortunately 

the genus Monandrus Vorster—still unpublished 

from Vorster’s 1978 D.Sc. thesis—has been 

included here. These problems aside, it is a useful 

book to have and I look forward to trying the keys 

on Namibian material. 

World Economic Plants: a standard reference. 

Wiersema, J.H. & León, B. 1999. CRC Press, 

Boca Raton, Florida. ISBN 0-8493-2119-0. 749 pp. 

Hard cover. 286 x 220 mm. Price US$125-00. 

This authoritative work includes nearly 10 000 

entries on vascular plant taxa which are considered 

to be of economic importance. The first and major 

part of the book (pp. 1–536) is a Catalogue of 

these plants, listed alphabetically by genus, species, 

and, where applicable, infraspecific name; 


cultivars are excluded. 

A big plus is that the 

catalogue is very easy 

to use, with large font 

size and doublecolumned 

text contributing 

to legibility, 

while abbreviations 

used are obvious ones 

and do not require 

paging back to the 

beginning for explanations. 

It is easy to find 

the entry for a particular taxon as the genus, 

species and infraspecific names are in bold, with 

the genus name, where it first occurs, in bold 

capitals. Individual entries comprise the currently 

accepted name of the taxon (including author 

names) on the first line. The following line lists 

synonyms, if any, in italics, then on the next line 

multilingual common names are listed, with the 

preferred one underlined. The next line details the 

economic importance of the plant, with the final 

line briefly listing world-wide distribution. 

The second part is a comprehensive Index of 

Common Names (pp. 537–749) relating to the 

entries in the Catalogue. 

The authors, Drs Wiersema and León, are plant 

taxonomists employed by the Agricultural Research 

Service of the United States Department of 

Agriculture (USDA-ARS). Their compilation is 

based on many critically evaluated sources, which 

are freely acknowledged. The book had its beginnings 

in “A checklist of names for 3 000 vascular 

plants of economic importance”, first published 

1977 by Dr. E.A. Terrell, to whom the present 

volume is dedicated. Many other publications 

were consulted, as well as plant specialists worldwide. 

Various criteria used for inclusion are 

explained in the Introduction, but for me the most 

noteworthy factor is the global nature of the data. 

The information published here is an extract of a 

much larger database accessible on the World 

Wide Web at http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/tax/ 

taxecon.html. (For more information on the web 

site, see From the Web in this issue.) 

145

Finally, you may ask, what exactly constitutes an 

“economic plant”? As the authors explain in their 

Introduction, these are “plants or plant products 

that are traded, regulated, or are otherwise directly 

or indirectly important to international commerce”. 

Thus plant taxa providing crops, fodder, 

honey, fuel, timber or other raw materials, and 

medicine are included, as well as poisonous plants, 

weeds, potential new genetic resources and ornamental 

plants. In the latter category CITES listings, 

if applicable, are noted. Significantly, environmentally 

important plants, for example those 

providing erosion control, are noted. Here I could 

suggest another category, namely those plants 

which help to improve water quality. That would 

take care of the rest of Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and 

many other marsh plants which are not already 

listed as weeds or ornamentals! ❑ 

References 

Pritzel, G.A. 1872–1882. Thesaurus literaturae 

botanicae. Nicolai, Berlin (and 3 facsimile reprints: 

see TL-2 for details). 

Hugh Glen, Christopher Willis & Clare Archer 

National Herbarium 

National Botanical Institute 

Private Bag X101 

Pretoria 0001 

SOUTH AFRICA 

Tel.: (27) 12 804 3200 

Fax: (27) 12 804 3211 

E-mail: 

hfg@nbipre.nbi.ac.za (Hugh) 

ckw@nbipre.nbi.ac.za (Christopher) 

clare@nbipre.nbi.ac.za (Clare) 

New releases 

by the 


FLOWERING PLANTS OF AFRICA, 

VOLUME 56 

With 20 colour plates, accompanying texts and 

distribution maps of among others: Greyia 

flannaganii, Rhipsalis baccifera, three species of 

146 

Lachenalia, 

Dacryodes buettneri 

(a rain-forest tree 

from Gabon), 

Myrothamnus 

flabellifolia (also 

known as the resurrection 

plant), and 

Disa nubigena (a new 

species from Devil’s 

Peak at the southern 

tip of Africa). Artists 

whose work is featured 

are Gillian Condy, Fay Anderson, Claire 

Linder-Smith and Kate Abernethy. 

Soft cover, 121 pages; ISSN 0015-4504; ISBN 1- 

919795-33-2 

Price: SADC countries R120,00; other countries 

US$40,00 

FLORA OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, 

VOLUME 7, PART 2, FASCICLE 1 

Taxonomic treatment with keys and descriptions 

of the following genera of the Iridaceae (subfamily 

Ixioideae, tribe Ixieae, subtribes Ixiinae and 

Tritoniinae): Ixia, Dierama (list of species only), 

Tritonia, Crocosmia, Duthiastrum, Chasmanthe, 

Devia and Sparaxis by Miriam P. de Vos & Peter 

Goldblatt. 

Soft cover, 179 pages with 42 line drawings and 

82 distribution maps. ISBN 1-919795-42-1 

Price below includes a FREE COPY of Flora of 

southern Africa Vol. 7, Part 2, Fascicle 2 

(Syringodea, Romulea) published in 1983. 

Price: SADC countries R135,00; other countries 

US$32,00 

Postage & packaging: RSA and SADC countries 

R15,00 on first book (including free Flora copy), 

R5,00 on every subsequent book (including free 

Flora copy); other countries US$6,00 on first book 

(including free Flora copy), US$2,00 on every 

subsequent book (including free Flora copy). 

Available from: NBI Bookshop, Private Bag 

X101, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa 

Tel.: (27) 12 804-3200 

Fax: (27) 12 804-3211 

E-mail: bookshop@nbipre.nbi.ac.za ❑ 



Sehlabathebe 

National Park 

Lesotho’s Mountain Paradise 

by Christopher Willis, 

Gideon Smith 

& Lerato Kose 

Sehlabathebe National 

Park, Lesotho. The rocks 

in the foreground are 

Cave Sandstone. The high 

cliffs in the background, 

known as “The Three 

Bushmen”, are situated 

just outside the northern 

boundary of the park and 

are of volcanic origin. 

▲ 

147

Introduction 

Situated in Lesotho’s south-eastern corner, within 

Qacha’s Nek District, the 6 500 ha Sehlabathebe 

National Park (SNP) is currently the only national 

park in this Mountain Kingdom. Landlocked and 

entirely surrounded by South Africa, the Kingdom 

of Lesotho is one of the smallest and most elevated 

countries in Africa. With an area of 30 355 

km 2 , Lesotho is a country of rugged relief, bracing 

climate, heavy annual rainfall (averaging 

1 900 mm) and winter snow. Most of Lesotho is 

grass-covered, yet the thin soils are highly erodible. 

The SNP is located between latitude 29 o 52' 

and 29 o 58'S and longitude 29 o 03' and 29 o 08'E at 

altitudes which range between 2 200 m and 

2 600 m above sea level (a.s.l.) (Greyling & 

Huntley 1984). Whilst most of the park lies 

between 2 300 and 2 450 m a.s.l., mountains just 

outside the northern border soar to 2 900 m. 

The park was established in 1970 (Lesotho Government 

Gazette Notice 34 of 1970) as Lesotho’s 

first (and so far only) national park. Ancient 

legends attempt to explain the origin of the name, 

Sehlabathebe. The most popular tales relate the 

saga of a great battle which took place on the high 

plateau where a victorious tribe pierced the shield 

of the enemy, thus the name “plateau of the shields”. 

As the brochure to the SNP indicates, “travel to 

the park is an adventure in itself”. The five main 

access routes to the park are as follows: 

From Matatiele (South Africa) via 

Ramatseliso’s Gate (probably the quickest route 

when travelling from South Africa) 

From Maseru via Thaba Tseka over Matebeng 

Pass on the Senqu River 

From Maseru via the southern route through 

Quthing and Qacha’s Nek 

On foot or horseback from the Bushmen’s Nek 

border post in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 

(this is a 10 km trip up a steep and winding 

bridle path) 

By aircraft to the Ha Paulus airstrip (see 

Zonneveld 1998). 

Whether travelling from Maseru or Matatiele, a 

four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended. 

148 

Accommodation available to visitors within the 

park includes a lodge (which can accommodate 12 

guests) and a comfortable hostel. Other structures 

include a Research Centre (housing the SNP 

Herbarium) as well as the Park Headquarters and 

staff housing. Reservations for the lodge are 

handled through the Ministry of Agriculture’s 

Conservation Division in Maseru. 

Almost all of the park is on Cave Sandstone rock 

formation (Jacot Guillarmod, Getliffe & Mzamane 

1973) and the altitude at which the park occurs is 

the highest known at which Cave Sandstone 

occurs in southern Africa. Where the Cave Sandstone 

protrudes it has been “carved by erosion into 

strange shapes and many caves and arches as well 

as providing many deep pools and a number of 

shallower, less permanent ones” (Jacot Guillarmod 

et al. 1973). These sandstone outcrops are usually 

rich bryophyte habitats (Hodgetts, Matcham & 

Duckett 1999). A number of volcanic dykes 

intrude into the sandstone, “criss-crossing the area 

in straight, Roman-road fashion” (Jacot 

Guillarmod et al. 1973). The soil mixture is partly 

sedimentary from the sandstone and partly lithosol 

from the volcanic rocks. 

