Volume 4 No. 2 ISSN 1027–4286 August 1999

Volume 4 No. 2 ISSN 1027–4286 August 1999 | IN THIS ISSUE | EditorialEditorialEditorial 828282 PPPrrrofile: Moffat Setshogo 838383 How to write articles for publication (6) 868686 7th SS7th SC in Siavonga 888888 SABSABSABONET Report Series No. 6 published 898989 Miombo Woodlands Training Course 929292 Update on the inventory of taxonomic experts on southern AAAfrican plants 969696 FFFrrrom the WWom ebebeb 979797 ObituarObituarObituary: PPy: eter Smith 103103103 ObituarObituarObituary: Hugh TTy: aylorayloraylor 105 ThrThrThreatened knowledge in southern Africa ... some thoughts 106106106 A Plant Red Data List for southern Africafricafrica 111 SABSABSABONET Nyika Expedition 118118118 The genus PPPeperepereperomiaomiaomia in southern Africa: the final words? 124124124 PPPiperaceae in southern Africa: a very brief summaryyy 125125125 Some notes on Linnean typification 127127127 PPPostgraduates supported by SABONETONETONET 131131131 Index herbariorum: southern African supplement 136136136 The PPThe aper Chase 140140140 Sehlabathebe National Park-Lesotho’s Mountain Paradisearadisearadise 147147147 E-mail addressesessesesses 159159159 Regional News Update 166166166

FRONT COVER: Course participants and resource persons who attended SABONET’s Miombo Woodland Course, Zambia, during May/June 1999.

they may not know about or have access to. Thanks to all those individuals who have, over the past three years (this issue also celebrates the third year of the newsletter—the first issue was published in August 1996) since this newsletter started, provided encouragement and complimented us on our project newsletter. We shall continue to strive to make it informative, interesting and useful to our readers. If you have any suggestions for future articles or any Editorial other changes, we would like to hear from you.

Welcome to the tenth edition of SABONET News, the Apart from our regular features such as Profile, How official newsletter of the Southern African Botanical to write articles for publication, From the Web, The Diversity Network, more commonly known as Paper Chase, E-mail addresses and Regional News SABONET. We regard this tenth issue as a Update, we have included a variety of additional milestone in the brief history of the project. We hope news items in this issue. These range from the the newsletter is still serving its originally intended Sehlabathebe National Park and Herbarium, the purpose—that of keeping botanists world-wide proposed Southern African Red Data List, Linnean informed of past and on-going activities within this typification, Piperaceae, SABONET’s postgraduate ten-country southern African capacity-building students, as well as notice of SABONET’s proposed project, and keeping southern African botanists, Nyika Plant Collecting Expedition scheduled for specifically, up to date with recent literature which March/April 2000. 82 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 We regret to announce, since the last edition of our newsletter was published, the passing of two of our PROFILE region’s well-known and respected botanists: Peter Smith from Botswana and Hugh Taylor from South Moffat Setshogo Africa. Each was an expert in his own respective vegetation type, Peter Smith on the aquatic and wetland plants of Botswana, and Hugh Taylor on the fynbos. Peter Smith will be remembered by several young botanists from around southern Africa who had the privilege of sharing some quality time with him in the Okavango during the SABONET-hosted Aquatic Plants Training Course held during March/ April 1998 (see SABONET News 3(2): 58-62, 1998). Peter made a significant and lasting contribution to southern African botany by donating his private collection of over 5 000 herbarium specimens to the Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre (HOORC)(see SABONET News 1(2): 4, 1996). Both Hugh and Peter shall be missed. Their sad passing prompted me to write an article about “threatened knowledge”, which I hope will stimulate some debate and subsequent action in this area.

We have also included a report on SABONET’s recently hosted Miombo Woodlands Training Course, which was held at the Copperbelt University in Kitwe, Zambia from 31 May to 11 June 1999. Many thanks to the local organisers and the resource persons for their patience, understanding and hard ▲ Dr Moffat Setshogo attending SABONET’s work. Announcements of three forthcoming Pteridophyte Identification Course, Zomba, meetings that will be of interest to southern Africa’s Malawi, November 1997. botanists have also been included—the annual Southern African Herbarium Working Group r Moffat Pinkie Setshogo was born on 15 (October 1999) and South African Association of DSeptember 1963 in Molepolole, Botswana. Botanists (January 2000) meetings, both scheduled The village of Molepolole is 50 km west of the to be held at the Potchefstroom University for capital city, Gaborone, and is the headquarters of C.H.E., South Africa, and AETFAT 2000 planned to the Bakwena tribe (“People of the Crocodile”). He be held in Meise, Belgium, during August/September grew up here and attended Sebele I School and 2000. Kgari Sechele II Secondary School. He obtained his O-levels in 1982, and was admitted to the The submission deadline for the December 1999 University of Botswana (UB) Pre-Entry Science edition of SABONET News, the last one of this Course (PESC) in January 1983. In August 1983, millennium, is 12 November 1999. In that issue we he enrolled for a BSc at UB, which he completed plan to include some perspectives from the region’s in 1987. He majored in Biology and Environmen- botanists on the challenges facing southern African tal Science. His final year dissertation was on “Net botany in the new millennium. ❑❑❑ primary production of Eragrostis stapfii De Winter in the UB Nature Reserve”. Christopher Willis SABONET Coordinator On finishing his BSc, Moffat had an option of 27 July 1999 either becoming a research biologist with the SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 83 Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) or a science teacher with the then Unified Teaching Service (UTS). Having grown up in a family of teachers, the influence to go into teaching overwhelmed that of going into research, though he had a liking for it. As a result of this choice he registered for a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in August 1987 and completed it in May 1988. While doing the PGDE, he was recruited for the Staff Development Fellow Programme (SDF) of the University of Botswana to follow a teaching and research profession in Plant Taxonomy. ▲ Dr Moffat Setshogo at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1996 (Photo: Rezia Khatun). Moffat’s interest in taxonomy stems from his love for nature, or rather his appreciation Arachis spinaclava nomen nudum”, under the of biodiversity, since his early years. As a young supervision of Dr Barbara Pickersgill. boy, during the school holidays, he always went out hunting birds (with a catapult) with his peers On returning to Botswana in September 1990, he and was fascinated by the diversity of birds and was promoted to the lecturer cadre. He taught two other animals that existed. He knew almost all the undergraduate courses, Plant Diversity and birds by their Setswana names, something that he Angiosperm Taxonomy. recalls nostalgically. During the ploughing season, youngsters usually gathered around a fire in the The late 1980s were characterised by the establish- evenings and elders would recite taboos and myths ment of Remote Area Dweller Settlements associated with plants. Flimsy or no explanations (RADS) by the government of Botswana. This was were usually given for these taboos. For instance, and still is a controversial scheme of trying to one would be told that it was a taboo to fell certain resettle nomadic tribes, particularly Basarwa, into trees during the rainy season or else the rains specially designed settlements where they are would not come. This dissatisfaction with the supposedly to be served with amenities to improve answers given was imprinted in Moffat’s mind and their living standards. Going hand in hand with was to strengthen his quest to learn more about this scheme was the commissioning of studies to plants to unravel these mysteries. Similarly, as gather baseline data on natural resources around with birds and other animals, his interest in plants these settlements to establish the resource base of started with the ability to tell them apart by names. the areas. Moffat was a member of a multi-disci- This interest in nomenclature has stayed with plinary team that carried out these studies around Moffat up to the present, and he is presently the settlements of Tshokwe (Central District) and compiling Setswana names of plants with the hope Diphuduhudu (Kweneng District), which were of coming up with a publication in the near future. completed in 1992.

After a year as a Staff Development Fellow, In September 1993, Moffat went to the University Moffat transferred to do a MSc in Applied Plant of Edinburgh, Scotland, for his doctoral studies, and Fungal Taxonomy at the University of Read- which he duly completed in March 1997. His ing, UK, in September 1989, which he success- project was entitled “Taxonomic studies and fully completed in 1990. His thesis was entitled generic delimitation in the grass subtribe, “Breeding behaviour and reproductive biology of Sorghinae”. He worked under the supervision of 84 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Dr Philip Smith. It was Dr Smith who inculcated • Inventory of useful indigenous plants of the love for grasses into Moffat. Grasses have Botswana (funded by UB) become his passion and his main dream is to one • Rangeland and livelihood dynamics in the day come up with a “Guide to the Grasses of Matsheng area, Botswana (funded by EC) Botswana”. • Natural resources availability and utilisation in remote area settlements in the Tutume sub- While in Edinburgh, Moffat had the privilege of district: the case of Manxotae and Mabesekwa meeting Mr Bill Burtt at the Royal Botanic Gar- (funded by NUFU) dens, Edinburgh. Bill is one of few “northerners” who has contributed immensely to southern In addition to publication of technical reports of African botany in recent times. Moffat was also the EIAs in which he has participated, Moffat has invited to write a floral account of the Sorghinae contributed articles in a number of conference for Flora zambesiaca (FZ) by Dr Gerald Pope proceedings. The most recent of these is an article (FZ editor). This account is to be published in FZ on the “Biophysical dimensions of the Matsheng Volume 10 Part 4. Dr Pope also acted as a area in the Kgalagadi” in the Proceedings of a “facilitator” of Moffat’s research visits to Kew and Symposium on the Kgalagadi Transect (1998). His continues to be helpful towards initiatives by latest journal article was entitled “Setswana plant young and upcoming taxonomists. names and the identification of local flora” (Bot- swana Notes and Records, 1998). He has a number Moffat has been fully engrossed in teaching and of articles currently in press. research since his return from Edinburgh. In addition to Plant Diversity and Angisperm Tax- Moffat is an active member of two local environ- onomy, he also teaches courses in Evolution and mental NGOs, Somarelang Tikologo (Environment Biosystematics, Cryptogamic Botany, and Applied Watch—Botswana) and the Forestry Association Botany. of Botswana. He is also a member of the Botswana Society. His hobby is going to the cattle post, He was involved in carrying out an environmental where of course, he gets the opportunity to impact assessment of the site selected for the “botanise”. Maun Groundwater Development Project (MGDP) (1997/98). The village of Maun lies on the eastern Moffat is the current National Coordinator of fringes of the Okavango delta. Proposals to dredge SABONET in Botswana. He feels that this project some rivers in the delta to provide water for Maun came at an opportune moment for young taxono- met with some resistance both locally and interna- mists in the region. The playing field has been set tionally. As a follow-up to this, the government of for them. It is therefore up to them to perform. He Botswana, through the Department of Water is very grateful to SABONET for providing this Affairs, commissioned environmental impact opportunity. ❑ assessment studies to look at the feasibility of using borehole technology to extract water for the village. Moffat was a member of a multidisciplin- ary team that carried out these studies. His main The six stages of any project: role in the EIA was to characterise the vegetation 111 Enthusiasm types occurring in the project area and assess their 222 Disillusionment vulnerability to the possible water extraction using 333 Panic such technology. He was also involved in assess- 444 Hunt for the guilty ing the impact of quarrying on the flora and fauna 555 Punishment of the innocent of Kgale hills to the west of Gaborone (1998). 666 Rewards for those who had nothing to He is currently working on the following research do with it projects: Source unknown

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 85 bored to tears). When you have accommodated How to write any further amendments, you can send the article articles for to the editor of the journal of your choice—and hold thumbs. Usually it will be returned to you in publication (6) due course with comments and suggestions for corrections or alterations by the editor and/or by Otto Leistner referees. Incorporate these in your article, if you agree. If not, give the editor good reasons why you do not agree with some or all of the proposed Introduction alterations. Should you feel you have been unfairly In our last episode we put together our article, criticised, you may find consolation in a short from the Title to the Literature References. (The letter by the composer Max Reger. He wrote it our and we are not used because I am the president after one of his works—an excellent one, judged or because I have a tapeworm—I am just assuming with the wisdom of hindsight—had been torn to that we are doing this thing together.) We com- shreds by a music critic: Dear Mr Beckmesser, I pared the work to a building which was ready for am sitting in the smallest room of my house. I have inspection. In this, the last part of this short series, your review of my latest work in front of me. In a we meet the inspectors, and put the final touches few moments I shall have it behind me. Yours etc. to our work. Proof-reading The inspectors When you and the editor have reached agreement Who are the inspectors? The first one is very well and the article has been accepted for publication, known to you: it’s you, yourself. Put your article you will soon receive the page-proofs of your in a drawer and forget about it for a week or two. article. You will probably also be informed that When you get it out again you will probably be you must return the proofs by yesterday, and that surprised at how much more objectively you can any major alterations you make at this stage will look at your work now.You may even find a few cost you dearly. The signs and symbols used to things that can be improved on. Attend to them correct printed matter are not internationally and then hand your article to a colleague—prefer- standardised but this rarely causes problems. The ably not a member of your fanclub but one who proofreader’s marks commonly used in South derives a certain satisfaction from finding fault Africa are shown on the following page. (like all good editors—otherwise they would be Bingo!!! Not long after you have returned your corrected proofs to the editor, the proud day will come when you can admire the fruits of your labour in print. And as you page through them you discover, to your horror, a printing error on page 3. Don’t worry too much: one good reason to do even better next time. If the error is crucial, however, you will have to request the editor to publish a correction in the next number of the journal.

Epilogue I can give you no guarantee, but if you follow the advice I have offered on our short journey through the world of science writing, you should not receive the kind of letter sent by Peanuts.

O Continued on page 88 86 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 87 ▲ Continued from page 86 It was fun writing this series. I hope you found it enjoyable and perhaps also informative. SSC7 in Siavonga, Let me end with quotes by two great minds: What you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness Zambia embraces genius, power and magic.—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote on his compositions The seventh SABONET Steering Committee the letters S.D.G.: Soli Deo Gloria: All honour and (SSC) meeting was held at Manchinchi Bay glory to the Almighty: I humbly dedicate this Lodge, Siavonga, Zambia, on 12 April 1999. The work, done to the best of my ability, to the greatest occasion was hosted by the SABONET-Zambia creator of all. ❑ Coordinator, Dr Patrick Phiri of the University of Zambia, and Mr Kampamba of Zambia’s National Useful References Parks and Wildlife Services. In addition to the Anon 1998. Guide for authors to Bothalia. Bothalia SSC Chairperson, the SABONET Secretariat and 28: 261–269. National Coordinators from each of the participat- Berry, J.E. 1971. The most common mistakes in ing countries, the following individuals also English. McGraw-Hill, New York. attended the meeting: Collins Pocket Reference. 1994. Ready Reference. Harper Collins, Glasgow. • UNDP/GEF, Tanzania: Dr Alan Rodgers Cutts, M. 1995. The Plain English guide. Oxford • UNDP-South Africa: Ms Jaana Rannikko University Press, Oxford. • NETCAB/IUCN ROSA, Zimbabwe: Mr Reford Day, R.A. 1979. How to write and publish a scientific paper. Institute for Scientific Information, Philadelphia. Mwakalagho Killick, D.J.B. 1981. Guide to science writing. Depart- • DEAT, South Africa: Mr Gert Willemse ment of Agriculture & Fisheries, R.S.A. • SADC FSTCU, Malawi: Mr Ernest Misomali Raper, P.E. 1987. Dictionary of southern African place • SPGRC, Zambia: Mr Charles Nkhoma names. Lowry Publishers, Johannesburg. • National Parks-Zambia: Mr George Kampamba Roget’s Thesaurus. 1998. Penguin Books. • University of Trieste, Italy: Dr Massimo The New Fowler’s Modern English Usage. 1998. Dragan & Dr Fiorenzo Somaini Clarendon Press, Oxford. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of During the same week, SABONET’s first Current English. 1999. Oxford University Press. TriPartite Review (TPR) meeting, chaired by Dr The Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors. 1986. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Alan Rodgers of UNDP/GEF, Arusha, Tanzania, Venolia, J. 1986. Write right. David & Charles, Newton was held at the same venue. The main focus of Abbot, London. discussions at the TPR meeting was SABONET’s Venolia, J. 1987. Rewrite right! Ten Speed Press/ Annual Programme/Project Report (commonly Periwinkle Press. known as the APR), as well as the evaluation and Whitcut, J. 1998. Better wordpower. Oxford endorsement of the recommendations made by the University Press. seventh SSC meeting the previous day. Recom- mendations made by the TPR meeting will be implemented by the appropriate individuals/ institutions concerned.

The assembled group in Siavonga also used the opportunity to discuss and contribute to southern Africa’s submission to the New International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation. (For more information, see Draft submission for the New International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation elsewhere in this newsletter.) 88 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 The eighth SSC meeting is planned for 30 Septem- capital equipment, staffing, and computerisation. ber 1999 and is scheduled to be held in Maputo, Each section consists of a summary of the results Mozambique. SSC meetings have so far been held for the entire region, which is followed by a more in the following five participating countries: detailed discussion for each country, where appli- Botswana (1998), Malawi (1997), South Africa cable. The appendices provide detailed informa- (1996 (two meetings), 1998), Zambia (1999) and tion for individual herbaria, arranged by country. Zimbabwe (1997). ❑ The production of the Southern African Her- barium Needs Assessment was supported finan- SABONET Report No. 6 cially by GEF/UNDP, the NBI and USAID/IUCN ROSA. published Report details: The first step towards Smith, G.F., Willis, C.K. & Mössmer, M. 1999. achieving SABONET’s Southern African Herbarium Needs Assessment. objective of expanding Southern African Botanical Diversity Network and improving herbarium Report No. 6. SABONET, Pretoria, South Africa. collections was determin- 88 pp. ISBN 1-919795-45-6. ing the needs of as many herbaria as possible with- To order a free copy of this report, contact the in the region. SABONET Project Coordinator, Southern African Botanical and the National Botani- Diversity Network, c/o National Botanical Insti- cal Institute (NBI) of tute, Private Bag X101, Pretoria, 0001 South South Africa started Africa. Tel.: (27) 12 804 3200, fax: (27) 12 804 ❑ conducting a survey of 3211, e-mail: [email protected]. herbaria during 1998. A total of 55 herbaria in the following countries were included: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Na- THANK YOU, mibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The results of the survey have been SABONET published in the latest issue in the SABONET Report Series, Southern African Herbarium Needs Recently I had to find my way through some Assessment. notes on palm distributions left by the late Dr Fried von Breitenbach. To do so, I needed to ask The SABONET/NBI needs assessment survey is various herbaria (J, PSUB, SRGH and WIND) for the most detailed and comprehensive one yet details of some of their specimens. If it were not conducted in the region. Previous botanical sur- for the existence of SABONET, I would not have veys did not cover all the southern African coun- known whom to ask, and the good souls who responded would not have known who was tries, and not all the main collections in the sub- asking. As it was, the answers I received were continent were targeted. The communication one and all as kind and helpful as could be. So network established by SABONET has made it this note is mainly to say a big “thank-you” to possible to survey all the important collections in those who took time from overloaded schedules the ten SABONET countries. In addition, all the to help me, and to let the rest of SABONET know needs of the herbaria have been translated into that the system works. financial terms. For the first time, policy makers Thank you, everybody, for your kindness and and managers of collections will have a clear help. indication of the exact monetary needs of specific collections for maintenance and development. Hugh Glen The report presents the survey results in five NBI, Pretoria sections: taxon holdings, libraries and literature, SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 89 XVIth AETFAT International Congress

Plant systematics and phytogeography for the understanding of African biodiversity

Monday August 28–Friday September 1, 2000

Invitation On behalf of the Organising Committee you are Language cordially invited to participate in the XVIth AETFAT The official languages congress, from Monday August 28 until Friday of the congress will be English and French. September 1, 2000. Contact Organizing Committee Prof. J. Rammeloo, Secretary General or the Prof. J. Rammeloo, Secretary General; Prof. E. secretariat. Robbrecht; Prof. J. Lejoly; Prof. F. Malaisse; Prof. Tel.: (32) 2 269 39 05 J. Léonard; Prof. J.J. Symoens; Prof. C. Evrard; Ir. Fax: (32) 2 270 15 67 P. Bamps; Dr. A. Robyns; Dr. P. De Block; Dr. J. E-mail: [email protected] De Greef; Dr. P. Stoffelen; Mrs. D. Champluvier; Web site: http://www.br.fgov.be/RESEARCH/ Mr. L. Pauwels MEETINGS/AETFAT/index.html Secretariat: Mrs. C. Kosolosky; Mrs. J. Honoré Venue General Programme National Botanic Garden of Belgium The Congress will focus strongly on the original Domein van Bouchout aim of the organisation, being taxonomy of African B-1860 Meise plants and phytogeography and the contacts and Belgium collaboration of researchers in these fields. It has been agreed that cryptogamic botany will be Tourist information accepted within the general theme. Of the pro- • http://belgium.fgov.be/pa/ena_frame.htm posed session themes the following ones have • http://www.vl-brabant.be/english/Welcome.html already been selected by the organising commit- • http://www.toervl.be/ tee: • http://www.opt.be/Langue/en/bxl/index.htm • Macrotransects as a phytogeographical tech- • http://www.brussels2000.be/ nique • http://www.interpac.be/G7/brussels/ • Herbaria and botanic gardens in Africa and their brussels.html role for systematics • Botanical exploration of Africa south of the Call for papers Sahara—an update Scientists interested in presenting a paper at the • Computerised floristic information for the congress are invited to submit an abstract, using African flora the abstract form, before September 30, 1999, • Orchid taxonomy and conservation indicating the way in which they would like to • Molecular approaches towards taxonomy of present the paper: Oral presentation or Poster African plants presentation. The Organising Committee reserves • Systematics and collaborations between the right to accept any paper in the form of a systematical institutes poster only. By the end of 1999 the presenting • Miombo woodland (emphasis on floristics and author will be notified whether the abstract has phytogeography) been accepted, and if so, of the proposed type of • Progress with Floras of Africa presentation (oral or poster). Electronic submis- • Monographs of African plant groups sion of abstracts (preferably by e-mail) is encour-

90 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 aged but must be accompanied by a hard copy and removing them. Materials for poster mount- sent by priority mail. ing will be provided by the poster secretary.

Instructions for abstracts Publication of papers The abstract book will be handed over to the Full papers from the Congress (oral and poster participants at the opening of the congress. Ab- presentations) will be published in a special issue stracts should be in English or French. The ab- of the journal Systematics and Geography of stract should be about 400 words and should Plants. consist of the following: • The title of the paper, not exceeding 75 charac- Pre-Registration ters. Colleagues interested to participate in the XVIth • The name and address of the authors; the AETFAT Congress should complete the Pre- name of the person presenting the paper should Registration form and return it to the Congress be underlined. Secretariat. You will find the pre-registration form • An overview of the objectives, methods used, at http://www.br.fgov.be/RESEARCH/MEETINGS/ results and conclusions. AETFAT/aetfat_registration_fax.html.

To submit your abstract, do the following: To register, do one of the following: • Send an electronic version (WordPerfect 6.0 or • Send an e-mail message with all the necessary lower format) of the abstract to the secretariat information to the secretariat (e-mail: (e-mail: [email protected]). [email protected]). • Also send a copy of your e-mail by fax • Print the form from the web, fill it in and fax it to ( (32) 2 2701567). (32) 2 2701567.

The deadline for abstracts is September 30, 1999. Please return this information no later than Sep- tember 30 1999 to the Symposium secretariat. Instructions for oral presentations Each oral presentation, except for keynote speak- Registration ers, will strictly be limited to 15 minutes, followed A second circular, containing more technical by 5 minutes discussion. Oral presentations must information about registration rates, hotels, etc. will be in English or French. Slide projectors are be mailed at the end of November 1999 to the pre- provided for 24 x 36 mm slides. For good legibility, registered scientists. This second circular will the size of the original text or tables for slides include the final registration form. ❑ should not exceed 120 x 180 mm. The session secretary is responsible for the projection. Hand Prof. Dr J. Rammeloo over your slides to him/her in time. The projection National Botanic Garden of Belgium itself will be done by a technician. Overhead Domein van Bouchout projection facilities are also available. B-1860 Meise, Belgium Tel.: (32) 2 2693905 Instructions for poster presentations Fax: (32) 2 2701567 Poster presentations are in English or French. E-mail: [email protected] • The maximum poster size is 80 cm wide and 150 cm high. • Title, authors’ names and affiliation should be included at the top of the poster. A dedicated SABONET • The poster should consist of objectives, methods, results and discussion. It should be clear, web site is currently being simple and self-explanatory; although time will developed. Details to be be reserved for poster viewing and discussion, posters must be understandable in the absence announced in the of the author. December 1999 edition of • All figures and tables must have headings, labelled axes and legends. SABONET News. • Lettering should be legible from a distance of 1 m. • Exhibitors are responsible for mounting posters SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 91 Miombo Woodlands Training Course

by Patrick Phiri

▲ Dr Patrick Phiri in action during a field exercise, Mwekera, Zambia.