SNP receives ca 1 300 mm rainfall per annum, and 

the annual average temperature ranges from a 

minimum of 9 o C to a maximum of 16 o C (Greyling 

& Huntley 1984). The area, which is classified as 

having a temperate climate, receives ca 80% of its 

rainfall in summer (October to February), as well 

as snowfalls, some rain and frosts in winter (Jacot 

Guillarmod & Marais 1972; Greyling & Huntley 

1984). The whole area is in a mistbelt, being part 

of the Drakensberg escarpment. The main drainage 

system flowing through the park is the Tsoelikana 

River, a tributary of the Senqu (Orange) River. It is 

in this river that the endangered Drakensberg or 

Maluti Minnow, Oreodaimon quathlambae, an 

indigenous fish species, has been recorded 

(Skelton 1987). 

Phytogeography 

The immense floristic diversity of the subcontinent 

is not evenly distributed across the entire 


egion: high species concentrations are indeed 

often restricted to specific locations. Most of these 

areas are rich in endemics—plants that are confined 

to specific areas. The Drakensberg Mountain 

range in Lesotho and southeastern South Africa is 

one such area. The vegetation of the area has been 

classified differently by various scientists over the 

years: 

• Eastern Mountain Region (Phillips 1917) 

Austro-afroalpine Region (Van Zinderen- 

Bakker & Werger 1974) 

Austral Domain of the Afroalpine Region 

(Werger 1976, pers.comm. in Killick 1994) 

Afro-alpine Region (Killick 1978) 

Altimontane vegetation (White 1983) 

South-eastern Mountain Regional Mosaic 

(Hilliard & Burtt 1987) 

Drakensberg Alpine Region (CPD Site Af82) 

(Killick 1994) 

Alti/Afro Mountain Grassland (Low & Rebelo 

1996) 

Vegetation 

Broadly classified within the over-exploited 

grassland biome (Rutherford & Westfall 1986), the 

area was classified as Themeda-Festuca Alpine 

Veld (veld type 58) by Acocks (1975). The area 

consists essentially of species-rich subalpine 

(1800–2800 m) grasslands dominated by Themeda 

triandra, but with a wide variety of other 

monocotyledons and dicotyledons. There are also 

“patches of wet meadow and marshland at all 

altitudes and small areas of dwarf shrub heaths on 

steep and rocky ground” (Greyling & Huntley 1984). 

According to Schwabe (1990), there are three 

types of wetlands found within the SNPCtarns, 

riparian marshes and inland freshwater marshes. 

All are effective sediment traps and stabilisers of 

stream flow because of their capacity to store 

sediments and water. Tarns are depressions in the 

sandstone that are filled with water and have very 

little emergent vegetation associated with them. It 

is in these tarns that the rare Aponogeton 

ranunculiflorus, described in 1972, may be found 

(Jacot Guillarmod & Marais 1972; Jacot 

Guillarmod et al. 1973; Jacot Guillarmod 1977, 

1978). The species flowers in January and has 

been described by Zonneveld (1998) as the “jewel 


of Sehlabathebe”. It was first discovered in the 

tarns of SNP. Subsequently, specimens were noted 

in tarns and pools along the Drakensberg escarpment, 

but all at approximately the same altitude of 

2 600 m. Its distributional range is restricted, 

however, to less than 10 km (Jacot Guillarmod 

1977, 1978). It has been listed as rare mainly 

because the habitat is so readily disturbed— 

erosion causes silting of the water which cuts out 

the light necessary for photosynthesis and subsequent 

growth of the plant (Jacot Guillarmod et al. 

1973). Within SNP, A. ranunculiflorus is found 

solely in the tarns in the eastern and southern parts 

of the park. The flower head is borne at the top of 

a long, slender peduncle, and the open inflorescence 

resembles a white buttercup floating on the 

water—hence the specific epithet ranunculiflorus. 

The leaves seldom reach 10 cm in length and are 

always under water: the clear pools, however, 

allow enough light to penetrate to allow photosynthesis 

to take place (Jacot Guillarmod 1977). It 

grows readily in cultivation (Jacot Guillarmod 

1978). 

Herbarium 

The 1970s was a decade of much activity in SNP, 

due largely to the efforts of Amy Jacot Guillarmod 

and three US Peace Corps volunteers whose names 

are intimately associated with the plants of SNP— 

Alan C. Beverly, Fred K. Hoener and M.K. 

Rutledge. Alan Beverly was the Associate Botanist 

in SNP from December 1975 to July 1977, 

whilst Fred Hoener was the Botanist from February 

1976 to September 1979 (Gunn & Codd 1981). 

Fred Hoener was responsible for compiling a 

checklist of the flora in SNP during 1979. 

Whilst working in SNP, the US Peace Corps 

volunteers established an herbarium (Sehlabathebe 

National Park Herbarium) which is housed in the 

Research Centre, close to the park’s main gate (see 

also Smith & Willis 1999a,b). This is probably the 

only A-framed building housing an herbarium in 

southern Africa. During their time in SNP, Hoener, 

Beverly and Rutledge managed to mount and 

deposit in the herbarium ca 950 specimens, representing 

238 genera and 469 species. The identification 

of most of the specimens were confirmed or 

determined by staff of the National Herbarium 

149

(PRE), then part of the Botanical Research Institute 

of South Africa. Duplicates were deposited in 

the National University of Lesotho Herbarium 

(ROML) in Roma and the Agricultural Research 

Division’s Herbarium (MASE) in Maseru. In 

addition to the mounted specimens, about 300 

specimens were left unmounted. 

After the US Peace Corps volunteers left SNP in 

1979, the plant collecting stopped and the herbarium 

was left largely untouched and literally 

until 1997. Five members (four from the National 

University of Lesotho in Roma) of the 

SABONET-Lesotho National Working Group 

visited SNP and the herbarium from 10–12 October 

1997 to assess its status and make recommendations 

about its future (Mafa 1997). The team 

found that the herbarium contained a representative 

collection of specimens from the park and the 

specimens were still in good condition. Despite 

the lack of attention for twenty years, the specimens 

did not show any signs of fungal or insect 

infestation. The team also recommended that an 

inventory of the specimens within the herbarium 

be prepared and computerised, as this would serve 

as a useful guide when expanding the collection. 

On 31 March 1999 Gideon Smith and Christopher 

Willis surveyed the SNP Herbarium, in consultation 

with Lerato Kose, in order that it might be 

included in the updated and expanded version of 

Index herbariorum: southern African supplement 

(Smith & Willis 1997), expected to be published 

as a number in the SABONET Report Series during 

the second half of 1999. 

The herbarium currently serves as a reference 

collection of the Maluti and Drakensberg floras, 

but, considering the fact that ca 1 750 vascular 

plant species have so far been recorded in the 

Natal Drakensberg (Killick 1994), certainly needs 

to be expanded. Staff in the Ministry of Agriculture’s 

Conservation Division, with the assistance 

from SABONET-Lesotho and its National Working 

Group members, plan to develop and publicise 

the herbarium which was largely unknown within 

Lesotho and the rest of the southern African 

region for many years. SABONET support for the 

herbarium might include the provision of basic 

herbarium materials, such as herbarium cabinets 

and mounting materials. Support might extend to 

150 

the computerisation of the ca 1 000 herbarium 

specimens currently housed within the herbarium—probably 

using the National Botanical 

Institute’s PRECIS Specimen Database. This 

database has been adopted by botanical staff in the 

National University of Lesotho’s Biology Department 

to computerise the Roma Herbarium 

(ROML). 6 000 of the 15 000 specimens (40%) 

housed in ROML have so far been computerised. 

Management 

A Management Plan for the SNP has been developed 

recently. The management aims for the park 

include 

Conservation of representative ecosystems, 

their natural communities and component 

species, of the south-eastern portion of the 

Alpine Zone of Lesotho 

Conservation of present levels of genetic 

diversity 

Provision of opportunities for environmental 

and other research, and monitoring programmes 

Contributions to international, national and 

regional programmes for nature and environmental 

conservation, education and interpretation, 

leisure activities and opportunities 

The present and future management programme 

for the vegetation within the park includes 

Vegetation monitoring 

Conducting baseline and repeated surveys of 

the main plant communities in the park 

Developing a fire management plan for the park 

Controlling alien and indigenous problem 

species 

Re-establishing indigenous plants where they 

have been exterminated 

Ensuring the conservation of priority species 

(such as Aponogeton ranunculiflorus) 

Allowing for the controlled consumptive 

utilisation of vegetation in designated areas 

within the park 

With regard to fire management in SNP, Morris 

(1990) recommended a biennial burn during the 

winter period (i.e. after the first frosts and before 

the onset of growth in spring), with blocks being 

burnt in successive burning periods (May–June, 

July, August–September) every second year. 