Opening Ceremony lecturer at the Copperbelt University, Mrs Anne As the students were returning to their Campus for Moola and Mr Davies Nyirongo of the Department the second academic term, on the morning of 31 of National Parks and Wildlife Services, Mr. May 1999, there was a hive of activity in the small George Muwowo from WWF-Zambia Office and Conference Room at the Copperbelt University Mrs. Florence Nyirenda of the University of (CBU). His Worship the Mayor of Kitwe, Mr. Zambia Herbarium. SABONET clinched a rare Chishimba, was delivering a welcome address to privilege of having enlisted Mr Robert B. participants of the Miombo Woodlands Course Drummond, a respected botanist and former held in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. The Keeper of the National Herbarium in Harare, who opening ceremony was attended by the Registrar was one of the resource persons along with Dr of CBU, the Dean of the School of Forestry and Augustine Chikuni of the National Herbarium and Wood Science at CBU (Mr F.C. Njovu), the Botanical Gardens of Malawi and Dr Patrick Phiri Acting Dean of the School of Natural Sciences (Dr of UNZA. The presence of the SABONET Coordi- L.E. Mumba) from the University of Zambia nator, later joined by Ms Janice Golding (UNZA) and the SABONET Coordinator (Mr (SABONET’s Red Data List Coordinator), with Christopher Willis). The course participants the administrative support of the Chief Technician included Mrs Teresa Martins from Angola, Mr (Mr Samuel Kapanji) from UNZA, ensured the Casper Bonyongo from Botswana, Mr Shaibu smooth running of the course which commenced Kananji from Malawi, Mrs Martha Manjate from on 31 May and ended on 11 June 1999. Mozambique, Mr Mactavish Makwarela from South Africa, Mr Christopher Chapano, Mr Course Objectives Anthony Mapaura and Ms Erina Nyamhanga from Kitwe was chosen as the best venue for hosting the Zimbabwe. Local participants from Zambia Miombo Woodlands course because the city is included Mrs Esnart Chupa and Mr E. Nonde of located within the high rainfall region of Zambia. the Forest Department, Mrs Concilia Tembo of The vegetation types found in the northern part of Mwekera Forest College, Mr. Bobby Samuel, a Zambia are characterised by the occurrence of wet

92 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 miombos with a high number of Brachystegia 1030 m) and the third transect run along the species. The Copperbelt Province falls within the Lusaka-Chirundu Road in the Mazabuka District botanically rich Katangan centre of diversity, (16o01'S, 28o28'S; alt.: 600 m). The group stayed at which includes the north-eastern sector of Angola Manchinchi Bay Lodge overnight and returned to and the Shaba Province of the Democratic Repub- Kitwe on Sunday. This exercise revealed that a lic of Congo. In accordance with SABONET’s correlation existed between rainfall pattern and overall objective aimed at developing a core of floristic composition. The miombo woodlands professional botanists, the Miombo Course sylla- around Kitwe, which falls within the high rainfall bus was structured such that the participants were area, exhibited the occurrence of Aframomum expected (a) to gain an understanding of the biauriculatum, Anisophyllea boehmii, structure and floristic features of the miombo Brachystegia floribunda, B. longiflora, B. woodlands; (b) to acquire some knowledge in the spiciformis, Ficus wakefieldii, Isoberlinia identification of the common miombo taxa; and angolensis, Julbernardia paniculata, Marquesia (c) to derive an appreciation of the biogeographi- macroura and Uapaca benguelensis. In the cal extent of the miombos in Africa. Mulungushi area, which receives intermediate precipitation, the typical miombo dominants Course Structure recorded were Brachystegia boehmii, Julbernardia In the legume systematics component of the globiflora and J. paniculata, whereas Isoberlinia course, Dr Chikuni shared his expertise on the systematics of the tribe Amherstieae arising from his PhD studies based on the revision of the genus Brachystegia Benth. The component on biogeography introduced the participants to the concept of phytochoria with emphasis on the characteristics of the Sudano-Zambezian floristic region. The ecology of the miombo woodlands focused on the physiognomic structure and floristic composition with reference to species diversity in wet and dry miombo variants. Fieldwork was designed such that participants applied the lessons taught on vegetative and reproductive features to the identification of the miombo woodland species. ▲ Dr Augustine Chikuni (centre), Bob Drummond and Mwekera Forest Reserve and the Chembe Bird course participants during an excursion into the Sanctuary in the south and west of Kitwe, respec- miombo woodlands, Mwekera, Zambia. tively, presented good sites for practical exercises. The botanical key was used as a tool in the identification of plants in both the herbarium and the field.

Field Trip to Siavonga The weekend of 5–6 June 1999 was spent travelling along a country-wide transect starting from Kitwe in the high rainfall area ending up in Siavonga in the low rainfall area. This transect was designed to enable the participants to record the floristic composition of the miombo along a climatic gradient. Transects were run at Mwekera (12o50'S, 28o21'E; alt.: 1070 m), the second run ▲ Resource persons, course organisers and partici- along the Great North Road in the Mulungushi pants of SABONET’s Miombo Woodland Training area just north of Kabwe (14o15'S, 28o33'E; alt.: Course (May/June 1999), Mwekera, Zambia. SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 93 angolensis was conspicuously absent in the area. such academic interactions would strengthen Julbernardia paniculata disappeared in the collaborative links with its sister institution, the Chisamba area, where the miombo was replaced University of Zambia (UNZA) in Lusaka. Since by Acacia-Combretum woodland. Along the the greater number of the participants were to take Chirundu road in the escarpment area of their return flights on Saturday 12 June, the course Mazabuka District the miombo dominants were ended on Thursday. The ending of the course characterised by the occurrence of Brachystegia culminated with a dinner held at the Hotel Edin- boehmii, B. tamarindoides and Julbernardia burgh, where Mr Felix C. Lungu, the Dean of the globiflora. The study revealed that high rainfall School and Wood Science, accompanied by Mrs correlated with high species diversity, whereas low Njovu, issued the course certificates to the suc- rainfall areas carried a correspondingly low cessful participants. The non-Kitwe participants species diversity. reluctantly left their two-week home on Friday 11 June for their respective homes, with great memo- The CBU Vice-Chancellor Fêtes ries of the delicious sizzlers, specialities of the SABONET Edinburgh Hotel. ❑ The second week of the course started on a positive note. On Monday evening, 7 June, Dr. J. Dr Patrick SM Phiri Lungu, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Herbarium Copperbelt University (CBU), invited the course Department of Biological Sciences participants, the resource persons and the Assist- University of Zambia ant Coordinator to dinner at the University’s Guest P.O. Box 32379 House. The Vice-Chancellor welcomed the course Zambia participants to the CBU and stressed that he hoped E-mail: [email protected]

Drawn by Edwin Kathumba (NHBG, Malawi). 94 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 95 Update on the inventory of taxonomic experts on southern African plants

The SABONET inventory of taxonomic experts is nearing publication. The book will be based on a database of local and overseas taxonomists and other plant diversity experts with knowledge of southern African plants.

The main body of the book will consist of an alphabetical listing of more than 160 taxonomic experts. Each entry will contain the person’s qualification details, herbarium name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address, as well as listing the plant families and genera in which the person has expertise. The entry will also include information on the geographical area in which the person is interested and a list of research interests.

Various indexes will make it easy to find relevant entries in the book: List of taxonomic experts by country List of taxonomic experts by institution Taxonomic index (families and genera) Geographical index Research interest index

In addition, the book will contain a bibliography of selected articles and books published by the listed authors. The publication references will be listed under the relevant author(s) name(s), as well as under family and genus names, where these are applicable.

The inventory should be published by the end of September 1999 as part of the SABONET Report Series. ❑

Marthina Mössmer SABONET Project Consultant E-mail: [email protected]

Draft submission for the New International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation

Coordinated by the SABONET Secretariat, a collective contribution from southern African botanists was submitted to Peter Wyse Jackson of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) on 30 June 1999. All ten southern African countries participating in the SABONET Project contributed to the submission and we hope to participate in the further development and editing of the New International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation, currently being prepared by the BGCI Secretariat. Special thanks must be made to Dr Daan Botha and the Curators of South Africa’s National Botanical Gardens (under the National Botanical Institute or NBI) for their significant contributions to the southern African submission. ❑ 96 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 compiled for Unix. All of these may be downloaded from the Web page, and used and copied freely. It is possible to register as a user, but this is optional. Registration is not required to download the program or receive support. The Web page answers some frequently asked questions, and has links to some related biology, evolution and bio- informatics sites.

Use of medicinal plants for traditional veterinary medicine http://pc4.sisc.ucl.ac.be/prelude.html The data bank “PRELUDE” concerning the use of medicinal plants for traditional veterinary medicine is now completed with a lot of new references.

FUNBOTANICA web site http://pagina.de/funbotanica FUNBOTANICA (Fundación Ecuatoriana para la Investigación y el Desarrollo de la Botánica), the Economic plants database organization of botanists interested in the flora of http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/tax/taxecon.html Ecuador, now has a web site. This site is brand This web site enables you to search for economic new and still under construction; however, your plants using any combination of the following: comments, suggestions and information updates family, genus or species name, common name, are welcome. and distribution by country and state. You can also specify various uses, for example, medicine, GTI Report pesticide or poison. A search of the database http://research.amnh.org/biodiversity/acrobat/gti2.pdf results in a list of scientific names; each name is The GTI report from the New York systematics linked to a page with complete data for that taxon. workshop held during September 1998 is now available as a downloadable PDF file on the Botanical Electronic News Biodiversity Center web site. http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/ben227.html Updated classification of Salix in the New World by Kubitzki’s Families and Genera of Vascular George Argus available on Botanical Electronic Plants News (BEN) #227. http://www.inform.umd.edu/PBIO/fam/ kubitzkimonocot.html LVB phylogeny program Corrections and modifications of the suprageneric http://www.icmb.ed.ac.uk/sokal.html nomenclature in volumes III and IV of The Families LVB is intended for use where there is a very large and Genera of Vascular Plants edited by amount of information (e.g., hundreds of aligned K. Kubitzki have been compiled along with a DNA sequences). The program was written to conspectus of the 106 families recognised by him. investigate use of the heuristic known as simulated annealing in the search for parsimonious Checklist of online vegetation and plant distri- phylogenetic trees. The manual is available free, in bution maps a new electronic version. It documents LVB for http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/branner/ users, and also the internals of the program itself vegmaps.htm for those interested in checking or modifying LVB. A checklist compiled by Claire Englander and The program is free, and is now available for many Philip Hoehn from the Stanford University Branner popular computer systems: PowerPC or compat- Earth Sciences Library and Map Collections. The ible with MacOS; Pentium or compatible with section on South Africa links to the World Conser- Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT; vation Monitoring Centre’s Forest Information Pentium or compatible with Windows 3.1 or Service and contains a July 1996 forest cover map Windows 3.11; C source code which may be showing the protected forest areas. The site leads

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 97 to a forest protection statistics page for Africa and Ver. 7.0 license. BioLink is designed to run equally African countries, and includes forest statistics for well on single PCs, institutional networks and the South Africa. Internet. Future BioLink releases, together with their contents and pricing, will be announced on BioLink E-Newsletter No. 1. 25 April, 1999 the BioLink web site. Institutional licensing agree- http://www.ento.csiro.au/biolink/home.htm ments are available on request from The Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO [email protected]. Entomology, is pleased to announce that BioLink, the Biodiversity Information Management System, Subscription to the BioLink E-Newsletter is now available for evaluation by the taxonomic, Anyone who wishes to be added to the mailing list museum and biodiversity communities. This can do so by visiting release, Ver. 1.0 (Beta 1), is the first general http://www.ento.csiro.au/biolink/subscribe/ release of BioLink. subscribe.html. BioLink E-Newsletters will only be issued to announce major BioLink releases or More Information About BioLink other significant events. For details concerning BioLink, including a complete online version of the User’s Manual, see the Index Herbariorum and Plant Specialists Index web site at the URL mentioned above. Instructions http://www.nybg.org/bsci/ih/ih.html for downloading a copy of BioLink and the BioLink Updated information for 1610 herbaria in 117 release schedule are also available from this site. countries listed in Index Herbariorum, edition 8, You can also contact us directly with any questions and its supplements (published in Taxon) is avail- and comments at [email protected]. able for searching by institution, city, state, acro- nym, staff member, correspondent, and research About BioLink specialty. Telephone and fax numbers and e-mail BioLink manages both taxon- and specimen-based and URL addresses are included. The Index is information. The current release provides manage- fully searchable on research specialty, so it also ment tools for taxon names ranging from kingdom serves as a Plant Specialists Index. to subspecies as well as material based on both museum specimens and field observations. Easy Updated information is available for all herbaria to use data entry forms and predefined reports are registered in Index Herbariorum in the following provided to allow rapid collection and reporting of countries: Alderney, Angola, Austria, Barbados, the highest possible data quality. BioLink provides Belarus, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a range of tools to assist in data collection and Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina analysis. An online electronic gazetteer assists in Faso, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African the geocoding of sites, including sites described by Republic, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Fiji, a distance and direction from a named place (for French Guiana, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, example 19km SE of Canberra). A mapping tool is Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guyana, Iceland, also included which can plot distributions of taxa, Jersey Islands, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauri- at any rank, directly from the taxonomic checklist. tius, Moldava, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, New These maps are fully customisable, can be at any Caledonia, Panama, Seychelles, Singapore, scale or level of detail, and can include any Suriname, Swaziland, Togo, Trinidad, U.S.A., and number of taxa (each with its own symbol). These Virgin Islands. maps can be printed directly from BioLink, saved to disk or transferred to a GIS package such as Updated information is available for 75–99% of the ArcView. herbaria in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Release Schedule, Prerequisites and Costs Netherlands, Norway, Papua New Guinea, and This release of BioLink is provided free of charge. Puerto Rico. This free distribution will allow evaluation of BioLink’s rich and diverse features and permit Updated information is available for 50-74% of the potential users to assess BioLink’s usefulness in herbaria in Armenia, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, fulfilling their information management require- Czech Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Finland, ments. Prerequisites for installing BioLink include a France, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Iran, Isle of Pentium-based PC running Windows 95/98/NT4, Man, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, 60 megs of disk space and a Microsoft SQLServer Morocco, New Zealand, Senegal, Slovenia, South 98 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Uruguay, and Okavango Delta. Users also have access to the Venezuela. Society’s online Newsletter.

Updated information is available for 25–49% of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South herbaria in Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Africa: Policy Document Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Latvia, http://mzone.mweb.co.za/residents/csread/ Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, policies.htm Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Tanzania, This online document addresses the Society’s Turkmenistan, and Vietnam. policy on issues such as biodiversity, biotechnology, business and the environment, energy, global Updated information is available for 1–24% of the climate change, integrated waste management, herbaria in Georgia, Ghana, Israel, Myanmar, land and access issues, marine resources, mining Portugal, Turkey, U.K., and Ukraine. and mining resources, pollution, tree farming, urban conservation, water resources, and wildlife. No updated information is available for the herbaria in Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangla- Center for Indigenous Knowledge for Agricul- desh, Benin, Bhutan, Burundi, El Salvador, Gabon, ture and Rural Development (CIKARD) Greenland, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, http://www.ciesin.org/IC/cikard/CIKARD.html Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, The Center for Indigenous Knowledge for Agricul- Mongolia, Niger, Oman, People’s Republic of ture and Rural Development, based at Iowa State China, Philippines, Poland, Republic of China, University, collects indigenous knowledge of local Reunion, Romania, Russia, Sierra Leone, Solomon farmers and rural people from around the world. Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, This knowledge is made available to development Tunisia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yugoslavia, professionals and scientists in order to advance Zaire, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. agriculture, natural resource management, and rural development. Information is provided on the This file will be updated every few months, so activities and programmes of CIKARD. The site please send updates and corrections to Patricia K. also links to partner and affiliated organisations. Holmgren ([email protected]). A link through CIESEN’s (Center for International Earth Science Information Network) gateway Environmental Organization WebDirectory allows viewers to access data sets from organisa- http://www.webdirectory.com/ tions with environmental, earth science, and global General_Environmental_Interest/ change information. The Environmental Organization WebDirectory serves as a clearinghouse for information on Peace Parks Foundation environmentally related sites available on the http://www.peaceparks.org.za/ WWW. The directory includes sites from over 100 The aim of the Peace Parks Foundation is to countries. Pages link to issues such as agriculture, create a network of transfrontier conservation searchable databases, energy, forestry, general areas across southern Africa. These cross-border environmental interest, land conservation, pollu- partnerships will require regional cooperation and tion, recycling, sustainable development, transpor- a positive approach to job creation and wildlife. tation, water resources, wildlife, and many more. Ecotourism will be the main revenue for these peace parks. The organisational models for the Kalahari Conservation Society parks will resemble biosphere reserves, rather http://www.udel.edu/IntlProg/africa/ than traditional game parks. The site includes The aim of the Kalahari Conservation Society is to information about the seven proposed peace promote knowledge of Botswana’s rich wildlife and parks. its environment through education and publicity, to encourage and in some cases finance research BioNet International into issues affecting these resources and their http://www.bionet-intl.org/ conservation, and to promote and support policies BioNet International is a global network of people of conservation towards wildlife and its habitat. and institutions concerned with helping developing Information is provided on past and present countries to acquire and maintain scientific skills, research activities of the Society, the people and the collections of organisms and their related the land of the Okavango, and facts about the knowledge, and the technologies needed to SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 99 provide the vital biosystematic support for their of this paper is on locus standi and refers to rights, national programmes for sustainable agricultural legal provisions and remedies. development and conservation and sustainable use of their environment and biodiversity. Web sites related to biodiversity policy and law http://www.bionet-us.org/website.html Current Research Information System (CRIS) The second edition of the 1999 directory of web http://cristel.nal.usda.gov:8080/ sites on biodiversity policy and law. BIONET The Current Research Information System is the distributes the list of web sites on a quarterly basis. U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) docu- In an effort to balance the importance of current mentation and reporting system for ongoing and issue-oriented sites with the utility of maintaining recently completed research projects in agricul- relevant institutional sites, the directory is divided ture, food and nutrition, and forestry. Users have into two sections: one section containing timely access to the searchable CRIS database. Search issue-specific web addresses, which will be up- results include abstract-length summaries for each dated with each addition; and one permanent research project. Other information includes a section listing the addresses of relevant institu- Revised Manual (December 1998) of Classification tions, organisations and other stakeholder groups of Agricultural and Forestry Research, the CRIS working around the CBD. Guide to Services, CRIS Forms and Assistance Manuals, and contact information. IRIS: the Internet’s forest product resource http://primusweb.com/forest/ Draft Green Paper on Development and This site is a comprehensive directory of Internet Planning resources on forestry and forest-related products. http://www.oneworld.org/saep/subject/land/ It offers categories such as software and inte- LANDDOCS/PlanningGP.html grated systems, forest product resellers, The National Development and Planning Commis- sustainability and environment, home construction, sion was appointed in terms of the Development and equipment and supplies. The Information Facilitation Act no. 67 of 1995 (DFA) to advise the Resources section includes links to publications Minister of Land Affairs and the Minister of Hous- and events. The site also offers a forum for the ing on Planning and Development on issues discussion of business practices and industry relating to land development planning. The Com- news, emerging technologies, and research mission was requested to focus on the spatial development. planning system for urban and rural development. This Draft Green Paper also describes and as- Forest Products sesses the historical background to spatial plan- http://www.oneworld.org/odi/nrp/37.htm ning in South Africa and the way it has developed Assessing the potential of forest product activities since 1994 from a legal, procedural and policy to contribute to rural incomes in Africa, by Michael point of view. Arnold and Ian Townson, 1998, published with financial support of the Overseas Development National Heritage Resource Act Institute (ODI), London, reviews the implications of http://www.polity.org.za/govdocs/legislation/1999/ forest product activities as a source of income for index.html rural African households. South Africa’s National Heritage Resource Act is now available from this site in PDF format. World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development Public interest environmental litigation in http://iisd.ca/wcfsd/default.htm South Africa The report “Our forests…our future”, released by http://www.oneworld.org/saep/subject/law_policy/ the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable envlit/GLINSKImarch99.html Development, serves as a blueprint to solve the Paper by Carola Glinski, March 1999. To protect global forest crisis. After holding hearings on five the environment effectively, a person or associa- continents, the Commission came to the conclu- tion must be able to enforce protection. One sion that if we change the way we value and important means of enforcement is litigation. It is manage our forests, both development and forests therefore necessary to have rights or legal provi- can be sustained. The Commission advocates a sions which can be enforced, namely locus standi set of global, national and local level arrangements for the plaintiff, and effective remedies. The focus called “Forestrust”, which will involve people in 100 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 decisions concerning their forests. The four com- wetland species. It comprises a global network of ponents of Forestrust are Forest Watch, Forest governmental and non-governmental experts Management Council, Forest Ombudsman, and a working on wetlands. Features include upcoming Forest Award. The report also challenges the events and ongoing news relating to wetland handful of countries with some 85% of the world’s conservation efforts. The Ramsar Database forests to exercise leadership through a Forest contains a suite of databases on wetland areas Security Council, modelled partly on the G8 sum- designated as internationally important under the mits, but also involving the science, business and Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The Publica- NGO communities. The report is available in PDF tions page contains a bibliography of wetland format. creation and restoration literature. The site also links to international resources on wetlands and Australian EIA Network wetland conservation. http://www.environment.gov.au/portfolio/epg/eianet/ eianet.html Population, Development and Environment The homepage of the Australian EIA Network Project (PDE) provides an overview of environmental impact http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Research/POP/pde/ assessment in Australia, including legislation pdeafr.htm and agreements, notifications, practitioners, The International Institute for Applied Systems training courses, and a link to the International Analysis (IIASA), a non-governmental organisation Study of the Effectiveness of EA. located in Austria, started a PDE research project in 1997 entitled “Evaluating Alternative Paths for Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) Sustainable Development in Botswana, Mozam- http://www.sws.org/ bique and Namibia”. The project will produce The Society of Wetland Scientists is a non-profit comprehensive analyses of population, develop- organisation founded in 1980 to promote wetland ment, and environmental (PDE) interactions in science and the exchange of information relating Namibia, Botswana and Mozam-bique with a time to wetlands. This site contains information about horizon to 2050. Available resources from this site the society, its membership, and how to join. A include maps and descriptions of the socio- Discussion Forum offers the chance to exchange economic regions, population information, and information with other wetlands-concerned profes- water issues. Viewers have access to online sionals. Viewers have access to abstracts of the working and discussion papers, a selected biblio- current issue of the journal Wetlands. Other graphy of the three countries, as well as links to resources include conference announcements, a related sites. database to help wetland scientists locate sources of new technologies and tools, a directory of Spatial Development Initiatives wetland-related academic programmes, educa- http://www.oneworld.org/saep/subject/economy/ tional aids intended for college and university SDIs/sdis.htm professors, teaching assistants, and students and The Southern Africa Environment Project (SAEP) links to related sites. has launched a new web site for Spatial Develop- ment Initiatives (SDIs). SDIs are part of the South The Wetlands Resource Centre African Government’s attempt to promote eco- http://www.wetlands.ca/wetcentre/ nomic development under its macro-economic The Wetlands Resource Centre was created by policy, GEAR. the Canada-based WetNet Project (a consortium of organisations dedicated to wetland conservation The World Factbook 1998 and research in the Americas) to act as a hub for http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ Internet resources on wetlands and shorebirds in index.html the Western Hemisphere. The World Factbook, compiled by the United States CIA, provides useful country profiles from Wetlands International, Africa, Europe and all over the world, including southern Africa. Middle East Information and statistics are available on topics http://www.wetlands.agro.nl/ such as geography, economy, people, government, Wetlands International is a non-profit organisation communications, transportation, military, and concerned with the conservation of wetlands and transnational issues.

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 101 Guide to Harvard style for referencing and bibliography, as well as the various source types citation such as journal articles, books, research reports, http://www.lmu.ac.uk/lss/ls/docs/docfront.htm theses, dissertations, and electronic sources. You The Harvard citation system, developed in the can also download a 23-page Microsoft Word 6 United States, grew in popularity during the 1950s format version of the guide, titled “Quote, and 1960s, especially in the physical and natural Unquote”.❑ sciences and more recently in the social sciences. Over several decades it has become the most common international citation system and is Marthina Mössmer frequently the standard house style for publications SABONET Project Consultant in academic journals. This guide explains how to E-mail: [email protected] cite references in the text of a document and in the

An inordinate fondness for abbreviation by Geoff Read

“Where the Latin name of a species is repeated several times in a page or section, it is permissible and sometimes actually helpful to abbreviate the generic name after the first use of it.” (Blackwelder)

That’s the suggestion. It is not some rule of law that a genus name may not be written out in full more than once in a paper. Or is it?

Sometimes I get the impression an author (or editor) would rather die than repeat a genus name. This defies commonsense and certainly strains the patience of this reader. I do not want to look back several paragraphs or pages to find out what on earth the species under discussion is. I do not want to be confused by meeting in a sentence two or more abbreviated species names of different genera but with the same letter of the alphabet. I do not want to wade through an alphabet soup of abbreviated names in a sentence. But I’m often forced to do that by some biologists and their editors.

What I want is reasonable repetition of the full name of all the species. They’re probably unfamiliar to me. I haven’t been studying them for months as the author has. I need to learn them as I go. I need easy absence of ambiguity in the sequence of abbreviations.

If I have written a paper on Hirudo medicinalis, do not mention any other species, mention H. medicinalis fifteen times, then perhaps I have saved the publisher the equivalent of a sentence of text. In any other context the saving is not worth the obfuscation.

This passion for abbreviation must be resisted. I’ve even seen it spread into gardening articles in the newspaper where journalists (aping their botanical sources?) enthuse about R. or F. something-or-other hybrids without once mentioning what R or F might be. That’s barmy. But they think they’ve given the article more scientific weight. I suspect the same rationale applies to some of us. ❑

Geoff Read E-mail: [email protected]

102 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 OBITUARY Peter Smith (1931–1999)

▲ Peter Smith (centre) sharing his knowledge and experience with course participants during SABONET’s Aquatic Plants Course, Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Swamps, Botswana, April 1998.

eter Smith, the foremost authority on the blockage and aquatic weed management, having Pplants of the Okavango Delta, died in his already drafted the Aquatic Weeds Control Act of home in Maun last week [20 May 1999-Eds] at the 1971. Though many will remember him as a relatively young age of 68. A Botswana resident taxonomist, Smith always felt be was more of an since 1952, Smith had an orchid, a delta channel ecologist, his interest lying in the interactions of and a herbarium all named after him. the delta. By the time he retired from Water Affairs in 1990, Smith had been appointed Chief Smith was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in Technical Officer. He had also become a natural- 1931 and studied to become an accountant in ised Motswana and had been presented with a South Africa. He first worked in Botswana at Presidential Award in recognition of his contribu- Pandamatenga, and then for the Ngamiland Trad- tion to his adopted nation. ing Company (now Sefalana) in Maun. But botany was Smith’s first love and after leaving the trading In recent years Smith was involved in a number of company he joined Tsetse Fly Control where he research projects and developed a herbarium that was able to work in the delta which he so adored. was donated to the Harry Oppenheimer Okavango During this time he was awarded an MBE by Research Centre. Smith was a regular sight in Queen Elizabeth II and was one of the founders of Maun, driving his battered silver pickup, his trusty the Moremi Game Reserve. dog always sitting erect on the passenger seat. “He was like a father to me,” says James Itatoleng, a In 1984 Smith joined the Department of Water professional guide and botany enthusiast who Affairs as Senior Technical Officer. He was found Smith in his home early last Friday morn- chiefly involved with the ecological zoning of the ing. Smith had apparently passed away peacefully delta and he worked extensively on channel while asleep in front of the television.

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 103 A red-eyed Itatoleng says Smith virtually adopted him and taught him much about the Okavango. “Pete Smith could show you places that you wouldn’t even believe had ever been channels,” he says.

Smith had been one of the few people to lend an air of restraint to the controversial debate over Namibia’s plan to pipe water from the river that feeds the delta. Smith always felt that Namibia had the right to extract water and that the effect on the delta would be minimal. Many friends and colleagues feel Smith wasn’t always given due credit ▲ Peter Smith and course participants discussing the for his work during his lifetime, particularly his flora associated with seasonal rainwater pans in proposals on relieving the water crisis in the Maun Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Swamps, Botswana, area. Sadly he never compiled his vast knowledge April 1998. into written form.

“He was such a shy, private person,” says one long-time friend. “He was welcomed in everybody’s home. He was just such a gentleman and he had a wry sense of humour”. He lived modestly by any standards in a simple house on a large plot full of indigenous trees on the banks of the Thamala- kane River. Smith will be sorely missed, as will the wealth of information he carried with him. ❑

Caitlin Davies First published in Mmegi/The Reporter 28 May–3 June 1999 ▲ Peter Smith sorting out demonstration material collected during a foray into the swamps one evening during the Aquatic Plants Course held in Moremi, Botswana, April 1998.

104 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 OBITUARY Hugh Taylor (1925–1999)

▲ Hugh Colin Taylor (Photo: Adela Romanowski)

ugh Colin Taylor, well-known vegetation interest in indigenous vegetation was aroused, Hscientist and ecologist who had a special Hugh decided to give up forestry and study botany. interest in fynbos ecology, died at Fish Hoek In 1961, he graduated with a BSc (Hons) in botany (Cape Town) recently. Hugh had been suffering from the University of Cape Town. from cancer over the past four months or so and had been very ill for the past month. Hugh joined the Department of Agriculture at Stellenbosch as fire ecologist in 1962. He was Hugh Taylor was born in Simonstown on 20 transferred to the Division of Botany (now Na- January 1925, and died there on 6 July 1999. His tional Botanical Institute) in 1964, where he father was the musician and composer, Colin became Officer-in-Charge of the Botanical Re- Taylor, formerly at Eton College and the Univer- search Unit, also in Stellenbosch. He received an sity of Cape Town. His mother was from the MSc from the University of Cape Town in 1969 Miller family of Simonstown. for his vegetation studies of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. His research interests at the Hugh studied at the University of Stellenbosch and time were in the vegetation of the southern Cape received a BSc (Forestry) in 1946. He joined the Peninsula, owing to family background and a State Department of Forestry in 1948 and held family house in the reserve. various posts—from 1950 to 1959—as District Forest Officer in Bredasdorp, Knysna, Cape Town, Subsequent research involved surveys of the Jonkershoek and Pietermaritzburg. After his Rooiberg, Ladismith, and finally the Cederberg

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 105 where he lived for a few years. He was temporar- South Africa of which he had an unbroken mem- ily posted as Head of the Botanical Survey Section bership of over 50 years. Hugh loved the moun- in Pretoria from 1974–75. He retired from the tains and in the words of his wife, has now Botanical Research Institute at the time of the climbed the highest mountain of all from where amalgamation with the National Botanical Gar- the view is fantastic! dens in 1989. Hugh Taylor collected much data and knowledge on mountain fynbos throughout the Hugh is survived by his wife Dulcie, daughters Cape Region, as well as some 11 000 herbarium Jenny and Linden, Linden’s husband Paul and specimens. He is commemorated in the species three grandchildren. ❑ Aspalathus taylorii R.Dahlgren. Dr Ted Oliver Hugh will be remem- Compton Herbarium bered for his keen National Botanical Institute interest in all matters Private Bag X7 pertaining to the botany Claremont and conservation of 7735 fynbos. He was one of E-mail: [email protected] the early pioneers of ‘hacking’ alien invasive Dr Dave McDonald plants and in his retire- Ecology and Conservation ment, until shortly National Botanical Institute before he took ill, toiled Private Bag X7 selflessly once a week Claremont on the slopes above 7735 Simonstown removing alien acacias. Hugh was E-mail: [email protected] also an active member of the Mountain Club of

Threatened knowledge in southern Africa

some thoughts

by Christopher K. Willis and Gideon F. Smith

The untimely passing of Peter Smith (1931–1999) published by the individual(s) concerned, or (b) in May 1999 brought to mind once again the issue not transferred to younger taxonomists working in of so-called “threatened knowledge”—taxonomic the same or related group of organisms or floristic expertise that resides with only a few people region. We shall restrict further discussion to the (Australian Biological Resources Study 1998). field of plant taxonomy in southern Africa (here The field of taxonomy, probably owing to the great defined as the SABONET countries—Angola, diversity of organisms and its resultant complex Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Na- and specialised nature, is filled with individuals mibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and who have, over many years of dedicated work, Zimbabwe). gained both experience and knowledge and perhaps most importantly insight in a particular group Southern Africa, like so many other parts of the of organisms. A concern in taxonomy is that this world, has a history of a period when most of the accumulated knowledge is often (a) either not plant taxonomic research was undertaken by 106 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 scientists from outside the subcontinent. In south- knowledge in that way. Training must be focused ern Africa’s case, this was mostly from Europe. on “threatened knowledge”....Training also needs While many duplicates of herbarium specimens to be linked to long-term employment opportuni- collected in the field remained in the region and ties.” (Australian Biological Resources Study work on particular plant groups was sometimes 1998). made available in the form of publications, one wonders how much of the taxonomic knowledge This extract outlines one solution to the problem— of southern Africa’s indigenous flora was trans- that of students spending time with experts for a ferred to individuals working in the regional three to six month period working on a particular herbaria. This argument is of course also applica- plant family and related taxa. This would be of ble to local botanists who dedicated their lives to immense value to young taxonomists working in working on particular taxa and, having developed the regional herbaria. For example, one might all this knowledge, in some cases over several envisage those botanists within the region who are decades, did not find or use the opportunity before responsible for the curation of the Cyperaceae in retirement to transfer this knowledge to younger the different region’s herbaria, getting together as a botanists starting out in the field of plant tax- group for three to six months with the regional onomy. “expert” on Cyperaceae. This regional expert might be from within the region, or if necessary, This is precisely the situation southern African from outside the region. The main assumption with plant taxonomy is facing at present, with much of this arrangement is that the experienced plant the plant taxonomic expertise being restricted to a taxonomists are both willing and able to share few individuals. In several southern African their knowledge and expertise with the younger countries the national/main herbaria employ botanists. There are several southern African young, inexperienced staff and in some instances herbaria today where there are older, experienced there is the alarming situation of no experienced botanists (see box) who are willing and able to plant taxonomist being present in a country to mentor the younger taxonomists. The young mentor the new generation. The reasons for this botanists should be receptive to be guided and are largely historical and, amongst others, include coached by the older taxonomists, and recognise it the fact that governments need to be convinced of as a tremendous opportunity to develop into the importance of taxonomy. What is important systematists who can correctly identify plant now, however, is to consider how we are going to material and study relationships and affinities transfer or facilitate transferring this threatened amongst taxa in their chosen fields. knowledge from a few individuals to a broader range of botanists in the various in-country her- The additional problem working at a regional level baria. in southern Africa is that one is working essentially with three separate Floras—Flora of south- In discussions at a workshop on the Global Tax- ern Africa (FSA), Flora zambesiaca (FZ) and onomy Initiative held in London in September Conspectus florae angolensis (CFA). Taxonomists 1998, one of the discussion points revolved working on different groups often work only on the around such threatened knowledge. The following Floras of those countries represented in that extract is taken from the proceedings of the particular area, and are sometimes prevented (by workshop: institutional policies) from working on taxa from neighbouring countries. This might entail that at “Training programs in taxonomy are critical. the regional level of ten countries, one might need There is opportunity for mentor or internship to involve two or three “experts” on a particular projects, in which students from developing group (say Cyperaceae) to act as the mentors to the countries can spend time in collaboration with young taxonomists working in the regional her- taxonomic experts in developed countries. Such baria. Whilst it may take a while for the experts to experts should also visit institutions in developing prepare and synchronise their mentorship pro- countries for short (3–6 months) periods to impart gramme, the synergy achieved from working SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 107 together could potentially be very productive and branches of science, botanists too enter a field of beneficial to all parties concerned. It would life-long learning. Being trained and re-trained, certainly generate much lively debate and discus- and of course benefiting from being forced into sion amongst both the students and the mentors. deeper thought when confronted with sharing information, experience and knowledge with a Some might say that experience is only gained new generation, should be part of the career of a through years of dedicated work on a particular scientist. ❑ taxon, which is true. No one can deny, however, that opportunities need to be created for the older, more experienced botanists/taxonomists to share Preliminary statistics of southern African their knowledge with less experienced colleagues plant taxonomic and diversity expertise working in similar fields. As southern African The following information is presented for the botanists, we need to explore ways of “tapping” first time based on the database that is currently the knowledge and experience that has been being developed by SABONET on southern gained by older taxonomists over many years— Africa’s plant taxonomic and diversity expertise. before it is too late. In order for this to happen, it The database includes plant taxonomists and is imperative that there is meaningful, structured diversity experts in and outside southern Africa, collaboration between African and European/ but only those who have so far responded to the North American botanical institutions in this questionnaire that has been sent out to selected regard. botanists within and outside the region.

The training courses that are part of SABONET’s The database currently contains the names of 129 capacity-building activities have so far utilised individuals from within southern Africa and 23 only regional taxonomic expertise for the teaching from outside southern Africa (largely the United duties. This in itself has certainly been beneficial Kingdom (n=10) and Portugal, (n=7)). Of the 129 to those herbarium staff members who have served botanists living within southern Africa, 71% are as resource persons but who have not had much from South Africa and 14% from Zimbabwe, prior teaching experience. Whilst there might still providing a combined total from these two coun- be considerable local taxonomic expertise on large tries of 85% of the plant taxonomic expertise sections of the FSA, problems are experienced available from within the region. The remaining when dealing with the Floras of Angola and the eight southern African countries hold only 15% of FZ region, where typically most of the taxonomic region’s plant taxonomic expertise. Despite the work has been done by individuals working in limited data set, the overall picture, at least for European herbaria (mainly Lisbon and Kew, southern Africa, is probably a fair reflection of the respectively). It is therefore advisable that a current situation in the region. mentorship programme be instituted in southern Africa through the Global Taxonomy Initiative or some other linked initiative if southern African botanists are to make significant advances in plant taxonomy in a region which holds one tenth of the world’s plant diversity.

Finally, it is interesting to consider the question of when is one a trained taxonomist? How many years of experience are required before one can confidently identify plants and contribute to the knowledge of a taxonomic group? Difficult questions to answer, but perhaps this level is reached when one is confident enough to expose one’s written work to peer review? But, as in all other 108 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Plant taxonomic expertise within southern Experience (entire data set, n=152) Africa (n=129) • Six individuals (4%) have more than 40 years Median age: 42 experience. Mode: 34 • Same number (n=47, 31%) of individuals with • 10% of these botanists are more than 60 years 1–10 years experience as there are those with old. more than 20 years experience. • 13% of the botanists are between 20 and 30 • 38%, or slightly more than a third of the bota- years old. nists, have between 11 and 20 years experience. • 61%, or almost two-thirds, of the total set is between 31 and 50 years old. • 77% are between the ages of 31 and 60.

Plant taxonomic expertise outside southern Africa (n=23) Median age: 55 • About 20% of these botanists are older than 60. • The database includes no botanists between 20 and 30 years old. • Approximately 50% of the botanists are between 31 and 50 years old. • 78% are between the ages of 31 and 60. References

Entire database (those living inside and Australian Biological Resources Study. 1998. The outside southern Africa, n=152) Global Taxonomy Initiative: Shortening the Distance • Roughly the same number of botanists (n=17, between Discovery and Delivery. Australian Biological 11%) between 20 and 30 years old as there are Resources Study, Environment Australia, Australia. between 61 and 80 years old (n=18, 12%). 18 pp. ❑ • The largest group of plant taxonomists and diversity specialists are between the ages of 31 Christopher K. Willis and 40 (n=49, 32%), followed by those between SABONET Coordinator’s Office 41 and 50 (n=40, 26%) and then 51–60 (n=28, 18%). c/o National Botanical Institute South Africa E-mail: [email protected]

Gideon F. Smith Director: Research National Botanical Institute Private Bag X101, Pretoria South Africa E-mail: [email protected]

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 109 Second Conference of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology, 10–15 July 2000

Venue The conference will take place at the Mtunzini Chalets, in the holiday resort of Mtunzini on the KwaZulu- Natal north coast. The details and costs of a variety of different options from full board and lodge to self- catering will be provided in the next circular. Alternative accommodation in Mtunzini will also be recommended for those Society members who require it.

Form of the conference The conference will include plenary, poster and paper sessions.

Call for topics Suggestions are invited for topics for oral presentations. These are to be addressed to the Organising Committee, Dr G. Contrafatto (address below). The deadline for receipt of these suggestions is 30 September 1999. Topics selected will be announced in the First Call for Papers to be distributed before the end of 1999.

Travel/transport/tours Transport arrangements to and from the conference venue will be communicated in a later circular as will details of pre- and post-conference tours which are being arranged.

Social events Registration and an Opening Function will take place on Monday 10 July 2000. Further functions are being arranged and will be communicated in a later circular.

Registration fees A conference budget is in preparation and registration fees have not been finalised.

Associated workshop A Geometric Morphometrics Workshop (INTERMORPH 2000) is being organised by the Conservation Genetics and Speciation Research Group (CONSPEC, University of Natal Durban). This workshop will be held the week following that of the Systematic Conference. Details are available in the appropriate attached document.

Notice of intent to attend Should you wish to receive future information on the Conference, kindly contact Dr. G. Contrafatto and supply your E-mail address and/or postal address including the words “Systematics 2000” in the subject header of your e-mail messages.

Enquiries and information Dr. G. Contrafatto School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Natal Durban 4041 Republic of South Africa

Tel.: (27) 31 2603336 Fax: (27) 31 2602029 Web site: http://contra.biology.und.ac.za/sassb/ E-mail: [email protected] 110 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Please include the words “Systematics 2000” in the subject header of your e-mail messages.

Organisers The local organising committee is composed as follows:

Denis Brothers: University of Natal Pietermaritzburg Dai Herbert: [email protected] Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg [email protected] Glen Campbell: University of Natal Durban Teresa Kearney: [email protected] University of Natal Durban [email protected] Giancarlo Contrafatto: University of Natal Durban Judith Masters: [email protected] Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg [email protected] Edith Dempster: SACOL, Pietermaritzburg Nancy Rayner: [email protected] University of Durban-Westville [email protected] Michelle Hamer: University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg Peter Taylor: [email protected] Durban Natural Science Museum [email protected] ❑

A Plant Red Data List for southern Africa

by Janice Golding

The youngest and most challenging activity within further development of threatened plant informa- the SABONET Project was initiated in May 1999: tion systems in each of the ten countries. the research and publication of a Plant Red Data List for southern Africa. This may bring to mind Funding for the southern African Plant Red Data Craig Hilton-Taylor’s publication (1996) which List is administered through the NETCAB Pro- covered South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, gramme (Regional Networking and Capacity Swaziland and Botswana. Like his, ours will be Building Initiative for southern Africa) of the made of the marrow of which exciting pioneer World Conservation Union’s Regional Office for works are made. A large pool of collaborating Southern Africa (IUCN-ROSA). It is co-funded partners from the ten SABONET countries will be through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) working with us (Lead Agency: National Botani- and United Nations Development Programme cal Institute). The product of this collaborative effort (UNDP). will be the first-ever published list of threatened plants for the region. Moreover, working towards What is a Plant Red Data List? this list will create a network of people who work A Plant Red Data List is a list of extinct, threat- with threatened plants and will also promote the ened and potentially threatened plants that have

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 111 Figure 1. Taxa are assessed according to criteria and then placed in one of these categories. Each category has its own set of criteria (not listed here) that should be satisfied. The “old” (pre-1994) and “new” (1994–) IUCN categories are further described in Walter & Gillett (1998). been assigned categories of urgency for conservation according to the IUCN. Unlike Red Data Books, Red Data Lists (RDLs) do not provide detailed descriptions of taxa (for example, utilisation patterns, life history strategies, population dynamics and the number of individuals). As the name suggests, RDLs simply inform one as to which taxa are threatened, where they occur, and their IUCN status. These lists are useful as quick look-up references of threatened plants and are especially valuable to plant resource users (tradi- tionalists, herbalists, horticulturists, field-workers) and decision-makers. For this reason, it is always a good idea to include common names in an RDL.

RDLs are beneficial in many ways: • They help guide conservation action and priority in terms of knowing what is threatened and where the plants occur. ▲ Pterocarpus angolensis (Leguminosae) is widely • They stimulate questions and open up new referred to as “mukwa” in southern Africa, and is in areas of research. demand for the craft and log-pole industry on both • They are a key to understanding taxa and whole local and international markets (Campbell 1996). It has a widespread distribution. There are no harvesting floras. controls despite its age of reproductive maturity at 15– 20 years. Regeneration is dependent mainly on fire or Four weeks into the project a key question regard- high rainfall, and in some populations, adults are ing the application of IUCN Red List categories susceptible to fungal infections. This species is in the and criteria had already arisen: was it feasible to Low Risk category (Oldfield et al. 1998) (see Figure 1) use “Old” categories, “New” (Walter & Gillett (Photo: P. Joffe).

112 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 ▲ Dalbergia melanoxylon (Leguminosae) is known as ▲ Aloe pillansii (Asphodelaceae) is restricted to a few, African Ebony. This fine hardwood is an over-utilised small localities of the Northern Cape (South Africa) species mainly in Malawi and Mozambique. It is sold at and extends slightly into Namibia. Less than 200 virtually every market place throughout southern individuals remain (Oldfield et al. 1998). The mortality Africa in the form of wood-crafts and is by far the most rate is high amongst older plants, there is very low preferred wood for musical instruments (wood-winds). recruitment, and during either extreme drought years It is often also used for the furniture industry. In many or disease, auto-amputation occurs (Williamson 1998). populations, reproductively mature individuals are The impacts of plant collectors and faunal foragers becoming scarce. This species is placed in the Low Risk (baboons, porcupines) have contributed to population category (Oldfield et al. 1998) (see Figure 1) (Photo: declines. This species is placed in the Critically C. Liengme). Endangered category (see Figure 1) and is also on CITES Appendix II (Photo: S. Schlieben).

1998: pages il–lii) or maybe a combination of for some of the ten participating countries. There both? The set of “New” categories is an improve- are instances where documented accounts of ment on the previous set of categories. Making threatened flora have either not been published this choice depends on the quality and characteris- before, or accounts may have been poorly dissemi- tics of existing and new or incoming data within nated, information may be weakly accessible, or a the project’s time-frame (2.5 years). In order to real lack of information or incomplete information assign “New” categories (Figure 1), each taxon exists. Furthermore, numerous changes ranging requires a detailed set of information regarding its from mainly additions, possible deletions and population demographics (for example, number of nomenclature need to be made to existing lists. mature individuals), distribution patterns (for Indeed, a daunting task lies ahead. example, extent of occurrence, area of occupancy) and reduction rates (for example, probability of The regions differ significantly from each other, extinction over x number of years). An article in based on a variety of factors like the composition, the next edition of SABONET News will discuss dominance, endemism and diversity of species. this in greater depth. The FSA region covers the area south of the Where are we with our knowledge: Cunene, Limpopo and Okavango Rivers—South an overview Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia and Bot- Apart from the usual taxonomic uncertainties, swana. More than 80% of the FSA plant species there are many information “black holes” regard- (>16 900) are confined to these countries! High ing threatened plants of the Flora of southern levels of diversity and endemism mostly occur as Africa (FSA) region and more particularly, the clumps (centres of endemism) associated with the Flora zambesiaca (FZ) region and Angola (de- Great Escarpment, and to date, eight have been scribed in Conspectus florae angolensis). The identified (Wolkberg, Maputaland, Pondoland, biggest information gaps occur at national levels Eastern Mountain, Albany, Cape, Succulent

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 113 Figure 2. The distribution of miombo woodland (shaded) spans the continent from east to west. Its north-south range is from near the equator to below the Tropic of Capricorn (Campbell 1996).