Morris (1990) also noted, however, that no data 

�Continued 

on page 152 


▲ 

Tarns like this 

in Sehlabathebe 

National Park 

are home to 

some fascinating 

aquatic plants, 

including the 

rare Aponogeton ranunculiflorus (Aponogetonaceae). 

Most of the plants seen floating on the water in this 

tarn are Limosella cf. inflata (Scrophulariaceae). 

▲ The rolling afroalpine grasslands and sheets of 

exposed sandstone in Sehlabathebe National Park, 

Lesotho. 

▲ The A-framed Research Centre housing the herbarium 

in Sehlabathebe National Park, Lesotho. 


▲ An archway which has been formed naturally within 

the Cave Sandstone outcrops in Sehlabathebe National 

Park, Lesotho. 

▲ View of the lodge in the grasslands of Sehlabathebe 

National Park, Lesotho. 

▲ A close-up view of Limosella cf. inflata showing its 

flowers and floating leaves in one of the tarns 

occurring in the sandstone outcrops of Sehlabathebe 

National Park, Lesotho. 

151

▲ 

Continued from page 150 

were available concerning the growing season of 

the temperate and subtropical grass species in SNP 

and elsewhere in Lesotho, and that “caution 

should be exercised when burning these 

grasslands”. This programme would, however, 

have to be monitored, evaluated and perhaps 

adapted, depending on the effects of the proposed 

fire regime on the composition of the grasslands in 

SNP. 

Current and proposed developments 

The following developments are planned for SNP: 

Establishing a Research and Information Centre 

Expanding the herbarium to house more specimens 

Developing hiking trails to places of interest, 

for example, the waterfall, rock pools with 

Aponogeton ranunculiflorus 

Extending the lodge to accommodate more 

guests 

Reintroducing flora and fauna species 

Upgrading the access route to the Park 

Erecting a perimeter fence 

Expanding the National Parks Section to a 

Division for more effective management of 

SNP 

Staff training (short term) 

Developing camping sites 

Links with KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation 

Service 

Lesotho National Parks, the body managing SNP, 

initiated links with the Natal Parks Board (now 

KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service) 

when the park was established in 1970. The 

KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service has 

provided technical advice on managing and developing 

SNP, for example, assisting in the compilation 

of the Sehlabathebe Management Plan. The 

Service also helped with training SNP staff in fire 

management. 

Maluti/Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation 

Area 

The Maluti/Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation 

Area covers the Drakenberg area, Qacha’s 

Nek and Mokhotlong Districts, including SNP. 

Under the Maluti/Drakensberg Transfrontier 

programme, the area is meant to be developed and 

managed for the conservation of its biodiversity. 

152 

The programme is a joint venture between Lesotho 

and South Africa. Lesotho National Parks is 

represented on the programme’s Steering Committee 

by Ms Nkareng ‘Mota, the Chief Conservation 

Officer of the Conservation Division. The committee’s 

role is to ensure the planning and development 

of the program, which started in 1999. 

Acknowledgements 

We thank René Glen (PRE) for assistance in 

providing information on Aponogeton 

ranunculiflorus, and Shirley Smithies (PRE) for 

useful discussions concerning the taxonomy of 

Limosella. ❑ 

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Christopher K. Willis & Gideon F. Smith 



Pretoria 0001 

South Africa 

Tel.: (27) 12 804 3200 

Fax: (27) 12 804 3211 

E-mail: ckw@nbipre.nbi.ac.za (Willis) 

gfs@nbipre.nbi.ac.za (Smith) 

Lerato M. Kose 

Conservation Division 

Ministry of Agriculture 

P.O. Box 92 

Maseru 100 

Lesotho 

Tel.: (266) 323 600/322876 

Fax: (266) 310 515 

Amy Frances May Gordon Jacot 

Guillarmod 

(1911–1992) 

The name of Amy Jacot Guillarmod is intimately 

associated with the flora of Lesotho. 

Amy’s working career spanned 54 years in which 

time she collected over 10 000 specimens which 

are housed in PREM, PRE, GRA, MASE, K and 

MO. Her close to 200 publications range from the 

Flora of Lesotho (Jacot Guillarmod 1971) through 

numerous research papers on wetlands, bogs and 

sponges to popular articles. She is commemorated 

in the name of the grass Merxmuellera 

guillarmodiae, as well as the names of several 

other organisms. She was honoured by the Botanical 

Research Institute (now part of the National 

Botanical Institute) which dedicated Volume 50 

part 1 (1988) of The Flowering Plants of Africa to her. 

Amy obtained her MA in English and History at 

the University of St Andrews in Scotland but then 

156 

▲ Amy Jacot Guillarmod 

(1911-1992), author of the Flora 

of Lesotho (1971) 

(Photo: Adela Romanowski). 

established the basis for a career in science by 

completing a BSc degree in Botany and Zoology at 

the same university in the 1930s. She spent 17 

years in Lesotho between 1940 and 1957; in 

1956/7 she returned to academic life as lecturer 

and Head of the Botany Department of the University 

College of Basutoland (now National University 

of Lesotho) in Roma. She moved to 

Grahamstown in 1958 with her family and started 

lecturing in the Botany Department of Rhodes 

University. She still maintained close relations 

with Lesotho, and was awarded a DSc in Botany 

from the University of St Andrews for her studies 

on the Flora of Lesotho in 1967. Amy (with 

Wessel Marais, a past staff member of the Botanical 

Research Institute now resident in France) also 

described Aponogeton ranunculiflorus, originally 

from Sehlabathebe National Park, for the first time 

in Kew Bulletin in 1972 (Jacot Guillarmod & 

Marais 1972). 

In searching for words to describe Amy Jacot 

Guillarmod, Wells & Brink (1992) found several: 

indomitable, indefatigable, intrepid and redoubtable, 

and used the word “active” to describe 

Amy’s commitment, both scientific and social. 

Amy apparently enjoyed sharing her birthday, 

23 May, with Linnaeus: she gave a party for him every 

year! In 1979 Amy wrote to a colleague: “…isn’t 

it pleasant to be a botanist, much nicer than any 

other profession?” ❑ 

Extracted largely from Wells & Brink (1992). 


Conquering Crassula 

in Lesotho’s Sehlabathebe 

National Park 

by Gideon Smith and Christopher Willis 

In general terms southern Africa has long been 

known to host an extremely rich flora—in fact, it 

boasts the richest temperate flora in the world! 

Based on the exceptional plant diversity of southern 

Africa, one would expect the entire subcontinent 

to be blessed with a near-tropical climate and 

a high rainfall. However, the opposite is true. 

Large parts of southern Africa are subject to 

regular, almost predictable droughts and a marked 

seasonality in precipitation. These and many other 

environmental factors and plant evolutionary 

mechanisms have contributed to the large variety 

of life forms existing in the southern Africa flora 

today. 

One consequence of the general aridity of the 

region has been the development of succulence as 

a survival mechanism in many plants. But 

succulents are not only restricted to low-rainfall 

arid areas—they also occur in physiologically arid 

areas, for example, as epiphytes in high rainfall 

forest trees. The grasslands of the Drakensberg 

Mountain range, especially in Lesotho, are an 

example of a high-rainfall area which is rather 

poor in succulent species. But as is the case so 

often, there are important exceptions to this 

biological generalisation: the area is host to a 

surprisingly large number of succulent Crassula 

species. 

The family Crassulaceae (the house leeks of 

Europe or plakkies of South Africa) has an almost 

cosmopolitan distribution and is generally regarded 

as a phylo-genetically stable and natural 

grouping of genera. Globally it has various geographical 

centres of diversity, notably in Mexico 

and southern Africa. In terms of number of species, 

the southern African genus Crassula L. (ca 

200 species) is second only to Sedum L. (ca 400 

species). However, Sedum is essentially a northern 

hemisphere genus, whereas Crassula has very few 

outliers outside the southern hemisphere. Crassula 


is a very diverse genus in terms of life form, with 

some species attaining tree-like dimensions 

(C. arborescens and C. ovata), while others are 

tiny, fat-leaved, soil-hugging succulents (C. corallina). 

Yet another group includes small aquatic herbs 

(C. natans). With this vast range of morphologies 

present in a single genus it is not surprising that 

species of Crassula are found in a diverse range of 

habitats and some species can clearly tolerate a 

wide diversity of environmental conditions. Others 

are very specific as to the conditions under which 

they will flourish, especially some of the winter 

rainfall species that occur along the southern 

African west coast. 

Most of the Crassula species that occur at 

Sehlabathebe fall in the former category: they are 

mostly widespread taxa with distribution ranges 

that include the dense grasslands of the Park. In 

the Drakensberg, species of Crassula generally 

occur as forbs among the dense stand of grass 

species. Most species tend to grow in the shade of 

the grasses and only show themselves to the world 

once they reach flowering stage. At this time they 

expose their inflorescences above the companion 

grasses, advertising their 

flowers to pollinating 

agents. One species in 

particular, C. natans, 

grows as a 

type of 

resurrection 

plant in 

seasonally dry 

rock pools. As 

the water 

level declines, these 

plants become desiccated 

and remain in an 

apparently near-dead state 

until the pools are again 

replenished with water in 

the next rainy season. 

Crassula alba var. alba, taken from FSA 

Volume 14 (1985). Drawings by Rita Weber. 