Karoo, Kaokoveld) (Cowling & Hilton-Taylor 1994), primarily occuring on the interior plateau 1994). The FZ region covers the Caprivi Strip (White 1983; Campbell 1996). The flora of An- (Namibia), Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, gola is remarkable for its high level of diversity Zambia and Zimbabwe. Transition zones occur and endemism: it shares floristic affinities with the where these floras merge. FZ region, the flora of tropical Africa in the northern extremities, and to a lesser extent, the The FZ region is floristically poor compared to the FSA region (White 1983; Huntley & Matos 1994). FSA region (ca 8 000 versus ca 22 000 species) The centres of endemism have been correlated (Morat & Lowry 1997). Extreme gradients of mainly with rainfall gradients. Six centres of rainfall and topography (in places, deep valleys endemism have been identified in Angola (White and high mountains, interspersed by plains), and a 1983; Huntley & Matos 1994), despite a history of diversity of woodland types characterise the FZ poor surveys—only 5 185 plant taxa are on the region. Miombo woodland with its many variants, national checklist (Morat & Lowry 1997; Walter is the major component of the Zambezian & Gillett 1998). This gross underestimation is phytochorion (White 1983) and covers most of the reflected in the number of species versus size Central African plateau and its escarpments (land surface area) relationship (Figure 3). More (Figure 2). Much of the lowland flora of the FZ efforts need to be invested to improve collection region is relatively homogenous and characterised intensity and data quality. by low levels of endemism and diversity. Moun- tains and other protected habitats have served as The link between threatening processes nodes of speciation because of their role as ref- and species loss uges. This has promoted high levels of endemism Overall, the FSA region is the most heavily pres- in places. sured by humans, here expressed as the number of people per square kilometre who negatively As much as 47% of Angola’s surface area is impact the natural environment. This measure is dominated by typical miombo (Huntley & Matos not the same as population density, which does not 114 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Figure 3. The relationship between the number of vascular plant species recorded and country size (land surface area). * Prelimnary data take into account the land surface area set aside as The history of Plant Red Data Lists in the protected areas and the proportion of unprotected SADC region surface area under livestock and agricultural In 1980, Hall et al. published the first list of production. In comparison, the FZ region as a unit threatened plants for southern Africa (Namibia, is not as heavily utilised through domestic live- Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa and Botswana) stock farming and agricultural practises, although through a special programme of the CSIR. A total this trend is rapidly changing (Campbell 1996). of 1 195 taxa were included in this publication. Within the next few years, inappropriate fire Five years later Hall and Veldhuis published a regimes together with the effects of timber har- Plant Red Data Book restricted to the Fynbos and vesting mainly for fuel and the carving industry, Karoo biomes of South Africa (ca 17% of the land could result in woodland devastation (Campbell surface area). Although the study area was much 1996). Low-lying landscapes with a flat topogra- smaller than in the previous publication, 1 808 phy are more likely to be subjected to degradation taxa were identified. A comprehensive RDL of compared to the higher-lying, more inaccessible southern African plants for five countries was areas. It is also well documented that processes published in 1996 by Hilton-Taylor. It was a that lead to bush encroachment and invasive alien marked improvement over previous publications: infestation erode diversity by competitive oppor- 4 149 plants were assessed (of which 3 435 were tunism. In terms of aquatic species, dredging and considered to be globally threatened with extinc- damming too have their effects. tion) over the same area as Hall et al. (1980), and were also more objectively categorised according Within urban areas like Cape Town (South Af- to the “old” IUCN categories. These lists have rica), the pressures of human demand for housing helped us to better understand, monitor, and and sanitation are immense. Extensive land clear- predict extinction rates. More importantly, they ing for urban developments, informal housing and have been important in trying to minimise losses. waste disposal often take precedence over conservation issues (Hall & Veldhuis 1985). All these While numerous checklists exist for specific areas impacts, be it in a rural or urban context, ulti- in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, some of which mately contribute to plant population declines and date back to well before the 1900s, no formal extinction rates. RDLs have been compiled. An incomplete list of SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 115 Table 1. Globally threatened and extinct vascular plants and trees for each of the ten southern African countries participating in SABONET’s Red Data List Programme.

† Walter & Gillett (1998). (Refer to Figure 1.)

†† Oldfield et al. (1998). (Refer to Figure 1.)

* The total number of species names and not the number of herbarium specimens contained in PRECIS (Data Management Section, National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa). Includes species and infraspecifics, but excludes synonyms, natural hybrids and naturalised taxa. (Information courtesy of Hannelie Snyman.) Figures in parentheses indicate the percentage of threatened vascular flora out of the total number of species and PRECIS, respectively. The term “threatened” is used in the context of taxa occupying a position on the Red Data List.

- No information available. globally threatened and extinct flora of the ten Alpine Garden) of Lesotho is developing a southern African countries has been compiled threatened plants programme (Willis et al. from available literature (Oldfield et al. 1998; 1999). Walter & Gillett 1998) and the PRECIS database • Namibia: Raw data (data sheets) categorised (see Prentice & Arnold 1998) (Table 1). These according to the “old” IUCN categories exist figures were derived from national and regional for Namibia, and progress is ongoing (P. Cra- data and were assessed in a global context. They ven, pers. comm.). To date, Namibia’s National are extremely conservative due to constraints Botanical Research Institute has threatened imposed by data coverage and quality. For exam- plant information on many more than the 75 ple, the 30 recorded IUCN taxa for Angola are Red Data Listed plants quoted in Walter and represented mainly by the Euphorbiaceae, and this Gillett (1998) (see Table 1) and Hilton-Taylor listing therefore fails to consider over-utilised (1996). taxa. • South Africa: There are several initiatives by conservation agencies, NGOs and individuals The way forward taking place at a regional/provincial and local A threatened plants training course was held at the level. Example of these include the documenta- National Herbarium, Pretoria (South Africa) in tion of the threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal June 1998 (Willis 1998). Representatives from and surrounds (Lesotho Highlands, Pondoland each of the ten SABONET countries participated. and southern Mozambique) (R. Scott-Shaw, Initiatives to compile threatened plant lists in some pers. comm.), and the threatened plants proof these countries are taking place: grammes of Cape Nature Conservation (G. Gerber, pers. comm.), Mpumalanga Parks • Lesotho: The Katse Botanical Garden (Lesotho Board, Gauteng Nature Conservation and the 116 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Botanical Society of South Africa, to mention a few. Number of threatened plant taxa • Zimbabwe: An updated national checklist of the Zimbabwean flora is nearing completion (N. Angola 1.48 Nobanda, pers. comm.). Mr Bob Drummond, a Botswana 0.85 very noted collecter within the FZ region, is Lesotho 1.40

preparing the national checklist for Zimbabwe, Malawi 1.79

which will assist him in compiling a prelimi- Mozambique 1.95 nary Red Data checklist. Namibia 1.88

High on the SABONET agenda is a regional Plant South Africa 3.35 Red Data List workshop to be held in November Swaziland 1.62 1999. Preliminary issues that we feel should be Zambia 1.08 raised are: Zimba bw e 2.00

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 Number of threatened • The application of IUCN threat categories pla nt ta xa (log) • The role/status quo of National Coordinators (country representatives) ▲ Number of threatened vascular plant taxa (log10) • Developing and collating data; dealing with listed for each of the ten participating southern African data deficiencies countries (Data source: Walter & Gillett 1998). • Databasing policies and protocols at the national and regional level • Monitoring and Evaluation systems

O Continued on page 118

Number of threatened tree taxa

Angola0

Botswana 0.48

Lesotho0

Malawi 1.43

Mozambique 1.89

Namibia 1.04

South Africa 1.81

Swaziland 0.9

Za mbi a 1.15 ▲ Zi m ba bw e 1.43 Percentage of vascular plant taxa regarded as “threatened” in each of the ten participating southern 00.511.52 Number of threatened tree taxa (log) African countries (data sources: Walter & Gillett (1998) for Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe; PRECIS (1999) for Botswana, Lesotho, ▲ Number of threatened tree taxa (log10) listed by Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland). Oldfield et al. (1998) for each of the ten participating southern African countries. No data were available for either Angola or Lesotho.

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 117 ▲ Continued from page 117 See the next edition of SABONET News for an up- White, F. 1983. The vegetation of Africa. UNESCO/ to-date account of the different aspects of the Red AETFAT/UNSO, Paris, France. 356 pp. Data List Programme. Williamson, G. 1998. The ecological status of Aloe pillansii (Aloaceae) in the Richtersveld with Please let us know of any new finds, suspicions of particular reference to Cornellskop. Bradleya 16: 1–8. Willis, C. 1998. Threatened Plants (Red Data List) threatened plants, taxonomic revisions, or ques- ❑ Course. SABONET News 3(2): 65–66. tions regarding the Red Data List. Willis, C., Botha, D. & Winter, J. 1999. Southern African Botanical Gardens Needs Assessment References and Further Reading Update. SABONET News 4(1): 9–22.

Campbell, B. (ed.) 1996. The miombo in transition: Ms Janice Golding woodlands and welfare in Africa. Centre for Interna- Southern African Plant Red Data List Coordinator tional Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia. 266 pp. c/o SABONET Cowling, R.M. & Hilton-Taylor, C. 1994. Patterns of National Botanical Institute plant diversity and endemism in southern Africa: an Private Bag X101 overview. In: Botanical diversity in southern Africa, Strelitzia 1. ed. B.J. Huntley. National Botanical Pretoria, 0001 Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. pp. 31–52. SOUTH AFRICA Hall, A.V., de Winter, M., de Winter, B. & van Tel.: (27) (12) 804 3200 Oosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened plants of Fax: (27) (12) 804 3211 southern Africa. South African National Scientific E-mail: [email protected] Programmes Report No. 45. CSIR, Pretoria. 244 pp. Hall, A.V. & Veldhuis, H.A. 1985. South African Red Data Book plants: Fynbos and Karoo Biomes. South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 117. CSIR, Pretoria. 160 pp. Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red Data List of southern SABONET African plants. Strelitzia 4. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. 117 pp. Nyika Expedition 2000 Huntley, B.J. 1994. Introduction: new challenges and partnerships for botany in southern Africa. In: by Christopher Willis, Patrick Phiri, Dickson Botanical diversity in southern Africa, Strelitzia 1. Kamundi & John Burrows ed. B.J. Huntley. National Botanical Institute, Preto- ria, South Africa. pp. 1–8. One of SABONET’s project activities is organis- Huntley, B.J. & Matos, E. 1994. Botanical diversity ing collaborative plant collecting expeditions to and its conservation in Angola. In: Botanical diversity in southern Africa, Strelitzia 1. ed. B.J. Huntley. under-collected areas within southern Africa National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. (Huntley et al. 1998). The first such expedition is pp. 53–74. planned over a two-week period in the Nyika Oldfield, S., Lusty, C. & MacKinven, A. 1998. The National Park, northern Malawi/Zambia during World List of Threatened Trees. World Conservation March/April 2000. Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom. 649 pp. Morat, P. & Lowry, P.P. II 1997. Floristic richness in The Nyika Plateau is situated in south-central the Africa-Madagascar region: a brief history and Africa close to the northern tip of Lake Malawi. perspective. Adansonia 19(1): 101–115. The Nyika (which means “wilderness”) Plateau, Prentice, C.A. & Arnold, T.H. 1998. PRECIS Speci- roughly oval in shape and oriented in a north-east men Database user guide. Southern African Botanical o o o Diversity Network Report Series No. 3. SABONET, direction, lies between 10 15'–10 50'S and 33 35'– o Pretoria, South Africa. 130 pp. 34 05'E and is the largest montane complex in Walter, S.K. & Gillett, H.J. (eds) 1998. 1997 IUCN south-central Africa. It occupies an area of some Red List of Threatened Plants. Compiled by the 1 800 km2 above the 1 800 m contour, which World Conservation Monitoring Centre. IUCN—The usually marks the zone of transition from wood- World Conservation Union, Gland (Switzerland) and land to montane grassland and forest. Most of the Cambridge (United Kingdom). lxiv + 862 pp. Plateau is in Malawi, with a section of Zambian 118 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 territory (about 70 km2) on the western side. Only the grassland. The Nyika Plateau separates two of the wet eastern escarpment is extensively forested. the major faults of the African Rift Valley system: Between 2 100 and 2 500 m the central plateau Lake Malawi to the east and the Luangwa Valley (ca 60% of the montane area) consists of rolling Loudetia- of Zambia to the west. Andropogon grassland dotted about with small patches of low forest; these account for less than Most of the remote Nyika Plateau is included 3% of the area. The surface is gently undulating, within Malawi’s Nyika National Park, the largest with gently convex valley sides sloping at 10o to of Malawi’s national parks. The name of the park 15o, although slopes are steeper toward the mar- was changed from Malawi National Park to Nyika gins, particularly the north and east. The valleys National Park in 1969. The park is administered that cut into the surface are wide, occasionally up by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to 1 km, and often up to 200 m deep. Such valleys and covers some 3 134 km2 (approximately 10% are usually partially filled with a variety of of the two-dimensional area of Lesotho). In 1978 sediments and have poorly drained marshy floors. the Nyika National Park area was extended from These marshy headwater valley grasslands are the initial 940 km2 to its current size—it now known as “dambos”. The dambos are occupied by includes all of the plateau escarpments and most a rich moist-habitat herbaceous flora dominated by of the north-east and south hill zones. species of the Cyperaceae family, mostly Carex and Cyperus sedges. Occasionally large high The Nyika Plateau has been classified as one of granite or resistant quartzite outcrops rise above Africa’s Centres of Plant Diversity (WWF &

▲ Nyika from the air. The rolling grasslands, dambos (marshy headwater valley grasslands) and scattered forest patches which typify the Nyika Plateau are clearly visible (Photo: John Burrows).

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 119 ▲ The Nyika National Park in Malawi covers some 3 000 km2, and has been classified as one of southern Africa’s centres of plant diversity and endemism. This area will be the site of SABONET’s first collaborative plant collecting expedition scheduled for March/April 2000.

IUCN 1994), and approximately 1 200 vascular The area surveyed during these expeditions was plant species have so far been recorded here mainly in the northern Nyika area, around Nganda (Seyani, Chikuni & Kamundi 1991). Endemism is Hill, the highest point in the Nyika National Park. relatively high, particularly among grassland Both these expeditions were arranged and organ- species. There is also a rich terrestrial orchid flora. ised from the United Kingdom and the SABONET The remaining forest patches are greatly threat- Nyika Expedition in 2000 will be the first southern ened by dry season fires and there is also agricul- African botanical expedition to the area. The tural encroachment. expedition will focus on the collection and identification of the herbaceous flora of the Nyika Some of the more prolific plant collectors on the National Park, particularly such families and Nyika in the past have been the following: Brass, groups as Acanthaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Chapman, White, Fanshawe, Schelpe, Phillips, Bryophyta, Cyperaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Pawek, Lees, Grosvenor & Renz, Robinson, Lamiaceae, Orchidaceae (although this family has Robson, Richards, Williamson, Brummitt, Linder, been studied fairly extensively by Williamson, la Croix and Dowsett-Lemaire. Other expeditions Linder and la Croix), Poaceae, Pteridophyta, have previously collected in the area, namely the Ranunculaceae, Rubiaceae and Scrophulariaceae. Wye College (University of London) Expedition of 1972 (with most of the botanical collections GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND OUTPUTS made by Brummitt, Munthali & Synge) and the The planned goals/objectives and outputs from the more recent Overton Expeditions of 1997–1999. SABONET Nyika Expedition are listed below.

120 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 These anticipated goals and outputs are provi- As the planned expedition will be serving partly as sional, as they have not yet been endorsed by the a training exercise for the region’s young taxono- SABONET Steering Committee. mists, a careful balance between taxonomic “experts” and learners will be maintained on the Primary Goals expedition. It is also anticipated that a few of the ? Document and list flora collected from previ- more experienced taxonomists will come from ously under-collected areas/vegetation types botanical institutions in the northern hemisphere, (such as the herbaceous flora in the montane such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. As a grasslands) on the Nyika Plateau; include result of the close proximity and floristic similar- estimates of abundance and annotated notes for ity between the Nyika Plateau and southern Tanza- each taxon. nia, this expedition will provide an opportunity for ? Determine population status (regeneration) and meaningful collaboration between east African distribution of selected known endemic and and southern African botanists. threatened plant species on the Nyika Plateau (selected plant taxa determined largely from the As part of the preparations for the expedition, literature). participants in the SABONET Project are cur- ? Make recommendations on the management of rently preparing a preliminary plant checklist of the flora of the Nyika Plateau to the relevant the Nyika National Park, based on both published National Park authorities in both Zambia and and unpublished literature. Published literature Malawi. Include aspects such as hotspots, includes, for example: Flora zambesiaca, Kew restoration (ex situ) activities needed, as well as Bulletin, Kirkia, Annals of the Missouri Botanical species management/recovery plans. Garden, Lebrun & Stork’s (1991–1997) four- ? Make recommendations on the Transboundary volume Énumération des plantes à fleurs Natural Resource Management of the Nyika d’Afrique tropicale, Bothalia, South African Plateau (Malawi/Zambia). Journal of Botany, Botanical Journal of the ? Produce an illustrated field guide/annotated Linnean Society, Memoirs of the New York Botani- checklist to the plants of the Nyika National cal Garden, Contributions from the Bolus Her- Park/Plateau (to include a single line drawing barium and the Bulletin du Jardin botanique of each genus represented in the local flora). national de Belgique. This preliminary checklist will serve as a useful resource for the actual Secondary Goals expedition in 2000. ? Field experience for staff employed in regional herbaria. Further information on the planned expedition can ? On-site training in the following areas: plant be obtained from either the SABONET Coordina- pressing and collecting, use of GPS, team tor, Dr Patrick Phiri or Mr Dickson Kamundi. ❑ management, expedition planning and implementation, identification of selected plant groups, mentoring by plant specialists. ? Link with existing initiatives relating to botanical diversity on the Nyika Plateau so as to complement, and not duplicate, efforts. ? Improve plant collections from the Nyika Plateau represented in the Malawian and Zambian herbaria. ?Training for herbarium workers in report writing. ? Recommendations adopted by relevant conservation agency and added to the existing management plans. ▲ Chelinda Camp, Nyika National Park, Malawi.

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 121 Links to the SABONET Project Document, CBD & National Biodiversity Priorities

SABONET Project Document ? “Countries could benefit from regional and The planned expedition addresses directly two of subregional collaboration.” the outputs and several activities listed in the ? “Attention should also be given to the training SABONET Logical Framework Matrix, namely: of specialists, parataxonomists, and technicians in this field. The field of taxonomy must be Formal establishment of a collaborating integrated with training activities such as Southern African Botanical Diversity Network biological monitoring and assessments.” ? Collaborative field surveys and collecting expeditions in under-surveyed areas within the Global Taxonomy Initative region. The exercise will address the following components of the planned Global Taxonomy Initiative Plant diversity evaluations and monitoring (GTI)(Australian Biological Resources Study 1998): within the region ? “The GTI must be a system which encourages ? Identification of botanical hot-spots, centres of communications within the taxonomic commu- diversity and plant endemism within the region. nity, but also encourages outreach to the wider ? Identification of under-surveyed/poorly known biodiversity community.” taxa or areas. ? “Currently the linkages between taxonomy ? Evaluation of the conservation status of vegeta- (academic) and the biodiversity community are tion types/ecosystems/biomes per country and not adequate and need to be improved.” region ? “Greater communication with the science ? Production of regional and national flora community and the wider biodiversity commu- checklists. nity are essential.” ? “Priority-setting to speed up relevant regional SBSTTA projects that fulfil the needs of the CBD and The expedition also addresses some of the recom- enhance taxonomic capacity are key require- mendations made by the Subsidiary Body on ments.” Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice ? “Partnerships are central to the success of the (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological GTI.” Diversity (CBD)(Australian Biological Resources Study 1998): Links with the Convention on Biological ? “In particular, national institutions and regional Diversity and subregional networks should be established The planned expedition will also address the or strengthened and linkages enhanced with following articles of the CBD: taxonomic institutions in developing and ? Article 5. Co-operation—Each Contracting developed countries.” Party shall ... co-operate with other Contracting ? “Capacity-building for taxonomy should be Parties ... linked to the effective implementation of the ? Article 7. Identification and Monitoring—Each Convention on Biological Diversity, particu- Contracting Party shall ... identify components larly the national identification of areas of high of biological diversity, ... monitor the compo- diversity; improving the understanding of nents of biological diversity, ... maintain and ecosystem functioning; giving priority to organise, by any mechanism data, derived from threatened taxa, taxa that are or may be of value identification and monitoring activities .… to humanity, and those with potential use as ? Article 8. In-situ conservation—Each Contract- biological indicators for conservation and ing Party shall ... develop guidelines for the ... sustainable use of biological diversity.” management of protected areas ... promote the

122 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 recovery of threatened species, inter alia, Kubirske, R., Smith, G.F., Koekemoer, M., through the development and implementation of Dlamini, G.M., Phiri, P.S.M., Nobanda, N. and plans or other management strategies. Willis, C.K. 1998. Inventory, evaluation and moni- ? Article 9. Ex-situ conservation—Each Con- toring of botanical diversity in southern Africa: a tracting Party shall ... establish and maintain regional capacity and institution building network facilities for ex-situ conservation of and re- (SABONET). Southern African Botanical Diversity search on plants ... adopt measures for the Network Report No. 4. SABONET, Pretoria, South recovery and rehabilitation of threatened Africa. 73 pp. species ... regulate and manage collection of Lebrun, J.-P. & Stork, A.L. 1991. Énumération des biological resources from natural habitats for plantes à fleurs d’Afrique tropicale. Volume I. ex-situ conservation purposes ... co-operate ... Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques Genève. 249 pp. in the establishment and maintenance of ex-situ Lebrun, J.-P. & Stork, A.L. 1992. Énumération des conservation facilities in developing countries. plantes à fleurs d’Afrique tropicale. Volume II. ? Article 12. Research and Training—The Con- Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques Genève. 257 pp. tracting Parties shall ... establish and maintain Lebrun, J.-P. & Stork, A.L. 1995. Énumération des programmes for scientific and technical educa- plantes à fleurs d’Afrique tropicale. Volume III. tion and training in measures for the identifica- Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques Genève. 341 pp. tion, conservation and sustainable use of Lebrun, J.-P. & Stork, A.L. 1997. Énumération des biological diversity ... and provide support for plantes à fleurs d’Afrique tropicale. Volume IV. such education and training for the specific Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques Genève. 712 pp. needs of developing countries .… Seyani, J.H., Chikuni, A.C. & Kamundi, D.A. 1991. ? Article 17. Exchanges of information—Each A preliminary survey of the centres of plant diversity Contracting Party shall ... facilitate the ex- in Malawi. 1. Highland areas. (Paper presented at the change of information .… XIIIth AETFAT Congress, Zomba, Malawi, April ? Article 18. Technical and Scientific Co-opera- 1991). tion—The Contracting Parties shall ... promote WWF and IUCN. 1994. Centres of plant diversity. A international technical and scientific co-opera- guide and strategy for their conservation. Volume 1. tion ... special attention should be given to the Europe, Africa, South West Asia and the Middle East. development and strengthening of national IUCN Publications Unit, Cambridge, U.K. 354 pp. capabilities, by means of human resources development and institution building .… Mr Christopher Willis SABONET Coordinator National Biodiversity Strategies E-mail: [email protected] The expedition will, as far as possible, link with the stated objectives and activities of the National Dr Patrick Phiri Biodiversity Strategies of both Malawi and Zam- University of Zambia Herbarium (UZL) bia, thereby being relevant to the national University of Zambia, Lusaka biodiversity priorities in the respective countries. ❑ E-mail: [email protected]

Mr Dickson Kamundi References National Herbarium (MAL) Australian Biological Resources Study. 1998. The National Herbarium & Botanic Gardens Global Taxonomy Initiative: shortening the distance Zomba, Malawi between discovery and delivery. Australian Biological E-mail: [email protected] Resources Study, Environment Australia, Canberra. 18 pp. Huntley, B.J., Matos, E.M., Aye, T.T., Nermark, U., Mr John Burrows Nagendran, C.R., Seyani, J.H., da Silva, M.A.C., Buffelskloof Private Nature Reserve Herbarium Izidine, S., Maggs, G.L., Mannheimer, C., E-mail: [email protected]

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 123 T h e g e n u s TheThe genusgenus PPPeperomiaeperomiaeperomia inin southernsouthern Africa:Africa: the final words? by Gideon Smith This article and the following one by Dr Kathy cultivar trinomials, are often offered for sale in the Immelman are the final deliveries in a short series horticultural trade. Peperomia clusiaefolia is on the identification and distribution of the genus easily recognised by its narrow-obovate leaves Peperomia in the Flora of southern Africa (FSA) which are distinctly red-tinged, especially along region (Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, the margins. In contrast, the obovate to orbicular South Africa). Th series started off with the main leaves of P. obtusifolia are milky green with broad purpose of correcting the distribution map of the central areas of creamy white. The popularity of Piperaceae included in Smith et al. (1997): the these Peperomia cultivars with their variegated map included a few distribution records for the leaves confirms the preoccupation of gardeners Piperaceae in Namibia, yet the family has not been with growing novel, multicoloured sports. Both recorded from this parched paradise to date. “species” are cultivated as hardy potplants that like a fair amount of filtered light. They grow Once a corrected map had been compiled and particularly well in dappled shade but, perhaps published (Smith 1998a) it became clear that a few somewhat surprisingly, will even grow reasonably apparently noteworthy gaps and unanswered well under fluorescent lights. Propagation is by questions still remained in our knowledge of the division or cuttings but care should be taken not to distribution of the group (Smith 1998b). For overwater them, especially not recently planted example, why has the genus not been recorded slips. ❑ from Lesotho, even though it occurs in all three adjacent provinces of South Africa? I posed this References question to Dr Immelman, since she had recently completed a treatment of the family for publica- Smith, G.F., Van Jaarsveld, E.J., Arnold, T.H., tion in the FSA Contribution series which is Steffens, F.E., Dixon, R.D. & Retief, J.A. (eds) published in Bothalia. 1997. List of southern African succulent plants. Umdaus Press, Pretoria. Dr Immelman responded by producing the accom- Smith, G.F. 1998a. Geographical distribution of Piperaceae in southern Africa. SABONET panying account of Peperomia, which elucidates News 3: 75-76. the taxonomic intricacies of the genus in the Smith, G.F. 1998b. Distribution of Piperaceae in subcontinent. It should serve as a guide to data southern Africa: how much do we really know? capturers when they eventually encode the SABONET News 3: 164-165. Peperomia specimens kept in their herbaria. In Van Jaarsveld, E.J. 1992. Peperomia species of South addition, researchers also have at their disposal the Africa. Aloe 29: 67-69. treatment of the South African species of Peperomia by Van Jaarsveld (1992). Gideon F. Smith Office of the Research Director But beware—the most popular peperomias en- National Botanical Institute countered in southern Africa are not indigenous! Private Bag X101 Two cultivars, Peperomia clusiaefolia and P. Pretoria, 0001 obtusifolia, each referred to under a series of E-mail: [email protected]

124 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 PPPiperaceaeiperaceaeiperaceae inin SouthernSouthern AfricaAfrica a very brief summary by Kathy Immelman In a previous edition of SABONET News (Vol. 3(3), length of the stem. The other two species have December 1998) Prof. Gideon Smith suggested mostly alternate leaves, though they may be that Piperaceae be the next family to be encoded opposite just below the inflorescence. by southern African herbaria, once the grasses are complete. In Peperomia rotundifolia (L.) Humb., Bonpl. & Kunth., as suggested by the species name, the As Prof. Smith said, “a map is only as accurate as leaves are usually orbicular in shape: they are also the raw data available in the herbarium”, and the small (up to 10 mm long), the stems are not raw data is only as accurate as the specimen succulent and the fertile portion of the inflores- identification. As I revised the family some years cence is only up to 6 mm long. Peperomia retusa ago, I have been arm-twisted into writing a pre- (L.f.) A. Dietr., on the other hand, has elliptic, liminary article here to help with accurate ID of ovate or obovate leaves 8–50 mm long, the stems your specimens, before the official article comes are succulent, and the fertile portion of the inflo- out in Bothalia. rescence is 10–45 mm long.