157

Crassula inanis has a very similar habit, but it has 

not been observed to co-habit with C. natans at 

Sehlabathebe. Other ericoid-leaved Crassula 

species grow on the edges of flat rock sheets 

where they survive in shallow soil along with a 

selection of cold-tolerant species of the 

Mesembryanthemaceae genus Delosperma. 

Crassula alba var. alba is by far the most striking 

of the Sehlabathebe plakkies. The form of the 

species growing in the Park has beautiful, bright 

red flowers that retain their colour even when the 

flowers dry out. The flower colour of this species 

is known to vary from red through orange and 

yellow to pure white. The specific epithet is 

therefore, to say the least, somewhat confusing! 

Provisional checklist of Crassula species 

in Sehlabathebe National Park 

The Lesotho herbaria where specimens of these 

species are housed (Kali & Hargreaves 1985) are 

included in brackets. Note that Kali & Hargreaves 

(1985) did not provide information below the 

species level. 

Crassula alba Forssk. var. alba (MASE; ROML; 

Sehlabathebe) 

C. dependens Bolus (MASE; ROML; 

Sehlabathebe) 

C. inanis Thunb. (MASE; ROML) 

C. lanceolata (Eckl. & Zehy.) Endl. ex Walp. 

subsp. lanceolata* 

C. natalensis Schönland (MASE; ROML) 

C. natans Thunb. var. natans (MASE; ROML; 

Sehlabathebe) 

C. nudicaulis L. var. nudicaulis (MASE; ROML) 

C. pellucida L. subsp. brachypetala (Drège ex 

Harvey) Toelken (MASE) 

C. sarcocaulis Eckl. & Zehy. subsp. rupicola 

Toelken (MASE; ROML; Sehlabathebe) 

C. setulosa Harv. var. rubra (N.E.Br.) G.D. 

Rowley (MASE; ROML; Sehlabathebe) † 

C. setulosa Harv. var. setulosa (MASE; ROML; 

Sehlabathebe) † 

C. umbraticola N.E.Br. (ROML; Sehlabathebe) 

C. vaginata Eckl. & Zehy. subsp. vaginata 

(MASE; Sehlabathebe) 

158 

* Kali & Hargreaves (1985) list Crassula 

schimperi, a synonym of C. lanceolata, as being 

found in MASE, ROML and Sehlabathebe herbaria. 

It is uncertain, however, which subspecies 

of lanceolata the specimens in the Lesotho herbaria 

represent. 

† Crassula setulosa is listed by Kali & Hargreaves 

(1985) as occurring in MASE, ROML and 

Sehlabathebe, but it is uncertain which variety is 

represented in each of the three Lesotho herbaria. ❑ 

Further reading on the Crassulaceae of 

southern and eastern Africa 

Dreyer, L.L. 1997. Crassulaceae. In Smith, G.F., 

Van Jaarsveld, E.J., Arnold, T.H., Steffens, F.E., 

Dixon, R.D. & Retief, J.A. (eds) List of southern 

African plants, pp. 56–63. Umdaus Press, Pretoria. 

Fernandes, R. 1983. Crassulaceae. Flora 

zambesiaca 7(1): 3–74. 

Higgins, V. 1964. Crassulas in cultivation. 

Blandford Press, London. 

Jürgens, N. 1995. Contributions to the 

phytogeography of Crassula. In t’ Hart, H. & 

Eggli, U. (eds) Evolution and systematics of the 

Crassulaceae. pp. 136–150. Backhuys Publishers, 

Leiden. 

Mabberley, D.J. 1997. The plant-book, edn 2. 

Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 

Retief, E. 1998. Succulents of the coastal dunes 

and estuaries of southern Africa—an overview. 

Aloe 35: 49–54. 

Smith, G.F. & Marx, G. 1990. Notes on the 

vegetation and succulent flora of the eastern 

Cape Province, South Africa. Aloe 27: 56–66. 

Smith, G.F. & Retief, E. 1999. Notes on the 

coastal distribution of the genus Crassula 

(Crassulaceae) in southern Africa. Aloe 36: in press. 

t’ Hart, H. & Eggli, U. (Eds) 1995. Evolution 

and systematics of the Crassulaceae. Backhuys 

Publishers, Leiden. 

Tölken, H.R. 1985. Crassulaceae. In Leistner, 

O.A. (Ed.), Flora of southern Africa 14: 1–244. 

Botanical Research Institute, Pretoria. 

Wickens, G.E. 1987. Crassulaceae. In Polhill, 

R.M. (Ed.), Flora of tropical east Africa: 1–66. 

A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. 


Southern African 

Botanists’ 

E-MAIL ADDRESSES 

The following is a list of the e-mail addresses for 

staff working in some of the national/university 

herbaria, botany departments, botanical gardens 

and biodiversity programmes of southern Africa. 

Thanks to all those who sent their e-mail addresses 

to the editors for inclusion in this list. 

PLEASE NOTE that this list gets updated every 

issue of our newsletter. In order to avoid frustration 

and possible disappointment, our readers are 

advised to please use the most recent list available. 

Some of the addresses listed in previous editions 

of the newsletter may no longer be relevant. 

SPECIAL APPEAL: Should you be aware of any 

changes to one or more of the addresses listed 

below, or would like to be added to the list, please 

notify Christopher Willis, at 

ckw@nbipre.nbi.ac.za so that the list can be 

updated on a regular basis. 

ANGOLA 

Agostinho Neto University 

Dr Esperança Costa - junior@taag.ebonet.net 

Dr Elissaveta Loutchanska - eldimako@ebonet.net 

Ms Liz Matos - fitogen@ebonet.net 

BOTSWANA 

National Herbarium (GAB) 

E-mail not yet available 

Peter Smith Herbarium (PSUB) 

Dr Elmar Veenendaal - eveenendaal@orc.info.bw 

General address - hoorc@orc.info.bw 

University of Botswana Herbarium (UCBG) 

Dr Moffat Setshogo - setshogo@noka.ub.bw 

LESOTHO 

Herbarium - National University of Lesotho 

(ROML) 

Mr Paseka Mafa - pmafa@botzoo.uct.ac.za 


(currently studying for a BSc (Hons) at the 

University of Cape Town) 

Ms Annah Moteetee - bot@na.rau.ac.za 

(currently studying for a PhD at the Rand 

Afrikaans University) 

Prof. CR Nagendran - cr.nagendran@nul.ls 

University Botanic Garden 

Mr Moretloa Polaki - jm.polaki@nul.ls 

MALAWI 

National Herbarium (MAL) and Botanic Gardens 

Mr Aubrey Banda - akbanda@unima.wn.apc.org 

Mr Augustine Chikuni - 

augustine@chambo.sdnp.undp.org OR 

achikuni@unima.wn.apc.org 

Mr Dickson Kamundi - nhbg@unima.wn.apc.org 

Mr Bintony Kutsaira - 

bkutsaira@unima.wn.apc.org 

Mr MacLean Machinjili - 

machinjili@unima.wn.apc.org 

Mr Zacharia Magombo - 

magombo@unima.wn.apc.org 

Ms Cecilia Maliwichi - 

maliwichi@unima.wn.apc.org 

Ms Elizabeth Mayaka - 

emayaka@unima.wn.apc.org 

Mr Montfort Mwanyambo - 

mwanyambo@unima.wn.apc.org 

General NHBG address: nhbg@unima.wn.apc.org 

Medicinal plants: medplants@unima.wn.apc.org 

National Botanic Gardens of Malawi 

Mr Mphamba Kumwenda - 

mkumwenda@unima.wn.apc.org 

MOZAMBIQUE 

LMA Herbarium 

Mr Mario da Silva - depbotan@zebra.uem.mz 

Ms Samira Izidine - depbotan@zebra.uem.mz 

OR sizidine@yahoo.com 

Ms Marta Manjate - depbotan@zebra.uem.mz 

OR martamanjate@yahoo.com 

LMU Herbarium - Eduardo Mondlane University 

Mr Salomão Bandeira - 

sband@zebra.uem.mz 

Ms Filomena Barbosa - 

filomena@zebra.uem.mz 

159

Ms Carlota Quilambo - carlota@zebra.uem.mz 

Department of Biological Sciences - Eduardo 

Mondlane University 

John Hatton - jhatton@impact.uem.mz 

NAMIBIA 

National Botanical Research Institute 

Ms Patricia Craven - patdan@iafrica.com.na 

Dr Gillian Maggs-Kölling - gillianm@namib.com 

General NBRI address - nbri@namib.com 

National Herbarium (WIND) 

Ms Esmerialda Klaassen - essiek@namib.com 

Ms Coleen Mannheimer - nbri@namib.com 

National Botanic Garden 

Mr Henk Dauth - nbri@namib.com 

Vegetation Survey 

Mr Ben Strohbach - bens@namib.com 

National Plant Genetic Resources Centre 

Ms Herta Kolberg - hertak@namib.com 

Namibian Tree Atlas Project 

Ms Barbara Curtis/Coleen Mannheimer - 

treeatlas@namib.com 

SOUTH AFRICA 

Bolus Herbarium (BOL) - University of Cape Town 

Prof. Peter Linder - plinder@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

Ms Pat Lorber - lorber@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

Terry Trinder-Smith - trinder@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

Bolus library - library@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

Buffelskloof Private Nature Reserve & Herbarium 

Mr John Burrows - botart@intekom.co.za 

C.E. Moss Herbarium (J) - University of the 

Witwatersrand 

Prof. Kevin Balkwill - 

kevinb@gecko.biol.wits.ac.za 

Mr Donald McCallum - 

donald@gecko.biol.wits.ac.za 

Mrs Reneé A Reddy - rene@gecko.biol.wits.ac.za 

Mr Ramagwai J. Sebola - 

ramagwai@gecko.biol.wits.ac.za 

160 

Coastal & Environmental Services 

Dr Ted Avis - ces@imaginet.co.za 

Ms Kate Johnson - ces@imaginet.co.za 

Compton Herbarium (NBG & SAM) 

Ms Jo Beyers - beyers@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Pascale Chesselet - chesselet@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Christopher Cupido - 

cupidocn@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Peter Goldblatt - goldblat@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Hubert Kurzweil - kurzweil@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr John Manning - manning@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Ted Oliver - olivert@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr John Rourke - rourke@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Koos Roux - roux@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Dee Snijman - snijman@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Kim Steiner - steiner@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Free State National Botanical Garden 

Mr Martin Lumley - fsnbg@mweb.co.za 

Mr Amadeus Mogale (Curator) - 

fsnbg@mweb.co.za 

When sending mail to a staff member at the Free 

State National Botanical Garden, insert the name 

of the person in the subject line 

Garden Route Botanical Garden 

Ms Claire Wallace - walyface@pixie.co.za 

Harold Porter National Botanical Garden 

Ms Karin Behr (Curator) - behr@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Herbarium Soutpansbergensis 

Mr Norbert Hahn - hahn1@cis.co.za 

Jonkershoek Herbarium 

Ms Melanie Simpson - 

simpsonm@cncjnk.wcape.gov.za 

Karoo National Botanical Garden 

Mr Ian Oliver (Curator) - olivers@intekom.co.za 

OR karroid@intekom.co.za 

Kimberley McGregor (KMG) Museum Herbarium 

Ms Tania Anderson (Curator) - 

kmgbot@museumsnc.co.za 

Ms Annemarie van Heerden (assistant curator) - 

kmgbot@museumsnc.co.za 


Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden 

Mr Graham Duncan - duncan@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Philip le Roux (Curator) - 

lerouxp@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Fiona Powrie - powrief@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Ernst van Jaarsveld - vanjaars@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

OR ernst@fast.co.za (home) 

Mr John Winter - woodward@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Kirstenbosch Research Centre 

Dr Neville Brown - brown@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr George Davis - davisg@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Mr J de Wet Bosenberg - 

bosenber@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr John Donaldson - donaldso@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Timm Hoffman - hoffman@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Boniswa Madikane - 

madikane@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Dave McDonald - mcdonald@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Guy Midgley - midgley@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Charles Musil - musil@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Ingrid Nänni - nanni@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Mike O’Callaghan - moc@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Les Powrie - powrie@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Tony Rebelo - zoot@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Mike Rutherford - rutherfo@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Stephanie Wand - wand@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Lowveld National Botanical Garden 

Mr Rudi Britz (Curator) - glow@iafrica.com 

Mr Johan Hurter - glow@iafrica.com 

Mr Willem Froneman - glow@iafrica.com 

When sending mail to a staff member at the 

Lowveld National Botanical Garden, insert the 

name of the person in the subject line 

Natal Herbarium (NH) 

Ms Nikaya Arumugam - 

arumugam@nbidbn.co.za 

Dr Neil Crouch - crouch@nbidbn.co.za 

Mr Jeff Govender - govender@nbidbn.co.za 

Mr Smiso Ngcobo - ngcobo@nbidbn.co.za 

Mr Alfred Ngwenya - ngwenya@nbidbn.co.za 

Ms Yashica Singh - singh@nbidbn.co.za 

Ms Rosemary Williams (Curator) - 

williams@nbidbn.co.za 

Natal National Botanical Garden 

Mr Brian Tarr (Curator) - gnat@futurenet.co.za 



Dr Daan Botha - kriel@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Prof. Brian Huntley - huntley@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

National Herbarium (PRE) 

Dr Heidi Anderson - hma@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Dr John Anderson - jma@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Clare Archer - clare@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Robert Archer - rha@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Trevor Arnold - tha@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Antoinette Botha - agb@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Christien Bredenkamp - clb@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Priscilla Burgoyne - pmb@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Maud Cloete - mc@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Carole de Wet - cdw@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Bernard de Winter - bdw@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Emsie du Plessis - edp@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Lyn Fish - lyn@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Gerrit Germishuizen - gg@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Hugh Glen - hfg@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms René Glen - rpg@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Beverley Harris - bev@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Loraine Hawker - lch@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Lesley Henderson - lh@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Paul Herman - ppjh@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Millissa Heymann - mzh@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Marie Jordaan - marie@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Marinda Koekemoer (Curator) - 

mk@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Louisa Liebenberg - ejll@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Cuthbert Makgakga - mcm@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Mactavish Makwarela - 

amm@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Alice Masombuka - am@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr David Mbedzi - dm@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Jean Meyer - jjm@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Nicole Meyer - nlm@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Caroline Netnou - cn@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Solomon Nkoana - lsn@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Sarie Perold - smp@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Cathy Prentice - cap@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Julie Ready - jar@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Elizabeth Retief - er@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Lionel Riddles - lr@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Paulus Sebothoma - pns@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Prof. Gideon Smith - gfs@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Shirley Smithies - sjs@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Hannelie Snyman - ees@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Christina Steyn - ccs@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

161

Dr Elsie Steyn - elsie@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Mr Jacques van Rooy - jvr@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Helen van Rooyen - helen@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Janine Victor - jev@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Ms Mienkie Welman - wgw@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Dr Maureen Wolfson - mmw@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

NBI Libraries: 

Mary Gunn Library - info@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Librarian: Mary Gunn Library (Ms Estelle 

Potgieter), National Herbarium - 

ep@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

NBI Librarian (Kirstenbosch): 

Ms Yvonne Reynolds - 

reynolds@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Peninsula Technikon - Department of Biological 

Sciences 

Mr JC Coetzee - coetzeej@scinet.pentech.ac.za 

Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology - 

Tierberg Karoo Research Centre field station 

Dr Sue J. Milton - smilton@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

Potchefstroom University 

Dr Matt H. Buys - plbmhb@puknet.puk.ac.za 

Dr Sarel S. Cilliers - plbssc@puknet.puk.ac.za 

Prof. Braam Pieterse - plbajhp@puknet.puk.ac.za 

PRECIS 

precis@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

Pretoria National Botanical Garden 

Mr Hans Heilgendorff (Curator) - 

hans@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

General: info@nbict.nbi.ac.za 

Qwa Qwa Herbarium - University of the North 

(Qwa Qwa campus) 

Prof. Rodney Moffett - moffett@uniqwa.ac.za 

Rand Afrikaans University - Botany Department 

Prof. Ben-Erik van Wyk - bevw@rau3.rau.ac.za 

Mr Alvaro M. Viljoen - amv@rau3.rau.ac.za 

Rhodes University - Botany Department 

Dr Nigel Barker - barker@rhobot.ru.ac.za 

Prof. CEJ Botha - t.botha@rhobot.ru.ac.za 

Mr Tony Dold - botd@rhobot.ru.ac.za 

Prof. Roy Lubke - borl@rhobot.ru.ac.za 

162 

Mr Pete Phillipson - bopp@rhobot.ru.ac.za 

(presently at the following address in 

Tanzania: bopp@habari.co.tz until 

December 1999) 

Mr BS Ripley - ripley@rhobot.ru.ac.za5 

Rondevlei Scientific Services Herbarium, Wilderness 

National Park, Sedgefield 

Dr Nick Hanekom - nickh@parks-sa.co.za 

Ms Francine Rubin - franciner@parks-sa.co.za 

Dr Ian Russell - ianr@parks-sa.co.za 

Ms Beate Sachse - beates@parks-sa.co.za 

Saasveld Herbarium (SAAS) - Port Elizabeth 

Technikon 

Mr Mike Cameron - mikec@ml.petech.ac.za 

Mr Peet Peens (Curator) - peetp@ml.petech.ac.za 

H.G.W.J Schweickerdt Herbarium (PRU) - 

University of Pretoria 

Ms Martie Dednam - dednam@scientia.up.ac.za 

Prof. Braam van Wyk - 

avanwyk@scientia.up.ac.za 

Scientific Services Herbarium, Department of 

Water Affairs and Forestry, Knysna 

Mr Johan Baard (Curator) - 

baardj@dwaf-wcp.wcape.gov.za 

Mr Rynhard Kok - kokr@dwaf-wcp.wcape.gov.za 

Skukuza Herbarium (KNP), Kruger National 

Park 

Ms Guin Zambatis (Curator) - 

guinz@parks-sa.co.za 

Mr Nick Zambatis - nickz@parks-sa.co.za 

Southern Cape Herbarium 

Yvette van Wyk - scherb@pixie.co.za OR 

s133@pixie.co.za 

Nicholas Cole - scherb@pixie.co.za 

Technikon Pretoria Herbarium 

Dawid du Plessis (Curator) - 

Dplessd@techpta.ac.za 

University of Cape Town - Botany Department 

Prof. John Bolton - bolton@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

Prof. William Bond - bond@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

Dr Jill Farrant - farrant@botzoo.uct.ac.za 


Dr Jeremy Midgley - midgleyj@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