Southern Africa is at the far end of the family’s Prof. Smith’s article was largely concerned with distribution range and, as often happens, this distribution of Piperaceae, and brought up the means it has only a few species, probably widely question of whether or not the family occurs in apart taxonomically, and quite easy to distinguish Lesotho. I can confirm that Peperomia retusa from each other. There are two genera: Piper definitely does occur in eastern Lesotho and, (from which true pepper comes) and Peperomia, going by its recorded distribution, Peperomia which most people know as a pot- or terrarium- tetraphylla will almost certainly be found there plant. Outside our area both genera are very large, (also in the eastern area). These two species and Peperomia having some 1 000 species and Piper Piper, have a similar distribution pattern, from the about 2 000. western or southern Cape, up the coast through the former Transkei, KwaZulu-Natal, then inland The first genus has a single species in our area, along the escarpment into the Northern Province Piper capense L.f., a shrub, the flowers of which and presumably Zimbabwe. Peperomia tetraphylla have two stigmas. Peperomia has four species in is also recorded from Gauteng, while Piper southern Africa, all low-growing semi-succulent capense, like so many other genera and species of herbs, with only one stigma to each flower. Both flowering plants, skips over most of the Eastern genera grow in the understorey of moist, densely- Cape, occurring in the southern Cape, then in the shaded forests. far Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and points north. In Peperomia most specimens can be distinguished on vegetative characters alone. Peperomia The known distribution of P. rotundifolia within tetraphylla (G. Forst.) Hook. & Arn. has a whorl the southern African area (Flora of southern of four leaves at each node, while Peperomia Africa) is restricted to the Eastern Cape and blanda (Jacq.) Humb., Bonpl. & Kunth. has a southern KwaZulu-Natal and may prove to be single pair of leaves at each node, along the whole rather rare. P. blanda includes the same distribution,

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 125 but continues up the length of KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland and the southern part of the escarpment. It is probably also present in Mozambique rather than Zimbabwe. ❑

Kathy Immelman ARC-Range and Forage Institute Private Bag X05 Lynne East 0039, Pretoria SOUTH AFRICA Tel.: (27) 12 841 9731/841 9839 Fax: (27) 12 808 2155 E-mail: [email protected] (preferred means of communication)

Peperomia retusa

Peperomia rotundifolia

Peperomia blanda Peperomia tetraphylla

Drawings by Gillian Condy.

126 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Some notes on Linnaean typification

by Hugh Glen

These notes are derived from a presentation at a in that each reference Scientific Forum meeting at PRE and are aimed at is trimmed to two anyone who is at the stage of locating types for the words, but these are names in a taxonomic project. They do not claim abbreviated to one to be exhaustive or authoritative, but may conceiv- syllable or less each. ably be helpful. In all cases except one, the first word is By 1753 there were specimens available to Euro- the author and the pean taxonomists from many parts of the tropics second is the most and subtropics of both the Old and New Worlds. In important word in the particular, there were small sets in Sir Hans title, so for example Dillenius’ Hortus Elthamensis Sloane’s collection from both Angola and Mozam- becomes Dill. elth. And who is the one botanist so bique, and a considerably larger assortment of famous, so infallible that his works alone are specimens from the Cape in various Dutch her- referred to without author citation, but with two baria known to Linnaeus. One ignores specimens words for the title? None other than Linnaeus from further afield (especially India and the himself, of course, so for example Fl. Zeyl. ex- Caribbean) at one’s peril: some are mis-labelled pands to Linnaeus (1747), Flora Zeylanica. Cape plants and others represent species imported into southern Africa in the belief that they would The best way to understand Linnaean typification be useful and which have become pests. is to follow the SABONET slogan, Learning by Doing, so the next section is a set of examples Before diving into the taxonomy, it may be advis- from Species Plantarum, chosen to illustrate able to spend a short time examining the context, various points. For preference, when one is doing and Linnaeus in particular. Stearn, in his Introduc- the job for one’s own research, one should use the tion to the reprint of the Mantissa draws attention Ray Society reprint and not the actual first edition. to a fulsome dedication by Lord Baltimore (a rake This is because the reprint has Stearn’s Introduc- who at the time owned most of Maryland): “Na- tion, which is essential reading if one is to work ture was miserable buried in darkness and mornful with any hope of success. In addition, this intro- science lay prostrate in eternal night. Linnaeus duction is so well written that one can (and as a unveiled her, illustrating with labours the whole world.” “On this”, says Stearn, “Baltimore and Linnaeus held the same opinion”. This shows in the way Linnaeus cited references, which he explained in his Philosophia Botanica (1751), and which is possibly more accessible in Stearn’s Introduction to Species Plantarum. Books are treated almost like biological species, Figure 1 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 127 taxonomist, should) read at least parts of it for The collection is in the general herbarium, placed pleasure, for example, the explanation of the in such an obvious position that visitors need to go Linnaean system on which the book is arranged. round it almost every time they leave their seats. And, sure enough, there is the specimen that Species Plantarum, 1753 matches the description in Hort. Cliff.: this is the The first example is a widespread invader through- only credible type of this species. One may query out the SABONET area, the common guava. As it our ignoring of the cited illustration in Plukenet’s is always essential to see what Linnaeus actually (1696) Almagest. This work was old even in 1753, said, the protologue is reproduced in Figure 1. The and Linnaeus did not see the specimens on which specific epithet (which Linnaeus called a “trivial it was based. One can suggest a first rule (to which name” is in the outer (left in this case) margin of there are many exceptions): is there a specimen the first line of the entry. Note that each species is in Hort. Sicc. Cliff.? If so, give it serious atten- numbered; this can be important. This illustration tion. also shows that there is no generic description. Linnaean genera are validated by the descriptions The next example is a vygie, now known as in the fifth edition of Genera Plantarum (1754) or Lampranthus bicolor. The protologue is repro- later publications, and the Code makes a special duced in Figure 2. The general layout is the same, exception so that the species of 1753 can be but there are more words. In passing, one may accepted though published “before” the genera to wonder how Linnaeus could have thought this which they belong. The first line of the text is a plant was a tree—in real life it is barely knee-high! phrase which Linnaeus saw as a “proper” name (Moral: do not believe everything you read, even and which now functions as a thumbnail descrip- if Linnaeus wrote it. In particular, the only rule in tion. Then follow citations of earlier names for this article to which there are no exceptions is: get this plant, those by himself first (naturally!) and a second opinion.) But which element in this then everybody else, in reverse-chronological paragraph is the clue allowing us to cite a type of order (latest first). Finally there is a line indicating the name? Note that although Hort. Cliff. is absent, where it came from and an indication of the habit there are two important citations of illustrations. of the plant. In this case the habit indication is ???, The older is by Bradley, and refers to the first an ancient alchemical symbol which he redefined book on succulents published in Europe. In my as “tree”. opinion this is memorable only as a red herring: Bradley’s pictures are among the world’s least These elements are all the clues there are to aid informative. Much more useful is the reference to our search for a type. One can be eliminated Dill. elth. This exquisite work, detailing the plants immediately: the last citation, of an illustration in growing in Dr James Sherard’s garden at Eltham Commelin’s Hortus medicus Amstelodamensis, is in Kent (now south-east London), is lavishly preceded by the letter b (Greek beta), indicating illustrated with line drawings engraved by that he considered it to be a variety. Fortunately, the choice of a type for Psidium guajava is simple: the first “pre-Linnaean” synonym cited is from Hortus Cliffortianus, a checklist of plants grown in a garden in the Nether- lands which Linnaeus had compiled in his youth. This book is backed up by a magnificent collection of specimens (Hortus siccus Cliffortianus) now in the Natural History Museum, London. Figure 2

128 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Dillenius himself, and for each drawing there is Dillenian illustration and specimen. Another leaky one and only one specimen. These are part of the rule, therefore: Is there a Dillenian illustration? Dillenian herbarium, which is now at Oxford If so and if there is nothing more authentically University, where William Sherard (James’s Linnaean, choose it. This rule does carry a brother) endowed a chair of Botany with the warning: the Van Royen collection (at L) does proviso that Dillenius should be the first professor. contain Linnaean types and should not be ignored. Which Dillenian specimen belongs to which plate One may find more details of this collection in is relatively easily ascertained, both by the phrase Wijnands (1983), and a full description of name and by the fact that Dillenius engraved Linnaeus’s own copy of Hortus Elthamensis, directly from the specimens. To appreciate the including a list of taxa illustrated, in a paper by latter fact fully one needs to appreciate that any Schmidt (1965). printed material (text or pictures) requires that the type or illustrations be set up left-right reversed in The eagle-eyed will have spotted that so far I have order to print right way round. Dillenius drew the avoided all mention of the Linnaean collections at specimens directly on to the plates from which his LINN and Stockholm. There is a good reason for book was printed, and so where the picture shows that, namely that working with those specimens a leaf or a twig sticking out to the right (for exam- requires considerable local knowledge and circum- ple), the specimen will have the same leaf or twig spection. The collection at LINN is Linnaeus’s in the same position, but facing left. So we have own, preserved as it was at the time he died, the illustration which Linnaeus saw, which is an whereas the Stockholm collection contains much iconotype, and the important specimen in Oxford “secondary” material used by his son. Now both (which Linnaeus did not see) which is the basis of Prof. Schelpe and Dr Stearn told me that Linnaeus the picture, and which is called a typotype. had one habit hardly calculated to endear him to later generations of botanists looking for types. The third example is another vygie, and has When he received what he considered to be a citations of both Hort. cliff. and Dill. elth (Fig- better specimen than one he already had of a ure 3). Which to choose? Note that the Hort. cliff. particular species, he would give the older one to a citation is marked with an asterisk (*): this means colleague (often N.J. Burmann, whose herbarium that Linnaeus thought that the description so is now part of the general collection at Geneva). marked was particularly good. Needless to say, This happened both before and after 1753, so the nearly all descriptions so marked are his own. All presence of a specimen in LINN of a Linnaean other things being equal, one would choose a species is no guarantee that it is the type of the specimen or illustration underlying a starred name. This is why one looks so hard for Hort. description above one that does not, but in this Cliff. or Dillenian specimens—they are at least case all other things are not equal. There is no relatively unambiguous. However, Jarvis showed matching specimen of this species in Hort. Sicc. in a recent paper an apparently foolproof way of Cliff., and the Van Royen citation does not help in determining whether the specimen now in LINN this case, either. Therefore, one falls back on the of a particular species was there in 1753. It seems that very soon after the appearance of the first edition of Species Plantarum, Linnaeus numbered all his specimens with the same numbers as occur in that esteemed work. Therefore, if the choice lies between a specimen with a Sp. Pl. number (whether in LINN, S or G) and one without it, the Figure 3 correct selection is the SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 129 former. The final example (Pinus pinea, a well-known invader in the Western Cape) is a case in point (Figure 4). There are two specimens of this species in LINN, numbered 1135.2 and 1135.5; of these, the former alone is annotated “2. pinea” in Linnaeus’s hand, and so must be the type of this name. For users Figure 4 of the microfiche of LINN, I can offer a helpful hint: use Savage’s (1945) Amoenitates” take priority. One can find the catalogue—it contains transcripts of all the details in TL-2 (Stafleu & Cowan 1981). annotation. In conclusion, determining the type of a Linnaean Later Linnaean works name is one of the most difficult tasks confronting These are the second and third editions of Species a southern African taxonomist. Dr Jarvis’s Plantarum, the Mantissa and various theses which Linnaean Typification project is a great boon Linnaeus wrote for his students to defend. Few (particularly since it is led by such an approach- protologues in these include citations of earlier able and helpful person), but there is still a good works, and all are after he numbered his her- reason for those confronted with the problem to barium. In many cases these names are based on have some idea of the difficultes and how to tackle specimens brought back to Sweden by his stu- them. These notes are intended as a first step dents, such as Thunberg (Cape and Japan) and towards illuminating that idea. Pehr Kalm, who explored North America. Some- times he indicates who gave him the material, and Acknowledgements a sound knowledge of handwritings will reveal a Much gratitude is due to Prof. Schelpe and to Dr matching specimen in LINN or S. These names Stearn, for taking the trouble to guide me through are, however, very difficult and I have little or no the traumas of my own Linnaean typification relevant experience. All one can do here is to problems and, by so doing, giving me the back- suggest that anyone faced with this problem ground to be able to prepare these notes. Many should appeal to Dr C. Jarvis thanks to Marinda Koekemoer and Gael for help. One point that does need to be made is Campbell-Young for supplying the inspiration, and that the Mantissa was published in two parts, to my other colleagues for sitting through what something which is not all that obvious from the had all the hallmarks of a deadly boring presenta- modern reprint. The first part comprises pages 1– tion in an icy cold lecture theatre, with the forti- 142 and was published in 1767. The second part tude they did. ❑ comprises a title page announcing it as Mantissa Altera, a few unnumbered preliminary pages, and References then the taxonomy starts immediately with page 143; this section was published in 1771. Bradley, R. 1716–1727. The history of succulent plants. The author, London. An acquaintance once asked me to confirm the Dillenius, J.J. 1732. Hortus Elthamensis. The author, pagination of a paper in Linnaeus’s Amoenitates London. Academicae which, she said, contained the Linnaeus, C. 1737. Hortus Cliffortianus. The author, Leyden. protologue of a species she was revising. It con- Linnaeus, C. 1747. Flora zeylanica. Salvius, Stock- tained a description, but not the protologue. The holm. Amoenitates are a series of reprints of Linnaean Linnaeus, C. 1751. Principia botanica. Kiesewetter, theses, and so one should always trace the original Stockholm. thesis, from the date of which the names “in 130 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species plantarum, edn 1. Salvius, Stockholm. (Reprint 1959: Ray Society, London). SABONET’s Linnaeus, C. 1754. Genera plantarum, edn 5. Salvius, Stockholm. postgraduate students Linnaeus, C. 1767. Mantissa plantarum. Salvius, Stockholm. (Reprint 1961: Cramer, Weinheim). Progress reports Linnaeus, C. 1771. Mantissa altera plantarum. Salvius, Stockholm. (Reprint 1961: bound in with the above). Plukenet, L. 1696. Almagestum botanicum. The author, Claid Mujaju writes: London. Savage, S. 1945. A Catalogue of the Linnaean Herbarium. Linnean Society, London. Schmidt, H. 1965. Der Hortus Elthamensis aus der Bibliothek Carl Linnés. Feddes Repertorium 70: 69–108. Stafleu, F.A. & Cowan, R.S. 1981. Taxonomic Literature, edn 2, vol. 3: LhBO. Regnum Vegetabile 105. Turland, N.J. & Jarvis, C.E. 1997. Typification of Linnaean specific and varietal names in the Leguminosae (Fabaceae). Taxon 46: 457–485. Van Royen, A. 1740. Florae Leydensis prodromus. Luchtmans, Leyden. Wijnands, D.O. 1983. The Botany of the Commelins. Balkema, Rotterdam. ▲ Claid Mujaju (Zimbabwe) observing the nut of Hugh Glen Cannomois parviflora (Restionaceae) in the Bolus National Herbarium Herbarium, University of Cape Town (Photo: David National Botanical Institute Chuba). Private Bag X101 Pretoria, 0001 South Africa t is with relief that I have finished the first E-mail: [email protected] Imodule. The module was a coursework one, which comprised a lot of lectures, assignments, seminars, multi-logs and practicals. Nowhere at any one time was there enough room for a breath- ing space—this was really an intensive course module.

Assignments are the equivalent of mini-projects, with solutions hard to come by and even with very little certainty of what one has written down. It was only after submission of the assignment and a good mark return, that I would be convinced of the quality of the work done. Some of the assignments would rob me of my sleep, resulting in sleepless nights in the Computer Room, typing. (All our assignments were recommended to be a minimum of ten typed pages.) Seminars included presentation of papers; multi-logs are one’s critiques and vital contributions to class discussions. These were not a joke but had to be thoroughly done. Hence forcing a lot of reading, studying and SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 131 understanding of the subject under discussion. it more precisely, textbooks and notes were not I am pleased to mention that to the best of my very necessary, but rather a synthesis of learnt ability, I have done very well in my coursework. material and a good measure of common sense. I do not have the percentage as yet, since each of The exam will be marked by all the lecturers, as the assignments written has different points that well as an external examiner, Prof. Scholtz from contribute to the final coursework mark. What I Pretoria. Before this exam, we had been treated to am not sure of is the outcome of the 36-hour exam a 30-minute seminar where we presented the written on 5–6 July 1999. The exam was a hard groups of plants we are going to be studying for nut to crack, no sleep, no food, but persistently our projects in the context of the broader and continuously pressing on towards the mark. phylogenetic schemes. These presentations were also assessed as part of the course work. Finally, to those who have hope there is no fight without victory. Although it appears a daunting Though this sounds as if I have had a bad time, the task, it is achievable. truth is that I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I have embraced the course as a necessary and powerful tool which I will use to protect our Ezekeil Kwembeya writes: threatened environment. The training provided me with a sound knowledge of scientific methodology which will enable me to do meaningful research work that amounts to some science. What particularly interested me is the applicability and relevance of the courses in addressing modern-day environmental issues. Application of this knowledge in research work will produce results worth of consideration in natural resource management, especially where conservation priorities conflict with financially rewarding development proposals. Such information is most welcome early in the planning process—when options and alternatives are still being considered. In short, the course work was well put together and I found it very informative and intellectually stimulating. We are now supposed to apply these methods in the second component of the course, that is, the project bit. However, in the meantime I am waiting with anticipation for the results of the exam. ▲ Ezekeil Kwembeya (Zimbabwe) working on Dryopteris inaequalis (Pteridophyta: Dryopteridaceae) I have already started on my project which will (Photo: David Chuba). (I hope) run up to end of January next year. I will be working on the project mainly at Compton Herbarium (NBG) under the supervision of Dr J.P. e are now approaching the end of July and Roux and Prof. H.P. Linder. Thanks to SABONET Wthe first half of the MSc in Systematics and for the support so far. Biodiversity Science has been completed. The series of mind-stretching modules eventually ended in a 36-hour open book examination on 5–6 July, which could not be described as “easy” even in the narrowest sense of the word. The exam consisted of a single question which required more thinking than just recalling what one learnt. To put 132 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 David Chuba writes: Paseka Mafa writes:

▲ David Chuba (Zambia) observing orchid flowers as ▲ Paseka Mafa (Lesotho) feeding his grasses with part of his BSc Honours Course at the University of nutrients in the phytotron, University of Cape Town Cape Town (Photo: Claid Mujaju). (Photo: David Chuba).

have gained a lot since the beginning of my ne half of my year-long programme is over I Botany Honours course. We have now com- O and now I am running towards the finishing pleted the first module dealing with systematics line. During the last week of June I finished the which I wrapped up by presenting a seminar on systematics module by giving a seminar on Sys- “Molecular Clocks”, work involving the use of tematics and Biodiversity. This seminar was DNA sequences in different species to estimate intended to highlight the role of systematics their time of divergence. Possible applications are research in biodiversity conservation. The module vast once the molecular clock has been adequately was full of many activities. This included reading calibrated. Among them is the possible determina- assignments where one would be given papers to tion of the mode of dispersal (i.e. long distance or read and share the details with the rest of the class. vicariance) in closely related taxa found in geo- Meeting deadlines for essays and pressing hard to graphically disjunct land masses. So far the get the projects going meant giving up sleeping, programme has been immensely challenging, which I consider a luxury not a necessity for an especially the systematics module. Honours student. I must acknowledge that the benefit I have got so far from the teaching was We are now going through the last module very informative; I do not regret some of my (ecophysiology), in which we have just attended a sleepless nights. It was worth it. very interesting one week course on the “Theory and practice of stable light isotope spectrometry”. I am currently engaged with the ecophysiology This has a wide range of applications, for exam- module, which started in the second week of July, ple, the determination of photosynthetic pathways by attending a course on the theory and applica- (C4, CAM and C3) in plants, forensic, food tion of stable isotopes. It was a very interesting quality control and others. course from which I benefited a lot. I will end this module by giving a seminar on the effects of At the same time I still continue to push on in my grazing on carbon dioxide storage and soil respiration. two projects. In one project, I am looking at the phylogeny of Brachychorythis and Neobolusia I am running the race with endurance, and pressing (testing the monophyly of Brachychorythis); in the harder because the finishing line is near. The bell other, I am looking at what environmental param- is ringing, this is the last lap. ❑ eters might be determinant of the distribution of the sedges (Cyperaceae) in southern Africa. I hope to complete the projects by October 1999 and the whole programme by November 1999. SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 133 SAAB Annual Congress—2000 A.D.

Hosted by the Department of Botany at the Potchefstroom University for CHE.

Invitation ■ All arrangements concerning accommodation Colleagues are invited to participate in the 26th other than in university residences, should be Annual Conference of the South African Association done by delegates. of Botanists. ■ All enquiries concerning the excursion should be addressed directly to Dr Sarel Cilliers. Important Dates 13 September 1999: 08:00—Deadline for receipt of Registration Fees abstracts (hard copy or electronically) The registration fee of delegates and students 13 September 1999: 08:00—Deadline for registration includes entrance to all conference sessions, exhib- and payment its, the abstract book, tea/coffee/refreshments during 1 October 1999—Notification that abstract has been breaks, lunch as well as one ticket each for the received Mayoral Function and the Braai on Wednesday 10 January 2000—Meetings evening. 11 January 2000—Opening Ceremony 14 January 2000—Closing Ceremony: Dinner 15 January 2000—Excursion Delegates Paid by Paid after 13 September 13 September Addresses Regular participants: Mailing address: Members R500.00 R550.00 Secretariat SAAB School for Environmental Non-members R550.00 R550.00 Sciences and Development Students R300.00 R550.00 Division: Botany Accompanying persons R200.00 R200.00 Private Bag X6001 PU for CHE 2520 POTCHEFSTROOM ■ Student delegates are required to provide an SOUTH AFRICA original letter from their institution stating that they are bona fide students. Post-doctoral fellows do Physical address: not qualify as students. School for Environmental Sciences and Development ■ Registration not accompanied by the appropriate PU for CHE fee, will not be processed. J.S van der Merwe Building 11 Hoffman Street Deadline for registration: Monday 13 September 2531 POTCHEFSTROOM 1999 08:00 SOUTH AFRICA Accommodation Telephone: (018) 299 2501 Arrangements and booking for guest houses and Fax: (018) 299 2503 hotels must be made by delegates. E-Mail: [email protected] Accommodation in university residences is available Web: http://www.puk.ac.za/botany/saab.htm from the night of 10 January up to and including the night of 14 January 2000. The residences are within ■ All enquiries regarding registration, scientific short walking distance from the conference venue. aspects of the Conference, accommodation in Please note that the University residences are not university residences, the mayoral function and available outside the time schedules for the main the dinner should be addressed to the Organising conference. Committee.