Prof. Willie Stock - stock@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

University of Cape Town - Institute for Plant 

Conservation 

Prof. Richard Cowling - rmc@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

Dr Dave Richardson - rich@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

University of Durban-Westville - Botany Department 

Mr Ashley Nicholas - ashley@pixie.udw.ac.za 

University of the Free State - Department of 

Botany and Genetics 

Prof. Johan Venter - venterhj@plk.nw.uovs.ac.za 

R.L. Verhoeven - prv@rs.uovs.ac.za 

University of Natal-Durban - Biological Sciences 

Department 

Prof. Alan Amory - amory@biology.und.ac.za 

Prof. Patricia Berjak - berjak@biology.und.ac.za 

Dr Glen Campbell - campbell@biology.und.ac.za 

Prof. John Cooke - cooke@biology.und.ac.za 

Mr Bruce Page - page@biology.und.ac.za 

Prof. Norman Pammenter - 

pammente@biology.und.ac.za 

Mr Herbert M. Sibiya - sibiya@biology.und.ac.za 

Mr Dehn von Ahlefeldt - 

vonahled@biology.und.ac.za 

Dr Paula Watt - watt@biology.und.ac.za 

University of Natal-Durban - Electron Microscope 

Unit, George Campbell Building 

Mr James Wesley-Smith (plant scientist) - 

wesleysm@biology.und.ac.za 

University of Natal-Pietermaritzburg - Botany 

Department 

Dr RP Beckett - beckett@botany.unp.ac.za 

Mr Clinton Carbutt - carbuttc@botany.unp.ac.za 

Dr WA Cress - cress@botany.unp.ac.za 

Dr TJ Edwards - edwards@botany.unp.ac.za 

Ms CW Fennell - fennel@botany.unp.ac.za 

Dr JF Finnie - finnie@botany.unp.ac.za 

Dr JE Granger - granger@botany.unp.ac.za 

Prof. EF Hennessy - hennessy@botany.unp.ac.za 

Dr Steven D Johnson - 

johnsonsd@botany.unp.ac.za 

Ms NP Makunga - makunga@botany.unp.ac.za 

Dr MT Smith - smithm@botany.unp.ac.za 

Prof. J van Staden - vanstadenj@botany.unp.ac.za 


University of the North - Botany Department 

Mr Martin J Potgieter - 

martinp@unin.unorth.ac.za 

Mr Pieter Winter - pieterw@unin.unorth.ac.za 

University of Port Elizabeth - Botany Department 

Dr JB Adams - btajba@upe.ac.za 

(Estuarine vegetation) 

Prof. Guy C Bate - btagcb@upe.ac.za 

(Estuarine micro-algae) 

Dr EE Campbell - btaeec@upe.ac.za 

(Terrestrial vegetation) 

Dr DR du Preez - superbt@upe.ac.za 

(Surf zone algae) 

Mr PT Gama - btaptg@upe.ac.za 

(Microalgae) 

University of Pretoria - Botany Department 

Prof. George Bredenkamp - 

gbredenk@scientia.up.ac.za 

Prof. Albert Eicker - eicker@scientia.up.ac.za 

JJM Meyer - marion@scientia.up.ac.za 

Prof. Noel van Rooyen - 

vrooyenn@scientia.up.ac.za 

University of Stellenbosch - Botany Department 

Prof. Frikkie Botha - FCB@land.sun.ac.za 

Dr Charlie Boucher - cb@land.sun.ac.za 

Dr Leanne Dreyer - LD@land.sun.ac.za 

Dr Karen Esler - kje@land.sun.ac.za 

Ms Lynn Hoffmann - ewh@land.sun.ac.za 

Dr Bettie Marais - emm@land.sun.ac.za 

Prof. Valdon Smith - VS2@land.sun.ac.za 

Dr Piet Vorster - pjvor@land.sun.ac.za 

University of Stellenbosch - Botanic garden 

Piet van der Merwe - pvdm@maties.sun.ac.za 

University of the Transkei - Botany Department 

Prof. R Bhat - bhatr@getafix.utr.ac.za 

Dr Sizwe Cawe - cawe@getafix.utr.ac.za 

RV Nikolova - nikolova@getafix.utr.ac.za 

University of North-West - Biological Sciences 

Department 

Prof. S David Phalatse - 

sdpbio@unibo.uniwest.ac.za 

University of Venda - Botany Department 

Mr Maanda Ligavha - 

ligavham/SCI@caddy.univen.ac.za 

163

Ms Colleen Todd - 

todd_colleen/SCI@caddy.univen.ac.za 

Mr Robert Tshivhandekano - 

robie/SCI@caddy.univen.ac.za 

Prof. Pablo Weisser - 

pablo/SCI@caddy.univen.ac.za 

University of the Western Cape - Botany Department 

Dr Derek Keats - derek@botany.uwc.ac.za 

Mr Frans Weitz - frans@botany.uwc.ac.za 

University of the Witwatersrand - Botany Department 

Dr Mandy-Jane Balkwill - 

mandy@gecko.biol.wits.ac.za 

Ms Glynis Cron - glynis@gecko.biol.wits.ac.za 

Prof. Ed Witkowski - ed@gecko.biol.wits.ac.za 

Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden 

Mr Peter Chaplin (Curator) - 

witsnbg@mweb.co.za 

Mr Andrew Hankey - witsnbg@mweb.co.za 

Ms Sharon Turner - witsnbg@mweb.co.za 

When sending mail to a staff member at the 

Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden, insert 

the name of the person in the subject line 

NOTE: Additional South African botanists’ e-mail 

addresses can be accessed on the internet at the 

following address: 

http://www.ru.ac.za/departments/herbarium/ 

SAHWG/address.html 

The web page entitled “Southern African Botanists’ 

addresses” was prepared by Peter Phillipson, 

Rhodes University and the Selmar Schonland 

Herbarium, Grahamstown, with thanks to Nigel 

Barker and Les Powrie. 

SWAZILAND 

National Herbarium (SDNH) 

Malkerns Research Station (general) - 

malkernsrsearch@iafrica.sz 

This address can be used to contact Gideon 

Dlamini, Titus Dlamini or Bongani Dlamini at the 

National Herbarium. Insert the name of the 

person in the subject line. 

ZAMBIA 

Herbarium (UZL) - University of Zambia 

Ms Tasila Banda-Sakala (presently studying at 

the Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA) - 

164 

tbanda@ivillage.com OR tasa@tcsn.uswest.net 

OR tbanda@cactus.caed.asu.edu 

Mr David Chuba - dchuba@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

(currently studying for a BSc (Hons) at the 

University of Cape Town) 

Ms Florence Nyirenda - 

fnyirenda@natsci.unza.zm 

Dr Patrick Phiri - pphiri@impala.unza.zm OR 

pphiri@natsci.unza.zm 

Independent 

Mr Mike Bingham - mbingham@zamnet.zm 

ZIMBABWE 

Biodiversity Foundation for Africa 

Mr Jonathan R. Timberlake - 

timber@telconet.co.zw (small messages only) 

OR bfa@telconet.co.zw 

National Herbarium (SRGH) & Botanic Garden 

Mr Ezekeil Kwembeya - 

ekwembey@botzoo.uct.ac.za (currently 

studying for a MSc at the University of 

Cape Town) 

Mr Claid Mujaju - cmujaju@botzoo.uct.ac.za 

(currently studying for a MSc at the University 

of Cape Town) 

National Herbarium (SRGH) - srgh@cst.co.zw 

Ms Nozipo Nobanda (Curator) - srgh@cst.co.zw 

Ms Ratidzayi (Rattie) Takawira - 

rtakaw@compcentre.uz.ac.zw (also available 

through SRGH) 

University of Zimbabwe - Department of Biological 

Sciences 

Dr Shakkie Kativu - skativu@zimbix.uz.zw 

Mr I Mapaure - mapaure@trep.co.zw 

Dr Clemence Zimudzi - czimudzi@biosci.uz.zw 

University of Zimbabwe - Institute of Environmental 

Studies 

Prof. Bruce Campbell - bcampbell@esanet.zw 

OR ies@harare.iafrica.com 

Prof. Peter Frost - pfrost@zimbix.uz.zw 

Independent 

Mr Michael Kimberley - mjkim@pci.co.zw 

(cycads, orchids and succulents) 

Ms Meg Coates Palgrave - megcp@zol.co.zw 

Mr Darrel C.H. Plowes - amackie@mango.zw 


Botanists working on southern African plant taxa 

This section lists e-mail addresses of a few of the botanists living outside southern Africa that are working 

with southern African plant taxa. If you would like to be included in this list, please notify one of the 

editors together with the names of the families/taxa you are working on. 

AUSTRALIA 

Queensland Herbarium, Toowong, Queensland 

Bryan Simon - 

Bryan.Simon@env.qld.gov.au (work) 

bsimon@gil.com.au (home) 

(Tropical grasses) 

ENGLAND 

IUCN - World Conservation Union 

Craig Hilton-Taylor - craigh@wcmc.org.uk 

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 

Diane Bridson - d.bridson@rbgkew.org.uk 

(Rubiaceae; Vahliaceae) 

Dr Thomas Cope - t.cope@lion.rbgkew.org.uk 

(Poaceae) 

Gerald Pope - g.pope@lion.rbgkew.org.uk 

(Asteraceae) 

Dr Kaj Vollesen - k.vollesen@rbgkew.org.uk 

(Acanthaceae, Blepharis, Duosperma) 

GERMANY 

University of Cologne - Botanical Institute 

Dr Joachim Thiede - 

jthiede@novell.biolan.uni-koeln.de 

(Aizoaceae; Crassulaceae) 

University of Hamburg - Institut fuer Allgemeine 

Botanik 

PD Dr HEK Hartmann - 

hartmann@botanik.uni-hamburg.de 

(Aizoaceae; Mesembryanthema) 


NEW ZEALAND 

Victoria University, Wellington 

Mr Fanie Venter - venter@tasman.net 

NORWAY 

Agricultural University of Norway - Department 

of Biology and Nature Conservation 

Dr Brita Stedje - brita.stedje@ibn.nlh.no 

(Hyacinthaceae) 

SWEDEN 

Swedish Museum of Natural History 

Prof. Dr Bertil Nordenstam - 

bertil.nordenstam@nrm.se (Compositae, 

especially Senecioneae and Calenduleae; 

Syncarpha; Colchicaceae; Anticharis) 

Uppsala University 

Mattias Iwarsson - mattias.iwarsson@botan.uu.se 

(Lamiaceae, Leonotis) 

USA 

University of California - Jepson Herbarium 

Bruce Baldwin - 

bbaldwin@ucjeps.herb.berkeley.edu 

(Blepharispermum; Welwitschiella) 

University of Missouri-Columbia - Dunn-Palmer 

Herbarium (UMO) 

Dr P. Leszek D. Vincent - leszek@missouri.edu 

(Asteraceae, Senecio; Iridaceae, Aristea) 

15 August 1999 ❑ 

165

166 

Regional News 

Update 

News from Namibia 

A lot has happened at WIND since you last heard 

from us—our contribution to the previous edition 

of SABONET News went astray, and we were 

dismayed to find ourselves missing when we 

received our copies from Chris. 

Still, we have made great progress, and I feel that 

our data capture team, led by Esmerialda, deserves 

first mention this time. Not only have they fulfilled 

the goal of entering all the Poaceae, but also 

the Cyperaceae, the Pteridophytes, and most of the 

Asteraceae! Our next goal is to complete all the 

other monocots and the rest of the Asteraceae by 

the end of August. Our total stands at over 35 000 

entries, almost half of all WIND accessions, so we 

are grateful to Elaine, Mary and Jocelyn for their 

commitment to the cause, and as always to 

SABONET for their support, without which none 

of this would be possible. 

Field trips have been high on our agenda, although 

rains have been patchy this year. Several of us 

went to Caprivi, both to tree-atlas and to collect, 

and had a very successful trip, including a first 

record of Cadaba termitaria for Namibia. 

Patricia Craven undertook a very successful trip 

south too. She had been plagued for many years by 

a strange Oxalis. It seemed new, but she just could 

not find it in flower. It was also one of those awful 

things that has a long, thin delicate stem growing 

down between rocks that made it a night mare 

trying to extract the bulb. Then in 1991 she and 

her husband found a few plants with the prettiest 

of flowers and I sent it to Leanne Dreyer at STEU. 

She confirmed Pat’s suspicions about a possible 

new species and is interested in describing it for 

us, but we needed more material if possible. So 

with financial support from SABONET, Pat went 

south again in April this year. Her first known 

locality produced nothing. It was as dry as a bone, 

but her luck was in: further up the Konkiep River 

some showers had fallen and she not only found it 

in fairly large numbers, it was in flower too. 

Owing to recent rain the ground was fairly soft 

and she managed to pry away the rocks to get at 

the tubers. The distribution of Oxalis sp. nov. has 

not been extended beyond grids 2717CB & CD, 

but the number of localities within this region was 

greatly increased. All in all, 176 specimens were 

collected on a circular trip that started and ended 

in Grunau. Thank you to SABONET for making 

this trip possible. 

The National Botanic Garden has had an active 

period of development too, with the new greenhouse 

nearing completion. It will be divided into a 

desert house and a tropical house and will have an 

adjoining nursery area. Henk Dauth hopes to 

complete planting by the end of the year and to 

open the garden and the greenhouse officially 

early next year. We hope to collect some plants for 

the desert house in the southern Namib at the end 

of September. 

There is a rather dark cloud over the garden at 

present, with the roads department requesting 

deproclamation of the area and planning to put a 

road right through the middle of the garden. This 

we hope to prevent, but it is still a worrying 

possibility that would be a great pity in the only 

botanic garden in the country, as well as one of the 

few green areas in the capital. 

We have two new staff members at WIND—Silke 

Bartsch, a new research technician with special 

interests in tissue culture and horticulture, and 

Helvi Kandapo, our new technical assistant. The 

recent additions have really helped to speed the 

processing of specimens through the system and 

have certainly contributed to us being able to 

fulfill our SABONET targets. 

We have instituted “translation workshops”, 

during which Sabine, Esmerialda, Silke and 

myself sit down for a day and “blitz” all the 

German-English labels we can stomach in eight 

hours. This has certainly also been a contributing 

factor to data-capture success, as completion of 


groups was often held up by a couple of boxes of 

specimens needing translation of their data; the 

company helps us all by allowing us to vent. We 

have also obtained the assistance of Ms Anabela 

Almeida in translating our Portuguese-English 

labels. 

Another notable milestone will be the publication 

of our new species list, devotedly edited by Pat 

Craven. This will be a boon to many biologists 

working in Namibia and we already have a waiting 

list for the limited number of copies we plan to 

publish. 

Our next most pressing need is for a researcher to 

concentrate on the useful plants that are being 

overharvested in Namibia at present, with 

Harpagophytum procumbens being the worst 

affected thus far. We feel that this rapidly growing 

problem needs someone’s undivided attention 

(although we would forgive them for looking at 

effects of fire in the northeast of Namibia too). 

Well, that’s it for now. Regards to all 

SABONETers from us here at WIND. 

Coleen Mannheimer 

News from South Africa 

Ted Oliver, from the 

Compton Herbarium 

in Cape Town (NBG 

& SAM), received his 

PhD from the University 

of Cape Town 

during June 1999. His 

thesis was entitled 

“Systematic studies 

in the tribe Ericeae 

(Ericaceae-Ericoideae)”. 

Anna Fellingham 

(also from NBG & 

SAM) received an MSc at the same ceremony. Her 

study was on inflorescences in the genus 

Cliffortia. 

Information supplied by Ted Oliver 


Southern African Society of Aquatic 

Scientists conference 

The Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists 

(SASAQS) held its 35th conference at 

Swakopmund, Namibia, from 27 June to 1 July 

1999. The delegates were from Namibia, South 

Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, 

Uganda, Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Belgium, the 

United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. 

The theme of this years conference was research, 

conservation, and the management of aquatic 

resources in southern Africa. The scientific sessions 

were held at the Auditorium of the Ministry 

of Fisheries and Marine Resources and at one of 

Swakopmund’s holiday resorts—the Alte Brücke 

Conference Centre. The two auditoria were within 

(brisk!!) walking distance of each other so it was 

possible to attend presentation at either of the 

parallel sessions. 

The venue was idyllic—for us South Africans 

(especially from Pretoria and Johannesburg) it was 

wonderful to be in such a peaceful and friendly 

town. The only hazard of walking between the two 

venues was the “urbanised” pelicans who used the 

street lights as their perches—it was advisable to 

give the lamp posts a wide berth. Seeing these 

wetland birds every day and hearing the waves 

crashing against the rocks in front of the Fisheries 

and Marine Resources building reminded one that 

this whole conference was all about the management 

of our wetlands in southern Africa. 

The conference was officially opened by the 

Namibian Minister of Agriculture and Rural 

Development, Mr Helmuth Angula. In his opening 

speech he highlighted some of the institutions that 

were actively involved in research on the aquatic 

resources in Namibia and also water resources that 

they share with neighbouring countries. Many of 

their research efforts are envied by other countries, 

especially in the field of fisheries research and 

management, but they regard themselves as “data 

poor” when it comes to fully understanding their 

aquatic systems. This statement can be applied to 

all the southern African countries, certainly from a 

botanical point; we do not know what plants occur 

in our wetlands. We all know that the plants in any 

wetland are the primary producers and form a vital 

167

link between all the other activities within a 

wetland, yet there are very few inventories of 

southern African wetland plants. 

There where 84 oral presentations and 30 posters; 

of these 114 presentations only 10 were plantrelated. 

The majority of the presentations were on 

fish and water management, yet the plants that 

play the major role were hardly acknowledged. 