O Continued on page 134

134 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 ▲ Continued from page 133

Scientific Programme will be limited. Consequently the first come first The scientific programme will comprise of plenary serve rule will apply with regard to registration for the lectures by invited speakers, 15-minute lectures and workshops. A fee is payable per workshop. poster sessions contributed by delegates. Workshop 1: Vegetation classification: formal Topics for Conference syntaxonomy The conference concerns the entire domain of Plant Workshop 2: Fluorescence as a tool in plant stress Biology, which for the purpose of the scientific physiology programme has been divided into different topics. Workshop 3: The use of models in long-term ecological research. ■ Metabolic Botany Workshop 4: Writing scientific papers ■ Structural Botany Workshop 5: Plant biogeography, with emphasis on ■ Developmental Botany island archipelagos ■ Systematic and Evolutionary Botany ■ Environmental Botany Excursion ■ Economic Botany One-day excursion to the central part of the ■ Ethnobotany Vredefort Dome: a unique geological phenomenon. ■ Phycology The origin of the world-renowned Vredefort Dome, ■ Biotechnology situated near Potchefstroom and Parys, is still hotly debated by geologists. The generally accepted Mini-symposia theory is that it originated 2000 million years ago Delegates are invited to propose topics for mini when a meteorite struck the earth. It is acknowl- symposia. For example, a mini-symposium on edged as the oldest, largest and best exposed Colophospermum mopane is planned: it will meteorite impact site on earth and is currently include all papers and posters concerning research proposed as a World Heritage site. The area is also on mopane and will be concluded by a discussion. a registered conservancy. The impact of the meteor- Please name the appropriate person to act as ite created a mountainous landscape of unsurpassed chairperson during a proposed mini-symposium. natural beauty with a variety of unique microhabitats.

Invited Speakers The Vredefort Astrobleme is situated in a transitional The following speakers have been invited to partici- area between the Cymbopogon-Themeda Veld and pate in plenary sessions and/or workshops: the Bankenveld and a number of plant communities, unique for this part of the North West and Free State ■ Prof R.J. Strasser (Bioenergetics) Provinces occur, especially in the numerous ravines. University of Geneva The high biodiversity is not restricted to the flora. ■ Prof C.H. Bornman (Plant Physiology) More butterfly species are found here than in the Lund University entire United Kingdom. The Vredefort Dome, espe- ■ Prof U. Zimmermann (Biotechnology) cially areas around the Vaal River is also regarded University of Würzburg as one of the 121 most important Bird Areas (IBA) in ■ Prof E. van der Maarel (Vegetation Classifica- South Africa. The area also hosts several tourist tion) Uppsala University attractions such as hiking, canoeing, whitewater ■ Dr T. Wiegand (Ecological Modelling) rafting, absailing, game-viewing and visiting sites of Environmental Research Centre, Leipzig archeological and historical importance. ■ Dr N.J. Kruger (Plant Physiology) University of Oxford The central part of the Dome is now threatened by ■ Prof R. Birch (Plant Molecular Biology) proposed open cast gold mining activities. There can University of Queensland, Brisbane be no doubt that mining will have a devastating ■ Prof T.F. Stuessy (Plant systematics) effect on the unique geology, archaeology, fauna and Botanical Institute, University of Vienna flora. ■ Prof Y. Gutterman (Ecophysiology) Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, We invite you to take advantage of this unique Israel opportunity to visit parts of the Vredefort Dome, in the company of botanists and ecologists, a geolo- Workshops gist, a lepidopterist and an ornithologist. We will also The following workshops are planned to take place visit Tierkloof to taste the locally distilled mampoer during the main conference. The number of del- and liqueur. ❑ egates that will be able to attend these workshops

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 135 Further progress with updating the Index herbariorum: southern African supplement

by Christopher Willis & Gideon Smith

uring the last few months we have again been spondent is Mr Klaas van Zyl, whose research Dgathering additional information on South interests include the ecology of semi-arid areas. African herbaria that were not included in the first Klaas can be contacted at telephone (27) 251 edition of the updated Index herbariorum for 21880 or fax (27) 251 81286. The associated southern Africa. We anticipate that the revised, garden is the Hester Malan Wild Flower Garden. expanded and updated version of Index No exchange is available or wanted. The collec- herbariorum: southern African supplement will be tion is at the disposal of visiting researchers for published as a number in the SABONET Report plant identification and is also used as a resource Series during September/October 1999. Informa- in grazing and veld management surveys. Univer- tion on the following herbaria has been obtained sity students occasionally use the herbarium as a since the last edition of SABONET News was teaching and identification aid. Researchers are published in April 1999. welcome to apply for collecting permits to collect their own specimens on the Reserve. Duplicates of such collections should be lodged in the Goegap Nature Reserve Herbarium.

▲ Building housing the Goegap Nature Reserve Herbarium, Springbok, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The herbarium was founded in 1965 and contains ca 2 000 specimens. ▲ Building housing the Helderberg Nature Reserve Herbarium, just outside Somerset West, Western Cape ● The Goegap Nature Reserve Herbarium is Province, South Africa. The herbarium contains ca situated within the Goegap Nature Reserve (previ- 600 specimens, collected mostly by Pat Runnalls. ously known as the Hester Malan Nature Reserve) just outside Springbok in the Northern Cape ● The Helderberg Nature Reserve Herbarium Province, South Africa. The herbarium, founded in is situated within the Helderberg Nature Reserve circa 1965, contains about 2 000 plant specimens. just outside Somerset West in the Western Cape Important collections include those of A. le Roux, Province, South Africa. The herbarium and reserve W. Lloyd, G. Rösch (usually with A. le Roux), falls under the Helderberg Municipality. The P.M. van der Westhuizen, J. Dumoulin and J. de herbarium was founded in 1987 and contains W. Kritzinger. The Officer-in-charge and corre- around 600 specimens. Important collections

136 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 include those of P. Runnalls and M.C. Hofmeyr. The Officer-in-charge and correspondent is Gerald Wright, whose professional interests include the flora, avifauna and flora of the entire Helderberg. Gerald can be contacted at telephone/fax (27) 21 851 6982. The herbarium serves as a resource for identifying plants collected from the Helderberg Nature Reserve for display in the reserve kiosk. The herbarium is also available to biology students and bona fide researchers by appointment. An amateur society, Friends of the Helderberg Nature Reserve, is involved in the maintenance and curation of the herbarium. ▲ Building housing the Karoo National Botanical Garden Herbarium, Worcester, Western Cape Province, South Africa. Founded in 1968, the herbarium contains ca 1 000 specimens (representing ca 550 species).

● The Karoo National Botanical Garden Herbarium is situated in the town of Worcester in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Founded in 1968, the herbarium contains approximately 1 000 specimens and, together with the Karoo National Botanical Garden (e-mail: [email protected]) in which it is situated, is managed by staff of the National Botanical Insti- tute. Important collections include those of M.B. ▲ Building housing the Worcester Field Reserve Bayer, P.L. Perry and I.B. Walters. The herbarium Herbarium, Worcester, Western Cape Province, South includes about 10% of the Dr I.B. Walters Private Africa. The herbarium, founded in 1937 and compris- Herbarium (the remaining 90% were donated to ing ca 5 000 specimens, is used as a resource for the the Compton Herbarium (NBG & SAM), identification of plant specimens for the agricultural/ Kirstenbosch). These plants are from the Worces- farming community of the Western Cape. ter area and the Fairy Glen Hiking Trail on the Brandwacht Mountain, which is an extension of ● The Worcester Field Reserve Herbarium is the Hex River Mountain System. The Officer-in- situated just outside Worcester in the Western charge and correspondent is Mr Ian Oliver, whose Cape Province, South Africa. The herbarium was interests include Rhus (Anacardiaceae), botanical founded in ca 1937 and comprises 5 000 speci- garden management, as well as the cultivation, mens. Important collections include those of M.B. propagation and systematics of the succulents of Bayer, M.C. Olivier and P.A.B. van Breda. The southern Africa. Ian can be contacted at associated reserve is the Worcester Field Reserve [email protected]. No exchanges are avail- and the Officer-in-charge is Hannes Botha, whose able or wanted. The herbarium serves as a refer- interests include the rehabilitation of natural and ence collection for the identification mostly of disturbed vegetation and agricultural lands. species collected in the Karoo National Botanical Hannes can be contacted at telephone (27) 23 347 Garden. Approximately 554 species are repre- 1121, fax (27) 23 342 6779 or e-mail sented in the herbarium. [email protected]. The herbarium is used as a resource for the identification of plant speci- ● The Ria Olivier Herbarium (PEU) is situated mens for the agricultural/farming community of within the University of Port Elizabeth’s Depart- the Western Cape. ment of Botany, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 137 Province. No exchange is available from the herbarium, although plants collected within the Eastern Cape Province are wanted. The herbarium primarily consists of specimens collected along the Eastern Cape coastal plain, as far inland as Somerset East. Macroalgae total 500 specimens. A collection of 2 000 permanently mounted diatom microscope slides are housed in custom-made filing cabinets. This collection covers material collected from rivers, estuaries and the sea. Dupli- cate material of the diatom collection is preserved ▲ Building housing the Ria Olivier Herbarium (PEU), in vials in ethanol and is available for study. The University of Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape Province, herbarium collection is computerised using South Africa. The herbarium was founded in 1970 and AskSam, and the information can be exchanged in contains ca 18 000 specimens. ASCII format. ❑

Province, South Africa. Founded in 1970, the Christopher K. Willis herbarium contains close to 18 000 specimens. SABONET Coordinator’s Office Important collections include those of M.C. c/o National Botanical Institute Olivier (after whom the herbarium is named; see Private Bag X101 also Worcester Field Reserve Herbarium above), 0001 Pretoria L. Hosten, F.R. Long, L.N. Prosser and N.R. South Africa Urton. The F.R. Long Herbarium (MPE) has been E-mail: [email protected] incorporated into PEU. The associated nature reserve is the University of Port Elizabeth Private Gideon F. Smith Nature Reserve (830 ha) founded in 1983. The Director: Research Curator and correspondent of the Ria Olivier National Botanical Institute Herbarium is Eileen Campbell who can be con- Private Bag X101 tacted at [email protected]. Eileen’s professional 0001 Pretoria interests include surf diatom ecology and system- South Africa atics, biota of hypersaline systems and the conser- E-mail: [email protected] vation of Red Data List plants in the Eastern Cape

Southern African Herbarium Working Group Annual Meeting 1999

The A.P. Goossens Herbarium in Potchefstroom will contact me if you don’t have Internet access. The Du host the Southern African Herbarium Working Group Plessis building (Building no 12 on the map) is (SAHWG) Meeting for the years 1999 and 2000. The behind the Botany building, which is behind the dates for the two day meeting this year have been Admin building, which in turn borders Hoffman Street set for 13–14 October. The starting time will be on the main campus. determined by the number of participants, but will be between 08:30 and 09:00. Format This year’s meeting will for the first time truly per- Venue sonify the whole southern African region in that The venue will be the Conference Hall in the Du representatives of SABONET member countries will Plessis Building. Detailed maps are available from also be attending. Their contribution to the meeting the web at http://www.puk.ac.za/indexe.htm or will undoubtedly prove to be informative and stimulating. 138 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 The format of the meeting will follow the traditional 5.4 Specimens mounted & incorporated pattern, with discussion sessions and mini work- 6. Visitors shops, etc. planned for October 13. Suggestions for 7. Problems topics for discussion are hereby called for. Initial 8. Objectives topics include ■ Ethno and intellectual property rights Accommodation ■ Herbaria as a public or closed resource Attendees are responsible for arranging their own ■ Evaluation of EIAs accommodation. I have selected a list of guest ■ Collecting permits houses in close proximity to the campus. The list is available at http://www.puk.ac.za/botany/sahwg/ Day one will end with the ever popular voluntary ghouses.htm, or contact me if you don’t have slide presentations from attendees. Here is an Internet access. opportunity to share anything botanical with a grateful audience. Interested parties are invited to Transport bring along their slides. Attendees are responsible for their own transport arrangements. Contact me in the event of any The AGM will follow on October 14. Agenda items serious difficulties. are hereby also called for. The following items are planned for: Meals ■ Annual herbarium reports No meals will be provided. A student cafeteria, ■ SABONET developments supermarket and a number of cafes and restaurants/ ■ Undercollected areas pubs are all within easy walking distance of the ■ Launch of second edition of Index herbariorum: venue. Ample lunch time will be allowed for. Three southern African supplement tea sessions with light eats will, however, be supplied. ■ Listserver Cost Request The monies asked are to cover administration costs The SAHWG meeting of 1997 decided that central- such as postage and printing as well as three tea ised storage of Annual Herbarium Reports under the sessions with eats. auspices of the SAHWG would be valuable. Wher- ever possible, reports should be limited to a length of Interested? two pages. To provide a renewed impetus to this Interested in attending? You can register in any of enterprise, I kindly ask that all herbarium curators the following ways: please submit a report, even if you do not plan to ■ Complete a Microsoft Word version of the regis- attend the meeting. I have taken the liberty of tration form (available from me via e-mail or as a preparing a “blueprint” of such a report. This blue- downloadable file at http://www.puk.ac.za/botany/ print is by no means binding, but conformity will ease sahwg/form.doc) and e-mail/mail/fax it to me. the comparison of different herbaria and the extrac- ■ Fill in the web based form at http://www.puk. tion of statistics. If you have limited or no information ac.za/botany/sahwg/form.htm. available, please say so, instead of not submitting a ■ Phone or fax me to request a hard-copy version report at all; and use the headings listed below as a of the form if you don’t have Internet access. challenge for next year’s meeting (and submission of a report!). We strongly encourage you to ensure that your herbarium and all other interested parties are repre- Suggested Herbarium Report sented at the meeting. headings 1. Awards Hope to see you all in October. ❑ 2. Projects 2.1 Ongoing projects Dr Matt H. Buys 2.2 Completed projects Curator: A.P. Goossens Herbarium 3. Published publications School for Environmental Sciences and Development 4. Communication & training Potchefstroom University for CHE 4.1 Courses followed Private Bag X6001 4.2 Contributions at congresses Potchefstroom 2520 5. Herbarium activities South Africa 5.1 Identification service Tel.: (27) 18 299 2507 5.2 Loans outgoing Fax: (27) 18 299 2503 5.3 Loans incoming E-mail: [email protected] SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 139 Koeltz, Königstein. ISBN 3-57429-402-1 (this volume). The arrival of a new supplement to the most useful reference work in all plant taxonomy has to be cause for rejoicing, and those who have used TL-2 will need no explanation of the reason why. But in this case one’s rapture is modified by the knowl- THE PAPER CHASE edge that neither of the authors is still with us to produce the next supplement, though the introduc- by Hugh Glen, Christopher Willis and Clare Archer tion to this one speaks of material in existence as far as the letter E. But then?

The object of this column is to keep an eye open Anyway, this supplement continues the good work for literature that SABONET users may find on botanical literature roughly from 1753 to 1939, useful. This will mostly be new publications, but and now TL-2 and supplements minute the exist- may well include older information in answer to ence of almost 30 000 items. Most of these are questions such as “what’s the best key to ...”. It is books, but some journal articles are to be found in neither possible nor desirable that the flow of such the supplements. These maintain the impeccable information should be one-way, from Pretoria standard of completeness and scholarship we have outwards, so would readers please feel free to come to expect. submit notes and useful information to the address at the end of this column. What about references to earlier and later work? Some pre-Linnaean literature is referenced in TL- The citation of an item here does not imply any 2, of course. More can be found in Pritzel (1872– guarantee of its contents or even its existence; 1882; reprints listed in TL-2). Post-World War II very often the compiler has not seen the docu- literature can be found in AETFAT-Index (African ments referred to. taxa only; to 1970) and Kew Record (worldwide; from 1971). One may note that AETFAT-Index The following new theses are to be found in the continues beyond 1970; however, as a personal Mary Gunn Library: choice and with no disrespect to the compilers, I find KR more convenient. • Bester, S.P. 1998. Vegetation and flora of the southern Drakensberg escarpment and adjacent Ndoro, M. 1996. The National Herbarium of areas. M.Sc., University of Pretoria. Zimbabwe (SRGH): Type Specimen Register. • Lubbe, R.A. 1997. Vegetation and flora of the National Herbarium, Harare. No ISBN, price Kosi Bay Coastal Forest Reserve in Z$ 50.00. Maputaland, northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Mavi M., Shava S., Mujaju C., Mapaura A. & Africa. M.Sc., University of Pretoria. Kaunda B. 1996. The National Herbarium of • Middleton, L. 1998. Shade tolerant flowering Zimbabwe (SRGH): Plant Collection Register. plants in the southern African flora: morphol- National Herbarium, Harare. No ISBN, price ogy, adaptations and horticultural application. Z$ 50.00 per volume (4 vol. set). M.Sc., University of Pretoria. And worth every penny. The first is a complete list • Moolman, M. 1998. Aspects of biodiversity in of all the types in SRGH. One wonders if they the southern African grassland biome. M.Sc., have transferred all this information into University of Pretoria. PRECIS.pc. If so, it would be a wonderful start to computerising SRGH. The second item is a list of Recent new books include: all the taxa in SRGH, with a note of which cup- boards (made intelligible by a floor plan) each is Stafleu, F.A. & Mennenga, E.A. 1998. Taxo- to be found in. Also a good foundation for a nomic Literature 2 Supplement 5: Da–Di. herbarium database and “black book” for the 140 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Flora zambesiaca area, but I have one reservation. Christopher Willis draws our attention to: Here in PRE specimens move, albeit slowly, as the collection expands, and so the cupboard locations South African Journal of Botany 65(1) was are about the least stable data we have ever col- published in February 1999. It contains, amongst lected. We had a similar system in the very first others, the following articles: version of PRECIS, way back in 1974, and then it ◗ A reappraisal of the identification and distri- was useful to ensure that the specimens were not bution of Asparagus asparagoides in southern too badly misfiled after encoding. But we quietly Africa (C.A. Kleinjan and Penelope B. Edwards). stopped maintaining that information very early Pages 23–31. Relevant to the countries of Lesotho, on, and now only a few cabinets still have the Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa. numbers they were all marked with. However, our ◗ New species of Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) northern neighbours have produced a very impres- from Namaqualand (Elizabeth M. Marais). Pages sive piece of work, and one can only wish them 50–58. Pelargonium angustipetalum well in future endeavours. (Namaqualand, South Africa), P. parvipetalum (Gamoep to Pakhuis Pass, Northern/Western Cape Townsend, C.C. & Guest, E. eds. (various Provinces) and P. rubiginosum (Richtersveld to dates). Flora of Iraq. Ministry of Agriculture, Kourkamma Mountains south of Komaggas) are Baghdad. (4 volumes received). described as new species. Iraq is a long way from the SABONET region, ◗ Resurrection of two previously confused isn’t it? It is, but this flora includes more than a species, Olinia capensis (Jacq.) Klotzsch and few species common to both, and an account of O. micrantha Decne. (Oliniaceae) (R.J. Sebola the cultivated taxa in each family covered. These and K. Balkwill). Pages 97–103. four parts, plus the two already in the Mary Gunn ◗ Merxmuellera cincta subsp. sericea (Poaceae), Library, appear to cover about two thirds of the a new subspecies from the Eastern Cape Prov- entire flora. ince, South Africa (Nigel P. Barker). Pages 104– 109. Dassanyake, M.D. & Clayton, D.W. eds. 1999. Revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon 13. South African Journal of Botany 65(2) was Balkema, Rotterdam. ISBN 90 5410 791 X published in April 1999. It contains, amongst The latest volume of this well-known flora con- others, the following articles: tains accounts of 31 small families, and must ◗ Taxonomy of the genus Pelargonium surely almost complete the project. Dare one hope (Geraniaceae): the section Polyactium 3. The for an index before the revised handbook is de- subsection Polyactium (G.L. Maggs, P. Vorster, clared complete? J.J.A. van der Walt and M. Gibby) Pages 115–143. ◗ Lobostemon daltonii (Boraginaceae): a new Jongkind, C.C.H. 1999. Flore du Gabon 35: species from the Western Cape, South Africa Combretaceae. Museum nationale d’Histoire (Matt H. Buys and J.J.A. van der Walt). Pages Naturelle, Paris. ISBN 2-85654-204-2. Price FF 300.00. 144–148. There are several species of the family treated here ◗ Leaf anatomy of the southern African that are known from southern African cultivation, Icacinaceae and its taxonomic significance and I suspect that particularly our Angolan col- (M.J. Potgieter & A.E. van Wyk). Pages 153–162. leagues will find this volume essential reading. ◗ A convenient thin layer chromatographic The line drawings are some of the best I have technique for chemotaxonomic application in seen, combining aesthetic satisfaction with scien- Maytenus (Celastraceae) (C.B. Rogers, A.T.D. tific accuracy. Abbott & A.E. van Wyk). Pages 174–176. ◗ Systematic studies in subfamily Celastroideae Some of these books were still being catalogued (Celastraceae) in southern Africa: reinstate- when this column closed. It is quite possible that ment of the genus Gymnosporia (Marie Jordaan some may be more fully reviewed in a later issue and A.E. van Wyk). Pages 177–181. of SABONET News. SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 141 Aloe 36(1)(1999), Journal of the Succulent Soci- Mpumalanga (Eastern Transvaal), South ety of South Africa. Africa (R.O. Moffett). Pages 37–42. Rhus ◗ A species recovery contribution for Haworthia pygmaea, a serpentine endemic, is described by limifolia var. limifolia, the umathithibala of the Rodney Moffett. R. pygmaea, a dwarf evergreen Zulu (Neil R. Crouch, Gideon F. Smith, Geoff shrublet between 10 and 20 cm high, is restricted Nichols, Jenny A. Burden & J. Mark Gillmer). to serpentine west and north-west of Barbeton, Pages 8–13. Mpumalanga, where it occurs in grassveld. ◗ Notes on Bulbine mesembryanthoides Haw. (Graham Williamson). Pages 14–15. American Journal of Botany 86(6) 1999 ◗ A new species of Khadia N.E. Br. ◗ Molecular phylogenetics of Diseae (Mesembryanthemaceae) from the Northern (Orchidaceae): a contribution from nuclear Province of South Africa (P.J.D. Winter & N. ribosomal ITS sequences (E.J.P. Douzery, A.M. Hahn). Pages 16–19. Pridgeon, P. Kores, H.P. Linder, H. Kurzweil & ◗ Ceraria namaquensis (Sond.) H.Pearson & M.W. Chase). Pages 887–899. The first molecular Stephens (R. Frandsen). Page 20. phylogeny of the tribe Diseae (Orchidoideae: ◗ The status of Brachystelma campanulatum Orchidaceae) is presented. N.E.Br. in the Eastern Cape, South Africa (Tony Dold and Dez Weeks). Page 21. Novon 9(2)1999 ◗ Pachypodium lealii Welw., the Bottle Tree ◗ Senecio aetfatensis (Asteraceae: Senecioneae), (François Steffens). Page 22. a new species from Zimbabwe (B. Nordenstam). Pages 245–247. A new species, Senecio PLANT TALK Issue 17 (April 1999) contains the aetfatensis, is described from the Chimanimani following articles which may be of interest to our Mountains of eastern Zimbabwe. The plant was readers: found during the AETFAT post-congress excursion ◗ South Africa’s “Flower Valley” SAVED to the mountains of eastern Zimbabwe in February (Anonymous). Page 17. 1997. ◗ Rare plants in the Netherlands: the problems of small populations (Gerard Oostermeijer). Cimbebasia 15 1999 Pages 26–28. ◗ Folk and formal, local and national—Damara ◗ Drawing plants: ten pointers to botanical knowledge and community conservation in illustration (Rosemary Wise). Pages 29–32. southern Kunene, Namibia (S. Sullivan). Pages 1–28. This paper explores aspects of culturally- PLANT TALK Issue 18 (July 1999) contains the mediated knowledge and uses of natural resources following article which will certainly be of interest among contemporary Damara farmers in southern to our Malawian readers and those who have had Kunene Region, and considers the potential the privilege of experiencing the granitic massif of relevance of these for current ‘community’ Mount Mulanje in south eastern Malawi: approaches to conservation. ◗ Malawi’s Mulanje Mountain (Russ Clare). ◗ Flora of the Cuvelai wetlands, northern Pages 19–22. Namibia (N.V. Clarke). Pages 99–115.

Bulletin of the Grassland Society of Southern British Cactus and Succulent Journal 17(2) 1999 Africa 9(1) 1999 ◗ A visit to the Patatsrivier area of the Ceres ◗ Convention on Biological Diversity: Its impli- Karoo (P. Fourie). Pages 66–67. cations for the conservation, collection and supply of plant genetic resources (M.M. Journal of Biogeography 26 March 1999 Wolfson). Pages 26–29. ◗ A vegetation map of Central Africa derived from satellite imagery (P. Mayaux, T. Richards & Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 130(1) 1999 E. Janodet). Pages 353–366. ◗ A new species of Rhus (Anacardiaceae), ◗ Fossil wood charcoal assemblages from endemic to serpentine near Barberton, Elands Bay Cave, South Africa: implications 142 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 for Late Quarternary vegetation and climates van der Maesen). Pages 35–58. Faucaria is a in the winter-rainfall fynbos biome (R.M. small genus of succulents, concentrated in south- Cowling, C.R. Cartwright, J.E. Parkington & J.C. central Eastern Cape, South Africa. The revision Allsopp). Pages 367–378. reduces the number of species from 33 to six. ◗ New species of Sparaxis and Ixia (Iridaceae: Journal of Bryology 21(2) 1999 Ixioideae) from Western Cape, South Africa, ◗ Bryophytes collected in Lesotho, the Natal and taxonomic notes on Ixia and Gladiolus Drakensberg and the Orange Free State, south- (P. Goldblatt & J.C. Manning). Pages 59–63. ern Africa (N.G. Hodgetts, H.W. Matcham & J.G. ◗ The genus Amphiglossa (Gnaphalieae, Duckett). Pages 133–155. This paper lists the Relhaniinae, Asteraceae) in southern Africa bryophytes collected during a month-long expedi- (M. Koekemoer). Pages 65–75. Relevant to South tion (January–February 1995) to Lesotho and the Africa and Namibia. Includes the conservation Natal Drakensberg. Of the species recorded, 12 status of the individual species, with Amphiglossa (2 hepatics, 10 mosses) are new to Africa, with corrudifolia, A. callunoides and A. celans each one (moss) new to sub-Saharan Africa, 21 considered rare. A. perotrichoides is listed as (12 hepatics, 9 mosses) new to southern Africa, probably endangered, as it grows together with the 84 (43 hepatics, 41 mosses) new to Lesotho, threatened Renosterveld. 2 (mosses) new to South Africa and 3 (1 hepatic, ◗ Studies in the liverwort genus Fossombronia 2 mosses) new to Natal but recorded previously (Metzgeriales) from southern Africa. 9. A new elsewhere in South Africa. species from Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, with notes on other species (S.M. Perold). Pages Kew Bulletin 54(1) 1999 77–82. ◗ A morphometric study of Dioscorea ◗ Studies in the liverwort genus Fossombronia quartiniana A. Rich. (Dioscoreaceae) (P. Wilkin). (Metzgeriales) from southern Africa. 10. Three Pages 1–18. new species from Northern and Western Cape ◗ A revision of the compound-leaved Yams (S.M. Perold). Pages 83–93. (Dioscorea, Dioscoreaceae) of Africa (P. Wilkin). ◗ Notes on African plants: Ericaceae. Two new Pages 19–39. species of Erica from Western Cape, South ◗ The genus Tarchonanthus (Compositae– Africa (E.G.H. Oliver & I.M. Oliver). Pages 95– Mutisieae) (H.J. Beentje). Pages 81–95. 98. Erica hansfordii and Erica feminarum are ◗ Three new species of Brachystegia Benth. described. The specific epithet of Erica feminarum (Leguminosae–Caesalpinioideae) (A.C. Hoyle & (= of women) was, according to the authors, R.K. Brummitt). Pages 155–161. The three new chosen because the species was first collected by a Brachystegia species are Brachystegia astlei, B. woman, Elsie Esterhuysen, 50 years ago and found michelmorei and B. torrei. again by the authors on National Women’s Day, 1997! Bothalia 29(1) May 1999 ◗ Notes on African plants: Solanaceae. Three ◗ Studies in the liverwort genus Fossombronia new records of Solanum section Oliganthes in (Metzgeriales) from southern Africa. 7. F. southern Africa (W.G. Welman). Pages 98–99. capensis var. spiralis, a new variety from West- Distribution records are provided for three Sola- ern Cape (S.M. Perold). Pages 1–4. num species previously not recorded for the ◗ Revision of the genus Calpurnia (Sophoreae: region: Solanum litoraneum, S. torreanum and Leguminosae) (A.J. Beaumont, R.P. Beckett, T.J. S. usaramense. Relevant to Mozambique, Edwards & C.H. Stirton). Pages 5–23. Swaziland and South Africa. ◗ Studies in the liverwort genus Fossombronia ◗ Notes on African plants: Agavaceae. Agave (Metzgeriales) from southern Africa. 8. F. vivipara: the correct name for Agave elsieae and F. spinosa, two new Western Cape angustifolia (G.F. Smith & E.M.A. Steyn). Page 100. species with spinose spores (S.M. Perold). Pages 25–33. ◗ Notes on African plants: Lamiaceae. Salvia ◗ Revision of the genus Faucaria (Ruschioideae: thermara, a new species from the Western Aizoaceae) in South Africa (L.E. Groen & L.J.G. Cape, South Africa (E.J. van Jaarsveld). Pages SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 143 100–102. The specific epithet thermara pertains to Mary Pocock probably collected over 30 000 the Goudini warm springs where the plant was specimens in total. collected. ◗ Notes on African plants: Polypodiaceae. Systematics and Geography of Plants Polypodium ensiforme, the correct name for The proceedings of the 13th Symposium on Mor- Microsorum ensiforme (Polypodioideae) phology, Anatomy and (J.P. Roux). Pages 103–107. Systematics have now ◗ Notes on African plants: Rubiaceae. A new been published as a species of Pavetta from the Soutpansberg, South special issue of System- Africa (N. Hahn). Pages 107–109. Pavetta atics and Geography of tshikondeni is described for the first time. Accord- Plants, an international ing to the author, P. tshikondeni is one of at least journal edited by the 36 plant species endemic to the Soutpansberg National Botanic Gar- range (including the Blouberg). A key to all den of Belgium. System- known Pavetta species in the Soutpansberg and its atics and Geography of surroundings is included. Plants is the continua- ◗ Notes on African plants: Ophioglossaceae: tion of Bulletin du Pteridophyta. Two new taxa of Ophioglossum Jardin Botanique from tropical Africa (J.E. Burrows). Pages 109–112. National de Belgique/Bulletin van de National ◗ Notes on African plants: Ericaceae. Three Plantentuin van België. new species of Erica from Western Cape, South Africa (E.G.H. Oliver & I.M. Oliver). Pages 112–117. Clare Archer has reviewed the following books: Erica cubitans, E. garciae and E. sperata are described for the first time. Cyperaceae of Namibia: an illustrated key. ◗ Montane flora of the southern Langeberg, Clarke, N. & Mannheimer, C. 1999. Occasional South Africa: a checklist of the flowering plants Contributions No. 1. National Botanical Re- and ferns (D.J. McDonald). Pages 119–137. The search Institute, flora of the southern Langeberg includes 1 228 Windhoek, Namibia. species and intraspecific taxa recorded in 361 ISBN 0-86976-485-3. genera and 105 families. 96 pp. Soft cover, ◗ Flora of the Kap River Reserve, Eastern spiral bound. Price: Cape, South Africa (E.C. Cloete & R.A. Lubke). R80-00. Pages 139–149. ◗ Vegetation of the Sileza Nature Reserve and Since Podlech’s 1967 neighbouring areas, South Africa, and its treatment of importance in conserving the woody grasslands Cyperaceae in of the Maputaland Centre of Endemism Prodromus einer Flora (W.S. Matthews, A.E. van Wyk & N. van Rooyen). von Südwestafrika 165, Pages 151–167. the family has under- ◗ Itinerary and specimen list of M.A. Pocock’s gone many taxonomic and nomenclatural changes. botanical collecting expedition in Zambia and Also with increased exploration by the National Angola in 1925 (M.G. Balarin, E. Brink & H. Botanical Research Institute, many new records Glen). Pages 169–201. A MUST for all botanists have been discovered. Hence the urgent need for working in Angola and Zambia! This fascinating this book. article describes Mary Pocock’s (or Mamie, as she was affectionately known to her colleagues) six- The 168 taxa of Cyperaceae in Namibia are keyed month expedition with Dorothea Bleek across out to genus and species and are illustrated to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and Angola to varying degrees. Their geographical distributions Benguela and finally to Lobito Bay between April are plotted on individual maps (pp. 66–88). Not and October 1925. During the 90 years of her life, only Cyperaceae are treated: there is also a key to 144 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 the families of Cyperaceae-like plants (Juncaceae, cultivars are excluded. Eriocaulaceae—here spelled Eriocaulonaceae— A big plus is that the and Poaceae) plus keys to and illustrations of the catalogue is very easy Namibian species of Juncus and Eriocaulon. to use, with large font size and double- The authors are to be congratulated on tackling columned text contrib- such a daunting task. As noted in the introduction, uting to legibility, this is only the first step towards a well-researched while abbreviations Flora. Much more taxonomic and nomenclatural used are obvious ones research—especially tracking down of type speci- and do not require mens—has to be done before that goal is achieved. paging back to the Although the present publication is designed for beginning for explana- use in the field and by non-specialists, with simpli- tions. It is easy to find fied terminology, it should encourage people to the entry for a particular taxon as the genus, collect and identify material and to build up the species and infraspecific names are in bold, with specimen base in WIND. the genus name, where it first occurs, in bold capitals. Individual entries comprise the currently On paging through the book I came across a few accepted name of the taxon (including author glitches and inconsistencies which are perhaps names) on the first line. The following line lists forgivable as it was produced in a fairly short time. synonyms, if any, in italics, then on the next line For example, Dinter 7599 is listed as Cyperus multilingual common names are listed, with the foliaceus, a tropical species. In Podlech Dinter preferred one underlined. The next line details the 7599 is cited as C. tenuispica and the duplicate in economic importance of the plant, with the final PRE is definitely that species. To sort this out line briefly listing world-wide distribution. sheets at M, PRE and WIND would need to be compared. And that is only one of the 168 listed The second part is a comprehensive Index of species! There is a strange and incorrect reference Common Names (pp. 537–749) relating to the to Rendle (Bibliography p. 90). It is a pity that the entries in the Catalogue. list of species (Appendix 1, pp. 91–96) is based on the published version of PRECIS, which is se- The authors, Drs Wiersema and León, are plant verely outdated, while an electronic version is taxonomists employed by the Agricultural Re- available which is continuously updated. Unfortu- search Service of the United States Department of nately the genus Monandrus Vorster—still unpub- Agriculture (USDA-ARS). Their compilation is lished from Vorster’s 1978 D.Sc. thesis—has been based on many critically evaluated sources, which included here. These problems aside, it is a useful are freely acknowledged. The book had its begin- book to have and I look forward to trying the keys nings in “A checklist of names for 3 000 vascular on Namibian material. plants of economic importance”, first published 1977 by Dr. E.A. Terrell, to whom the present World Economic Plants: a standard reference. volume is dedicated. Many other publications Wiersema, J.H. & León, B. 1999. CRC Press, were consulted, as well as plant specialists world- Boca Raton, Florida. ISBN 0-8493-2119-0. 749 pp. wide. Various criteria used for inclusion are Hard cover. 286 x 220 mm. Price US$125-00. explained in the Introduction, but for me the most noteworthy factor is the global nature of the data. This authoritative work includes nearly 10 000 The information published here is an extract of a entries on vascular plant taxa which are considered much larger database accessible on the World to be of economic importance. The first and major Wide Web at http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/tax/ part of the book (pp. 1–536) is a Catalogue of taxecon.html. (For more information on the web these plants, listed alphabetically by genus, spe- site, see From the Web in this issue.) cies, and, where applicable, infraspecific name;

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 145 Finally, you may ask, what exactly constitutes an Lachenalia, “economic plant”? As the authors explain in their Dacryodes buettneri Introduction, these are “plants or plant products (a rain-forest tree that are traded, regulated, or are otherwise directly from Gabon), or indirectly important to international com- Myrothamnus merce”. Thus plant taxa providing crops, fodder, flabellifolia (also honey, fuel, timber or other raw materials, and known as the resur- medicine are included, as well as poisonous plants, rection plant), and weeds, potential new genetic resources and orna- Disa nubigena (a new mental plants. In the latter category CITES list- species from Devil’s ings, if applicable, are noted. Significantly, envi- Peak at the southern ronmentally important plants, for example those tip of Africa). Artists providing erosion control, are noted. Here I could whose work is fea- suggest another category, namely those plants tured are Gillian Condy, Fay Anderson, Claire which help to improve water quality. That would Linder-Smith and Kate Abernethy. take care of the rest of Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and Soft cover, 121 pages; ISSN 0015-4504; ISBN 1- many other marsh plants which are not already 919795-33-2 listed as weeds or ornamentals! ❑ Price: SADC countries R120,00; other countries US$40,00 References FLORA OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, Pritzel, G.A. 1872–1882. Thesaurus literaturae VOLUME 7, PART 2, FASCICLE 1 botanicae. Nicolai, Berlin (and 3 facsimile re- Taxonomic treatment with keys and descriptions prints: see TL-2 for details). of the following genera of the Iridaceae (subfamily Ixioideae, tribe Ixieae, subtribes Ixiinae and Hugh Glen, Christopher Willis & Clare Archer Tritoniinae): Ixia, Dierama (list of species only), National Herbarium Tritonia, Crocosmia, Duthiastrum, Chasmanthe, National Botanical Institute Devia and Sparaxis by Miriam P. de Vos & Peter Private Bag X101 Goldblatt. Pretoria 0001 Soft cover, 179 pages with 42 line drawings and SOUTH AFRICA 82 distribution maps. ISBN 1-919795-42-1 Tel.: (27) 12 804 3200 Price below includes a FREE COPY of Flora of Fax: (27) 12 804 3211 southern Africa Vol. 7, Part 2, Fascicle 2 E-mail: (Syringodea, Romulea) published in 1983. [email protected] (Hugh) Price: SADC countries R135,00; other countries [email protected] (Christopher) US$32,00 [email protected] (Clare) Postage & packaging: RSA and SADC countries R15,00 on first book (including free Flora copy), New releases R5,00 on every subsequent book (including free Flora copy); other countries US$6,00 on first book by the (including free Flora copy), US$2,00 on every National Botanical Institute subsequent book (including free Flora copy). Available from: NBI Bookshop, Private Bag FLOWERING PLANTS OF AFRICA, X101, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa VOLUME 56 Tel.: (27) 12 804-3200 With 20 colour plates, accompanying texts and Fax: (27) 12 804-3211 distribution maps of among others: Greyia E-mail: [email protected] ❑ flannaganii, Rhipsalis baccifera, three species of

146 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 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. SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 147 Introduction Accommodation available to visitors within the Situated in Lesotho’s south-eastern corner, within park includes a lodge (which can accommodate 12 Qacha’s Nek District, the 6 500 ha Sehlabathebe guests) and a comfortable hostel. Other structures National Park (SNP) is currently the only national include a Research Centre (housing the SNP park in this Mountain Kingdom. Landlocked and Herbarium) as well as the Park Headquarters and entirely surrounded by South Africa, the Kingdom staff housing. Reservations for the lodge are of Lesotho is one of the smallest and most el- handled through the Ministry of Agriculture’s evated countries in Africa. With an area of 30 355 Conservation Division in Maseru. km2, Lesotho is a country of rugged relief, bracing climate, heavy annual rainfall (averaging Almost all of the park is on Cave Sandstone rock 1 900 mm) and winter snow. Most of Lesotho is formation (Jacot Guillarmod, Getliffe & Mzamane grass-covered, yet the thin soils are highly erod- 1973) and the altitude at which the park occurs is ible. The SNP is located between latitude 29o52' the highest known at which Cave Sandstone and 29o58'S and longitude 29o03' and 29o08'E at occurs in southern Africa. Where the Cave Sand- altitudes which range between 2 200 m and stone protrudes it has been “carved by erosion into 2 600 m above sea level (a.s.l.) (Greyling & strange shapes and many caves and arches as well Huntley 1984). Whilst most of the park lies as providing many deep pools and a number of between 2 300 and 2 450 m a.s.l., mountains just shallower, less permanent ones” (Jacot Guillarmod outside the northern border soar to 2 900 m. et al. 1973). These sandstone outcrops are usually rich bryophyte habitats (Hodgetts, Matcham & The park was established in 1970 (Lesotho Gov- Duckett 1999). A number of volcanic dykes ernment Gazette Notice 34 of 1970) as Lesotho’s intrude into the sandstone, “criss-crossing the area first (and so far only) national park. Ancient in straight, Roman-road fashion” (Jacot legends attempt to explain the origin of the name, Guillarmod et al. 1973). The soil mixture is partly Sehlabathebe. The most popular tales relate the sedimentary from the sandstone and partly lithosol saga of a great battle which took place on the high from the volcanic rocks. plateau where a victorious tribe pierced the shield of the enemy, thus the name “plateau of the shields”. SNP receives ca 1 300 mm rainfall per annum, and the annual average temperature ranges from a As the brochure to the SNP indicates, “travel to minimum of 9oC to a maximum of 16oC (Greyling the park is an adventure in itself”. The five main & Huntley 1984). The area, which is classified as access routes to the park are as follows: having a temperate climate, receives ca 80% of its • From Matatiele (South Africa) via rainfall in summer (October to February), as well Ramatseliso’s Gate (probably the quickest route as snowfalls, some rain and frosts in winter (Jacot when travelling from South Africa) Guillarmod & Marais 1972; Greyling & Huntley • From Maseru via Thaba Tseka over Matebeng 1984). The whole area is in a mistbelt, being part Pass on the Senqu River of the Drakensberg escarpment. The main drainage • From Maseru via the southern route through system flowing through the park is the Tsoelikana Quthing and Qacha’s Nek River, a tributary of the Senqu (Orange) River. It is • On foot or horseback from the Bushmen’s Nek in this river that the endangered Drakensberg or border post in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Maluti Minnow, Oreodaimon quathlambae, an (this is a 10 km trip up a steep and winding indigenous fish species, has been recorded bridle path) (Skelton 1987). • By aircraft to the Ha Paulus airstrip (see Zonneveld 1998). Phytogeography Whether travelling from Maseru or Matatiele, a The immense floristic diversity of the subconti- four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended. nent is not evenly distributed across the entire

148 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 region: high species concentrations are indeed of Sehlabathebe”. It was first discovered in the often restricted to specific locations. Most of these tarns of SNP. Subsequently, specimens were noted areas are rich in endemics—plants that are con- in tarns and pools along the Drakensberg escarp- fined to specific areas. The Drakensberg Mountain ment, but all at approximately the same altitude of range in Lesotho and southeastern South Africa is 2 600 m. Its distributional range is restricted, one such area. The vegetation of the area has been however, to less than 10 km (Jacot Guillarmod classified differently by various scientists over the 1977, 1978). It has been listed as rare mainly years: because the habitat is so readily disturbed— • Eastern Mountain Region (Phillips 1917) erosion causes silting of the water which cuts out • Austro-afroalpine Region (Van Zinderen- the light necessary for photosynthesis and subse- Bakker & Werger 1974) quent growth of the plant (Jacot Guillarmod et al. • Austral Domain of the Afroalpine Region 1973). Within SNP, A. ranunculiflorus is found (Werger 1976, pers.comm. in Killick 1994) solely in the tarns in the eastern and southern parts • Afro-alpine Region (Killick 1978) of the park. The flower head is borne at the top of • Altimontane vegetation (White 1983) a long, slender peduncle, and the open inflores- • South-eastern Mountain Regional Mosaic cence resembles a white buttercup floating on the (Hilliard & Burtt 1987) water—hence the specific epithet ranunculiflorus. • Drakensberg Alpine Region (CPD Site Af82) The leaves seldom reach 10 cm in length and are (Killick 1994) always under water: the clear pools, however, • Alti/Afro Mountain Grassland (Low & Rebelo allow enough light to penetrate to allow photosyn- 1996) thesis to take place (Jacot Guillarmod 1977). It grows readily in cultivation (Jacot Guillarmod Vegetation 1978). Broadly classified within the over-exploited grassland biome (Rutherford & Westfall 1986), the Herbarium area was classified as Themeda-Festuca Alpine The 1970s was a decade of much activity in SNP, Veld (veld type 58) by Acocks (1975). The area due largely to the efforts of Amy Jacot Guillarmod consists essentially of species-rich subalpine and three US Peace Corps volunteers whose names (1800–2800 m) grasslands dominated by Themeda are intimately associated with the plants of SNP— triandra, but with a wide variety of other Alan C. Beverly, Fred K. Hoener and M.K. monocotyledons and dicotyledons. There are also Rutledge. Alan Beverly was the Associate Bota- “patches of wet meadow and marshland at all nist in SNP from December 1975 to July 1977, altitudes and small areas of dwarf shrub heaths on whilst Fred Hoener was the Botanist from Febru- steep and rocky ground” (Greyling & Huntley 1984). ary 1976 to September 1979 (Gunn & Codd 1981). Fred Hoener was responsible for compiling a According to Schwabe (1990), there are three checklist of the flora in SNP during 1979. types of wetlands found within the SNPCtarns, riparian marshes and inland freshwater marshes. Whilst working in SNP, the US Peace Corps All are effective sediment traps and stabilisers of volunteers established an herbarium (Sehlabathebe stream flow because of their capacity to store National Park Herbarium) which is housed in the sediments and water. Tarns are depressions in the Research Centre, close to the park’s main gate (see sandstone that are filled with water and have very also Smith & Willis 1999a,b). This is probably the little emergent vegetation associated with them. It only A-framed building housing an herbarium in is in these tarns that the rare Aponogeton southern Africa. During their time in SNP, Hoener, ranunculiflorus, described in 1972, may be found Beverly and Rutledge managed to mount and (Jacot Guillarmod & Marais 1972; Jacot deposit in the herbarium ca 950 specimens, repre- Guillarmod et al. 1973; Jacot Guillarmod 1977, senting 238 genera and 469 species. The identifi- 1978). The species flowers in January and has cation of most of the specimens were confirmed or been described by Zonneveld (1998) as the “jewel determined by staff of the National Herbarium

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 149 (PRE), then part of the Botanical Research Insti- the computerisation of the ca 1 000 herbarium tute of South Africa. Duplicates were deposited in specimens currently housed within the her- the National University of Lesotho Herbarium barium—probably using the National Botanical (ROML) in Roma and the Agricultural Research Institute’s PRECIS Specimen Database. This Division’s Herbarium (MASE) in Maseru. In database has been adopted by botanical staff in the addition to the mounted specimens, about 300 National University of Lesotho’s Biology Depart- specimens were left unmounted. ment to computerise the Roma Herbarium (ROML). 6 000 of the 15 000 specimens (40%) After the US Peace Corps volunteers left SNP in housed in ROML have so far been computerised. 1979, the plant collecting stopped and the herbarium was left largely untouched and literally Management until 1997. Five members (four from the National A Management Plan for the SNP has been devel- University of Lesotho in Roma) of the oped recently. The management aims for the park SABONET-Lesotho National Working Group include visited SNP and the herbarium from 10–12 Octo- • Conservation of representative ecosystems, ber 1997 to assess its status and make recommen- their natural communities and component dations about its future (Mafa 1997). The team species, of the south-eastern portion of the found that the herbarium contained a representa- Alpine Zone of Lesotho tive collection of specimens from the park and the • Conservation of present levels of genetic specimens were still in good condition. Despite diversity the lack of attention for twenty years, the speci- • Provision of opportunities for environmental mens did not show any signs of fungal or insect and other research, and monitoring programmes infestation. The team also recommended that an • Contributions to international, national and inventory of the specimens within the herbarium regional programmes for nature and environ- be prepared and computerised, as this would serve mental conservation, education and interpreta- as a useful guide when expanding the collection. tion, leisure activities and opportunities On 31 March 1999 Gideon Smith and Christopher Willis surveyed the SNP Herbarium, in consulta- The present and future management programme tion with Lerato Kose, in order that it might be for the vegetation within the park includes included in the updated and expanded version of • Vegetation monitoring Index herbariorum: southern African supplement • Conducting baseline and repeated surveys of (Smith & Willis 1997), expected to be published the main plant communities in the park as a number in the SABONET Report Series during • Developing a fire management plan for the park the second half of 1999. • Controlling alien and indigenous problem species The herbarium currently serves as a reference • Re-establishing indigenous plants where they collection of the Maluti and Drakensberg floras, have been exterminated but, considering the fact that ca 1 750 vascular • Ensuring the conservation of priority species plant species have so far been recorded in the (such as Aponogeton ranunculiflorus) Natal Drakensberg (Killick 1994), certainly needs • Allowing for the controlled consumptive to be expanded. Staff in the Ministry of Agricul- utilisation of vegetation in designated areas ture’s Conservation Division, with the assistance within the park from SABONET-Lesotho and its National Work- ing Group members, plan to develop and publicise With regard to fire management in SNP, Morris the herbarium which was largely unknown within (1990) recommended a biennial burn during the Lesotho and the rest of the southern African winter period (i.e. after the first frosts and before region for many years. SABONET support for the the onset of growth in spring), with blocks being herbarium might include the provision of basic burnt in successive burning periods (May–June, herbarium materials, such as herbarium cabinets July, August–September) every second year. and mounting materials. Support might extend to Morris (1990) also noted, however, that no data O Continued on page 152 150 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 ▲ Tarns like this in Sehlabathebe National Park are home to some fascinating aquatic plants, including the rare Aponogeton ranunculiflorus (Aponogetonaceae). ▲ An archway which has been formed naturally within Most of the plants seen floating on the water in this the Cave Sandstone outcrops in Sehlabathebe National tarn are Limosella cf. inflata (Scrophulariaceae). Park, Lesotho.