This congress made me realise that if we wish to 

assist in the management of our wetlands, we, 

especially all the delegates that attended Aquatic 

Plants training course at Moremi Wldlife Reserve 

in 1998, need to know more about the plants that 

grow in the water. 

Namibia not only excels in the field of fisheries 

research: in past few years they have produced 

three field guides namely Let’s look at Seaweeds 

produced by Enviroteach; Guide to the common 

plants of the Cuvelai wetlands by N. Clarke and 

Cyperaceae of Nambia: an illustrated key by N. 

Clarke and C. Mannheimer. Also the Department 

of Water Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Water 

and Rural Development and the Desert Research 

Foundation of Namibia have produced a wellillustrated 

management guide: Namibia’s water: 

A decision makers’ guide. The Cyperaceae of 

Namibia has been reviewed in the Paper Chase 

column in this issue of SABONET News; reviews 

of the other books will appear in the next issue. 

I would like to thank Shirley Bethune and her 

worthy team of 12 local organising committee 

members and six assistants at the conference for 

a very informative and well-organised congress. 

The friendly, efficient way in which they organised 

everything enabled all the delegates to relax 

and enjoy the congress, meet several aquatic 

scientists from other countries, and gain a lot more 

information. 

I would also like to thank the National Botanical 

Institute for funding my trip. I hope to meet more 

SABONET members at the 36th congress of the 

Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists. 

René Glen 

National Herbarium, Pretoria 

E-mail: rpg@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

168 

News from Swaziland 

Since our last contribution to SABONET News, 

the Swaziland National Herbarium (SDNH) has 

moved out of the building it shared with the 

Swaziland National Plant Genetic Resources 

Centre (NPGRC) at the Malkerns Research Centre. 

The herbarium is now housed in a nearby 

building that used to be occupied by an Americansponsored 

vegetable production project which was 

completed in 1997. In our “new” building there is 

more working space and all specimens have been 

transferred from old wooden cabinets to steel 

cabinets which were donated to the SDNH by the 

National Botanical Institute (NBI), South Africa, 

in 1996. 

The Assistant Herbarium Curator, Mr Titus 

Dlamini, has returned from the University of Cape 

Town where he pursued a Masters degree in 

Botany. His secondment to full acting position, on 

behalf of the Curator who is involved in the 

country’s Constitutional Review Commission, is 

still pending with government. 

Mr Bongani Dlamini, the Technical Assistant in 

the Herbarium, attended a six week course in Plant 

Genetic Resources Management, hosted by the 

Nordic Gene Bank in Alnarp, Sweden, from 13 

June to 25 July 1999. His participation in the 

course will enforce SDNH’s contribution to the 

activities of the NPGRC’s since the two institutions 

have a close working relationship. 

Having just reviewed the Flora Protection Act, the 

Herbarium is currently involved in the Forestry 

Policy and Legislation Review project which is 

sponsored by the Danish Cooperation for Environment 

and Development (DANCED) and coordinated 

by the Forestry section of the Ministry of 

Agriculture and Cooperatives. The project officially 

began in December 1998 and is destined to 

end in December 2001. It has just gone through 

the first phase which involved assessment of the 

available forest resources in the country. Involvement 

of SDNH staff in the project proved vital 

when it came to field verification of data that was 

captured remotely in satellite images. 

Titus Dlamini, Swaziland National Herbarium 


News from Zimbabwe 

Anthony Mapaura, Christopher Chapano and Erina 

Nyamhanga participated in the SABONET 

Miombo Woodland course which was held in 

Zambia. The course was a memorable occasion for 

them, for current talk in the National Herbarium is 

now largely prefaced with “When we were in 

Zambia...”. We at SRGH cherish and appreciate 

the knowledge and new techniques they gained 

from the course. The trio is now dissipating this 

knowledge to the rest of the team at SRGH. 

Ratidzayi Takawira is in Kenya for a month-long 

training course in biodiversity conservation, which 

ends on 22 July. The course is organised by the 

Tropical Biology Association. 

Zivanai Tsvuura and Erina Nyamhanga are working 

on producing a checklist of plants in the 

Mazowe Botanic Reserve. This should be ready 

for submission to the publishers by the end of July. 

The 48 ha Mazowe Botanic Reserve is an outstation 

of the National Botanic Garden. It shows a 

miombo woodland that has been little disturbed in 

more than 50 years, as well as a primary riverine 

fringe, probably the only one remaining on the 

central watershed of Zimbabwe. 

Christopher Chapano has been compiling the 

National Herbarium’s Grass Collection Register, 

which has been submitted for editing. We hope 

that by the end of August the manuscript of the 

Grass Collection Register would have been sent to 

the publishers. 

Memory Chandinyira joined the National Herbarium 

as a Data Entry Clerk on 3 May 1999. This 

brings to two the number of Data Entry Clerks 

working on our PRECIS database under the 

SABONET programme. The database entries now 

stand at 16 500. This represents 3.3% of our 

collection. A zip drive has been acquired and 

installed in the PRECIS database; it is working 

perfectly. 

Zivanayi Tsvuura and Christopher Chapano went 

on plant collection trips to the Zambezi Valley on 

22–26 February and 6–10 April. The trips were 


part of an EU-sponsored regional study that seeks 

to evaluate the impacts on wildlife of livestock 

introduction to areas cleared of tsetse fly 

(Glossina sp.) in the Zambezi Valley. The trips 

were made in collaboration with the Matopos 

Research Station. 

SRGH Staff ❑ 

Each edition of SABONET News is the result of a 

team effort, and the editors would like to sincerely 

thank the following people and organisations 

that have helped in preparing this, the tenth 

issue of SABONET News: 

Antworks 

Clare Archer 

John Burrows 

Matt Buys 

David Chuba 

Gillian Condy 

Caitlin Davies 

Titus Dlamini 

Emsie du Plessis 

Suzanne Enslin 

Hugh Glen 

René Glen 

Janice Golding 

Kathy Immelman 

Maretha Joubert 

Dickson Kamundi 

Edwin Kathumba 

Lerato Kose 

Ezekeil Kwembeya 

Otto Leistner 

Paseka Mafa 

Gillian Maggs-Kölling 

Coleen Mannheimer 

Dave McDonald 

Claid Mujaju 

Nozipo Nobanda 

Florence Nyirenda 

Ted Oliver 

Patrick Phiri 

Estelle Potgieter 

Adela Romanowski 

Nyasha Rukazhanga-Noko 

Moffat Setshogo 

Gideon Smith 

SRGH Staff 

Sandra Turck 

169

For further information related to the SABONET project or contributions to 

SABONET News, 

please contact: 

170 

Christopher Willis or Marthina Mössmer 

The Editors 

SABONET News 



Pretoria 0001 

SOUTH AFRICA 

Tel: (27) 12 804 3200 

Fax: (27) 12 804 3211 

E-mail: ckw@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

tina@nbipre.nbi.ac.za 

In the December 1999 edition 

of SABONET News… 

❖ Profile: Mario AC da Silva 

❖ IBC Report-back 

❖ Challenges in the new millennium 

❖ Computerisation of herbaria 

❖ Computer & Herbarium Management 

Courses 

❖ SABONET Report Series 

❖ The Paper Chase 

❖ Regional News Update 

If you are not already on the SABONET 

News mailing list, or your contact details 

have changed, please complete this form 

and post or fax it to the SABONET Coordinator 

at (27) 12 804 3211. 

Name: .......................................... 

Position: ....................................... 

Organisation: ................................. 

......................................................... 

Address: ....................................... 

......................................................... 

......................................................... 

.......................................................... 

Country: ....................................... 

Tel. (include international dialling code): 

................................................... 

Fax: ............................................ 

E-mail (where available): 

......................................................... 


SABONET News is published in April, August 

and December and distributed free-of-charge to 

interested persons. Manuscripts submitted for 

publication should preferably be in English. 

Submissions for the next issue should reach the 

editors before 12 November 1999. The editors 

would be grateful for material submitted on 

diskette (preferably using WordPerfect or MS 

Word) as well as an accompanying hard copy. 

Articles can also be submitted via e-mail. If 

possible, please include black and white 

photographs, slides or line drawings to illustrate 

your material. Please caption all tables, figures 

and photographs clearly on a separate sheet. 

Each photograph or slide should be labelled with 

a photographer credit. Each author should 

provide name, affiliation, postal address, 

telephone and fax numbers as well as an e-mail 

address (if available). Contributors should study 

the most recent issues of SABONET News for 

stylistic conventions. 

This newsletter was made possible through 

support provided by the GEF/UNDP 

(SABONET is a GEF Project implemented by 

the UNDP) and the Regional Centre for 

Southern Africa, Gaborone, Botswana, US 

Agency for International Development (Plot 

no. 14818 Lebatlane Road, Gaborone West, 

Extension 6, Gaborone), under the terms of 

the Grant No. 690-0283-A-00-5950. The 

opinions expressed herein are those of the 

authors and do not necessarily reflect the 

views of the US Agency for International 

Development, the GEF/UNDP, the SABONET 

Steering Committee or the National Working 

Groups. 


All photographs by Christopher 

Willis except where otherwise noted. 

SABONET News IS PRINTED ON 

RECYCLED PAPER. 

Printing: 

Business Print Centre 

Typesetting: 

Antworks Layout & Design 

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