▲ The rolling afroalpine grasslands and sheets of ▲ View of the lodge in the grasslands of Sehlabathebe exposed sandstone in Sehlabathebe National Park, National Park, Lesotho. Lesotho.

▲ The A-framed Research Centre housing the her- ▲ A close-up view of Limosella cf. inflata showing its barium in Sehlabathebe National Park, Lesotho. flowers and floating leaves in one of the tarns occurring in the sandstone outcrops of Sehlabathebe National Park, Lesotho. SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 151 ▲ Continued from page 150 were available concerning the growing season of The programme is a joint venture between Lesotho the temperate and subtropical grass species in SNP and South Africa. Lesotho National Parks is and elsewhere in Lesotho, and that “caution represented on the programme’s Steering Commit- should be exercised when burning these tee by Ms Nkareng ‘Mota, the Chief Conservation grasslands”. This programme would, however, Officer of the Conservation Division. The commit- have to be monitored, evaluated and perhaps tee’s role is to ensure the planning and develop- adapted, depending on the effects of the proposed ment of the program, which started in 1999. fire regime on the composition of the grasslands in SNP. Acknowledgements We thank René Glen (PRE) for assistance in Current and proposed developments providing information on Aponogeton The following developments are planned for SNP: ranunculiflorus, and Shirley Smithies (PRE) for • Establishing a Research and Information Centre useful discussions concerning the taxonomy of • Expanding the herbarium to house more speci- Limosella. ❑ mens • Developing hiking trails to places of interest, References and Further Reading for example, the waterfall, rock pools with Acocks, J.P.H. 1975. Veld Types of South Africa (2nd Aponogeton ranunculiflorus Edition). Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South • Extending the lodge to accommodate more Africa No. 40. 128 pp. guests Anonymous. 1994. Is the spiral aloe heading for • Reintroducing flora and fauna species extinction? Mehloli 6: 28. Anonymous. 1999. Endangered African Aloe thrives in • Upgrading the access route to the Park California. Plant Talk 16: 18. • Erecting a perimeter fence Beverly, A. 1978. A survey of Aloe polyphylla. Veld & • Expanding the National Parks Section to a Flora 64(1): 24–27. Division for more effective management of Beverly, A.C. 1979. My quest for Aloe polyphylla. SNP Cactus & Succulent Journal (U.S.) 51(1): 3–8. • Staff training (short term) Beverly, A.C. 1980. The ecologic status and environ- • Developing camping sites ment of Aloe polyphylla in Lesotho. Cactus & Succulent Journal (U.S.) 52(5): 216–219. Links with KwaZulu-Natal Nature Con- Breen, C.M. & Begg, G.W. 1989. Conservation status servation Service of southern African wetlands. In: Biotic Diversity in Southern Africa: Concepts and Conservation, ed. Lesotho National Parks, the body managing SNP, B.J. Huntley. Oxford University Press, Cape Town, initiated links with the Natal Parks Board (now pp. 254–263. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service) Burrows, J.E. 1990. Southern African Ferns and Fern when the park was established in 1970. The Allies. Frandsen Publishers, Sandton. 359 pp. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service has Greyling, T. & Huntley, B.J. (Eds) 1984. Directory of provided technical advice on managing and devel- southern African Conservation Areas. South African oping SNP, for example, assisting in the compila- National Scientific Programmes Report No. 98. 311 pp. tion of the Sehlabathebe Management Plan. The Gunn, M. & Codd, L.E. 1981. Botanical Exploration Service also helped with training SNP staff in fire of southern Africa. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town. 400 pp. management. Hall, A.V., De Winter, M., De Winter, B. & Van Oosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened Plants of southern Africa. South African National Scientific Maluti/Drakensberg Transfrontier Con- Programmes Report No. 45. 244 pp. servation Area Hardy, D.S. 1968. The spiral aloe from the Maluti The Maluti/Drakensberg Transfrontier Conserva- Mountains. Cactus and Succulent Journal (U.S.) tion Area covers the Drakenberg area, Qacha’s 40(2): 49–51. Nek and Mokhotlong Districts, including SNP. Hatch, G.P. & Zacharias, P.J.K. (Eds) 1995. Second Under the Maluti/Drakensberg Transfrontier Developing Areas Symposium Proceedings: People, programme, the area is meant to be developed and Rangelands and Development. Grassland Society of managed for the conservation of its biodiversity. Southern Africa, Pietermaritzburg. 43 pp. O Continued on page 154 152 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Kniphofia in Sehlabathebe. SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 153 ▲ Continued from page 152 Herbst, S.N. & Roberts, B.R. 1974. The alpine Jain, S.K. & Sastry, A.R.K. 1984. Safeguarding plant vegetation of the Lesotho Drakensberg: a study in diversity in threatened natural habitats. In: Conserva- quantitative floristics at Oxbow. Journal of South tion of threatened natural habitats, ed. A.V. Hall. African Botany 40(4): 257–267. South African National Scientific Programmes Hilliard, O.M. 1977. Compositae in Natal. University Report No. 92, pp. 155–164. of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg. 659 pp. Kali, M. & Hargreaves, B.J. 1985. A Check-list of Hilliard, O.M. 1990. Flowers of the Natal Plants in Lesotho Herbaria. National University of Drakensberg. University of Natal Press, Lesotho, Roma. 149 pp. Pietermaritzburg. 85 pp. Killick, D.J.B. 1963. An account of the vegetation of Hilliard, O.M. & Burtt, B.L. 1987. The Botany of the the Cathedral Peak area of the Natal Drakensberg. southern Natal Drakensberg. Annals of the Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens 15: 1–253. 34. 178 pp. Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red Data List of southern Killick, D.J.B. 1978. The Afro-alpine Region. In: African Plants. Strelitzia 4. 117 pp. Werger, M.J.A. (ed.). Biogeography and Ecology of Hodgetts, N.G., Matcham, H.W. & Duckett, J.G. southern Africa. Volume 1. Dr W. Junk bv Publishers, 1999. Bryophytes collected in Lesotho, the Natal The Hague, pp. 515–560. Drakensberg and the Orange Free State, southern Killick, D.J.B. 1978. Notes on the vegetation of the Africa. Journal of Bryology 21(2): 133–155. Sani Pass area of the southern Drakensberg. Bothalia Horwood, F.K. 1966. Aloe polyphylla cultivation in 12(3): 537–542. England. National Cactus & Succulent Journal 21(2): 58. Killick, D.J.B. 1978. Further data on the climate of the Interpretive division of Sehlabathebe National Park. alpine vegetation belt of eastern Lesotho. Bothalia 1980. Wildflowers of Sehlabathebe National Park. 12(3): 567–572. Lesotho National Parks, Maseru. 36 pp. Killick, D. 1990. A Field Guide to the Flora of the Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1962. The bogs and sponges of Natal Drakensberg. Jonathan Ball and Ad. Donker the Basutoland mountains. South African Journal of Publishers, Johannesburg. 200 pp. Science 58: 179–82. Killick, D.J.B. 1994. Drakensberg Alpine Region. In: Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1963. Further observations on Centres of Plant Diversity. A guide and strategy for the bogs of the Basutoland mountains. South African their conservation. Volume 1, WWF and IUCN. Journal of Science 59: 115–118. IUCN Publications Unit, Cambridge, U.K., pp. 257–260. Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1964. Interesting and rare Kofler, L. 1965. Biology and cultivation of Aloe plants in Basutoland. African Wildlife 18: 283–291. polyphylla, the spiral aloe. Journal of the Royal Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1968. Lesotho. Acta Horticultural Society 90(6): 250–256. Phytogeographica Suecica 54: 253–256. Kofler, L. 1966. The biology and cultivation of Aloe Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1970. Notes on Aloe polyphylla, the spiral aloe. National Cactus & polyphylla. Basutoland Notes and Records 8: 30–36. Succulent Journal 21(1): 16–19. Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1971. Flora of Lesotho. Verlag Low, A.B. & Rebelo, A.G. (Eds) 1996. Vegetation of von J. Cramer, Lehre. 474 pp. South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland: A Companion Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1975. Point of no return? to the Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and African Wildlife 29(4): 28–31. Swaziland. Department of Environmental Affairs and Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1977. Rhodohypoxis again! (and Tourism, Pretoria. 85 pp. notes on Aponogeton ranunculiflorus). Veld & Flora Mafa, P. 1997. News from Lesotho: SABONET- 63(3): 21–23. Lesotho members visit Sehlabathebe National Park Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1978. Notes on distribution and Herbarium. SABONET News 2(3): 122–123. biology of Aponogeton ranunculiflorus. Kew Bulletin Meakins, R.H. & Duckett, J.D. 1993. Vanishing bogs 32(4): 781–83. of the mountain kingdom. Veld & Flora 79(2): 49–51. Jacot Guillarmod, A. 1981. A medicine chest from the Moffett, R. 1997. Grasses of the eastern Free State: veldCBasotho materia medica. Veld & Flora 67(4): their description and uses. UNIQWA, 113–115. Phuthaditjhaba. 288 pp. Jacot Guillarmod, A. & Marais, W. 1972. A new Mokuku, C. 1991. Classification of the alpine plant species of Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae). Kew communities of Mafika-Lisiu. Unpublished MSc Bulletin 27(3): 563–65. thesis, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe. Jacot Guillarmod, A., Getliffe, F. & Mzamane, M. 74 pp. 1973. On our borders. Eastern Cape Naturalist Morris, C. 1990. Reconnaissance survey of the 48: 9–12. terrestrial vegetation of Sehlabathebe National Park,

154 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Lesotho. Unpublished report, Department of Grass- ed. G.I. Cowan. Department of Environmental Affairs land Science, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. 15 pp. and Tourism, Pretoria. pp. 33–40. Noble, R.G. & Hemens, J. 1978. Inland Water Ecosys- Skelton, P.H. 1987. South African Red Data Book— tems in South Africa—A Review of Research Needs. Fishes. South African National Scientific Pro- South African National Scientific Programmes grammes Report No. 137. 199 pp. Report No. 34. 150 pp. Smith, G.F. & Willis, C.K. (Eds) 1997. Index O’Connor, T.G. & Bredenkamp, G.J. 1997. Grass- herbariorum: southern African supplement. Southern land. In: Vegetation of Southern Africa, eds R.M. African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 2: Cowling, D.M. Richardson & S.M. Pierce. Cam- 1–55. SABONET, Pretoria. bridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 215–257. Smith, G.F. & Willis, C.K. 1999a. Herbaria are Phillips, E.P. 1917. A contribution to the flora of the forever: notes on the Sehlabathebe National Park Leribe Plateau and environs: with a discussion on the Herbarium. Aloe: in press. relationships of the floras of Basutoland, the Kalahari Smith, G. & Willis, C. 1999b. Survival of the fittest and the south-eastern regions. Annals of the South herbarium (or surviving with a little help from the African Museum 16(1): 1–79. elements)—Sehlabathebe in Lesotho. Plant Talk: in Pillans, N.S. 1934. Plants—new or noteworthy. press. South African Gardening & Country Life 24: 267–268. Stuart, S.N. & Adams, R.J. 1990. Biodiversity in Sub- Pooley, E. 1998. A Field Guide to Wild Flowers Saharan Africa and its Islands. Occasional Papers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora the IUCN Species Survival Commission No. 6: 1–242. Publications Trust, Durban. 630 pp. Talukdar, S. 1983. The conservation of Aloe Reynolds, G.W. 1934. The quest of Aloe polyphylla. polyphylla endemic to Lesotho. Bothalia 14(3&4): The Journal of the Botanical Society of South Africa 985–989. 20: 11–12, plate III. Talukdar, S. 1994. Botanical diversity and its conser- Rogers, K.H. 1997. Freshwater wetlands. In: Vegeta- vation in Lesotho. In: Botanical Diversity in southern tion of Southern Africa, eds R.M. Cowling, D.M. Africa, ed. B.J. Huntley. Strelitzia 1, National Botani- Richardson & S.M. Pierce. Cambridge University cal Institute, Pretoria, pp. 75–92. Press, Cambridge, pp. 322–347. Van der Schijff, M. 1992. Los dié skaars aalwyn waar Rowley, G.D. 1978. Rowley reporting. Aloe polyphylla hy natuurlik groei! Beeld Friday 10 January 1992: 6. is not hardy. National Cactus & Succulent Journal Van Oudtshoorn, F. 1992. Guide to grasses of South 33(2): 42. Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria. 301 pp. Ruffier-Lanche, R. 1967. Aloe polyphylla from Van Oudtshoorn, F. 1999. Guide to grasses of seed. National Cactus & Succulent Journal 22(1): 27. southern Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria. 288 pp. Rutherford, M.C. & Westfall, R.H. 1986. Biomes of Van Zinderen-Bakker, E.M. 1955. A preliminary southern Africa—an objective categorization. Mem- survey of the peat bogs of the alpine belt of northern oirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 54. 98 pp. Basutoland. Acta Geographica 14: 413–422. Schmitz, M. 1980. Wild Flowers of Lesotho. ESSA Van Zinderen-Bakker, E.M. (Snr). 1981. The high Educational Supplies SAPPL, Roma, Lesotho. 256 pp. mountains of Lesotho—a botanical paradise. Veld & Schmitz, M.O. 1984. An illustrated key for the identifi- Flora 67(4): 106–08. cation of the grasses of Lesotho. National University Van Zinderen-Bakker, E.M. (Snr) & Werger, M.J.A. of Lesotho, Roma. 123 pp. 1974. Environment, vegetation and phytogeography Schmitz-Ruch, M.O. 1973. Flowering plants of of the high altitude bogs of Lesotho. Vegetatio 29: 37–49. Lesotho: Grasses. Mazenod Institute, Lesotho. 123 pp. Wells, M.J. & Brink, E. 1992. Obituaries: Amy Schmitz-Ruch, M.O. 1984. Flora and vegetation. In: Francis May Gordon Jacot Guillarmod, née Hean Lesotho: Environment and Management, ed. G. (1911–1992). Bothalia 22(2): 295–300. Schmitz. National University of Lesotho, Roma, White, F. 1978. The Afro-montane region. In: Werger, pp. 31–44. M.J.A. (ed.). Biogeography and Ecology of southern Schumann, D. & Kirsten, G. (in collaboration with Africa. Volume 1. Dr W. Junk bv Publishers, The E.G.H. Oliver). 1992. Ericas of South Africa. Hague, pp. 463–513. Fernwood Press, Vlaeberg. 272 pp. White, F. 1983. The Vegetation of Africa. UNESCO, Schwabe, C.A. 1990. A preliminary ecological evalua- Paris. 356 pp. tion of the wetlands in Sehlabathebe National Park, Witzsch, G. 1992. Lesotho Environment and Environ- Lesotho. Unpublished report submitted to Natal Parks mental Law. National University of Lesotho, Roma. 280 pp. Board, Pietermaritzburg. 18 pp. Zacharias, P.J.K. 1990. Acocks’ notes: key grasses of Schwabe, C.A. 1995. Alpine mires of the eastern South Africa. Grassland Society of southern Africa, highlands of Lesotho. In: Wetlands of South Africa, Howick. 77 pp. SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 155 Zepp, R.A. 1982. Lesotho ferns. National University of Lesotho, Roma. 96 pp. Zonneveld, M. 1998. Aponogeton ranunculiflorus: odyssey to the top of the Lesotho mountains. Plantlife 18: 17–18.

Christopher K. Willis & Gideon F. Smith National Botanical Institute Private Bag X101 Pretoria 0001 South Africa Tel.: (27) 12 804 3200 Fax: (27) 12 804 3211 E-mail: [email protected] (Willis) [email protected] (Smith) ▲ Amy Jacot Guillarmod (1911-1992), author of the Flora Lerato M. Kose of Lesotho (1971) Conservation Division (Photo: Adela Romanowski). Ministry of Agriculture established the basis for a career in science by P.O. Box 92 completing a BSc degree in Botany and Zoology at Maseru 100 the same university in the 1930s. She spent 17 Lesotho years in Lesotho between 1940 and 1957; in Tel.: (266) 323 600/322876 1956/7 she returned to academic life as lecturer Fax: (266) 310 515 and Head of the Botany Department of the Univer- sity College of Basutoland (now National Univer- sity of Lesotho) in Roma. She moved to Amy Frances May Gordon Jacot Grahamstown in 1958 with her family and started lecturing in the Botany Department of Rhodes Guillarmod University. She still maintained close relations with Lesotho, and was awarded a DSc in Botany (1911–1992) from the University of St Andrews for her studies on the Flora of Lesotho in 1967. Amy (with he name of Amy Jacot Guillarmod is inti- Wessel Marais, a past staff member of the Botani- Tmately associated with the flora of Lesotho. cal Research Institute now resident in France) also Amy’s working career spanned 54 years in which described Aponogeton ranunculiflorus, originally time she collected over 10 000 specimens which from Sehlabathebe National Park, for the first time are housed in PREM, PRE, GRA, MASE, K and in Kew Bulletin in 1972 (Jacot Guillarmod & MO. Her close to 200 publications range from the Marais 1972). Flora of Lesotho (Jacot Guillarmod 1971) through numerous research papers on wetlands, bogs and In searching for words to describe Amy Jacot sponges to popular articles. She is commemorated Guillarmod, Wells & Brink (1992) found several: in the name of the grass Merxmuellera indomitable, indefatigable, intrepid and redoubt- guillarmodiae, as well as the names of several able, and used the word “active” to describe other organisms. She was honoured by the Botani- Amy’s commitment, both scientific and social. cal Research Institute (now part of the National Amy apparently enjoyed sharing her birthday, Botanical Institute) which dedicated Volume 50 23 May, with Linnaeus: she gave a party for him every part 1 (1988) of The Flowering Plants of Africa to her. year! In 1979 Amy wrote to a colleague: “…isn’t it pleasant to be a botanist, much nicer than any Amy obtained her MA in English and History at other profession?” ❑ the University of St Andrews in Scotland but then Extracted largely from Wells & Brink (1992). 156 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Conquering Crassula is a very diverse genus in terms of life form, with in Lesotho’s Sehlabathebe some species attaining tree-like dimensions (C. arborescens and C. ovata), while others are National Park tiny, fat-leaved, soil-hugging succulents (C. corallina). Yet another group includes small aquatic herbs by Gideon Smith and Christopher Willis (C. natans). With this vast range of morphologies present in a single genus it is not surprising that In general terms southern Africa has long been species of Crassula are found in a diverse range of known to host an extremely rich flora—in fact, it habitats and some species can clearly tolerate a boasts the richest temperate flora in the world! wide diversity of environmental conditions. Others Based on the exceptional plant diversity of south- are very specific as to the conditions under which ern Africa, one would expect the entire subconti- they will flourish, especially some of the winter nent to be blessed with a near-tropical climate and rainfall species that occur along the southern a high rainfall. However, the opposite is true. African west coast. Large parts of southern Africa are subject to regular, almost predictable droughts and a marked Most of the Crassula species that occur at seasonality in precipitation. These and many other Sehlabathebe fall in the former category: they are environmental factors and plant evolutionary mostly widespread taxa with distribution ranges mechanisms have contributed to the large variety that include the dense grasslands of the Park. In of life forms existing in the southern Africa flora the Drakensberg, species of Crassula generally today. occur as forbs among the dense stand of grass species. Most species tend to grow in the shade of One consequence of the general aridity of the the grasses and only show themselves to the world region has been the development of succulence as once they reach flowering stage. At this time they a survival mechanism in many plants. But expose their inflorescences above the companion succulents are not only restricted to low-rainfall grasses, advertising their arid areas—they also occur in physiologically arid flowers to pollinating areas, for example, as epiphytes in high rainfall agents. One species in forest trees. The grasslands of the Drakensberg particular, C. natans, Mountain range, especially in Lesotho, are an grows as a example of a high-rainfall area which is rather type of poor in succulent species. But as is the case so resurrection often, there are important exceptions to this plant in biological generalisation: the area is host to a seasonally dry surprisingly large number of succulent Crassula rock pools. As species. the water level declines, these The family Crassulaceae (the house leeks of plants become desic- Europe or plakkies of South Africa) has an almost cated and remain in an cosmopolitan distribution and is generally re- apparently near-dead state garded as a phylo-genetically stable and natural until the pools are again grouping of genera. Globally it has various geo- replenished with water in graphical centres of diversity, notably in Mexico the next rainy season. 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 Crassula alba var. alba, taken from FSA species). However, Sedum is essentially a northern Volume 14 (1985). Drawings by Rita Weber. hemisphere genus, whereas Crassula has very few outliers outside the southern hemisphere. Crassula

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 157 Crassula inanis has a very similar habit, but it has * Kali & Hargreaves (1985) list Crassula not been observed to co-habit with C. natans at schimperi, a synonym of C. lanceolata, as being Sehlabathebe. Other ericoid-leaved Crassula found in MASE, ROML and Sehlabathebe her- species grow on the edges of flat rock sheets baria. It is uncertain, however, which subspecies where they survive in shallow soil along with a of lanceolata the specimens in the Lesotho her- selection of cold-tolerant species of the baria represent. Mesembryanthemaceae genus Delosperma. † Crassula setulosa is listed by Kali & Hargreaves Crassula alba var. alba is by far the most striking (1985) as occurring in MASE, ROML and of the Sehlabathebe plakkies. The form of the Sehlabathebe, but it is uncertain which variety is species growing in the Park has beautiful, bright represented in each of the three Lesotho herbaria. ❑ red flowers that retain their colour even when the flowers dry out. The flower colour of this species Further reading on the Crassulaceae of is known to vary from red through orange and southern and eastern Africa yellow to pure white. The specific epithet is Dreyer, L.L. 1997. Crassulaceae. In Smith, G.F., therefore, to say the least, somewhat confusing! Van Jaarsveld, E.J., Arnold, T.H., Steffens, F.E., Dixon, R.D. & Retief, J.A. (eds) List of southern Provisional checklist of Crassula species African plants, pp. 56–63. Umdaus Press, Pretoria. in Sehlabathebe National Park Fernandes, R. 1983. Crassulaceae. Flora The Lesotho herbaria where specimens of these zambesiaca 7(1): 3–74. species are housed (Kali & Hargreaves 1985) are Higgins, V. 1964. Crassulas in cultivation. included in brackets. Note that Kali & Hargreaves Blandford Press, London. (1985) did not provide information below the Jürgens, N. 1995. Contributions to the species level. phytogeography of Crassula. In t’ Hart, H. & Eggli, U. (eds) Evolution and systematics of the Crassula alba Forssk. var. alba (MASE; ROML; Crassulaceae. pp. 136–150. Backhuys Publish- Sehlabathebe) ers, Leiden. C. dependens Bolus (MASE; ROML; Mabberley, D.J. 1997. The plant-book, edn 2. Sehlabathebe) Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. C. inanis Thunb. (MASE; ROML) Retief, E. 1998. Succulents of the coastal dunes C. lanceolata (Eckl. & Zehy.) Endl. ex Walp. and estuaries of southern Africa—an overview. subsp. lanceolata* Aloe 35: 49–54. C. natalensis Schönland (MASE; ROML) Smith, G.F. & Marx, G. 1990. Notes on the C. natans Thunb. var. natans (MASE; ROML; vegetation and succulent flora of the eastern Sehlabathebe) Cape Province, South Africa. Aloe 27: 56–66. C. nudicaulis L. var. nudicaulis (MASE; ROML) Smith, G.F. & Retief, E. 1999. Notes on the C. pellucida L. subsp. brachypetala (Drège ex coastal distribution of the genus Crassula Harvey) Toelken (MASE) (Crassulaceae) in southern Africa. Aloe 36: in press. C. sarcocaulis Eckl. & Zehy. subsp. rupicola t’ Hart, H. & Eggli, U. (Eds) 1995. Evolution Toelken (MASE; ROML; Sehlabathebe) and systematics of the Crassulaceae. Backhuys C. setulosa Harv. var. rubra (N.E.Br.) G.D. Publishers, Leiden. Rowley (MASE; ROML; Sehlabathebe)† Tölken, H.R. 1985. Crassulaceae. In Leistner, C. setulosa Harv. var. setulosa (MASE; ROML; O.A. (Ed.), Flora of southern Africa 14: 1–244. Sehlabathebe)† Botanical Research Institute, Pretoria. C. umbraticola N.E.Br. (ROML; Sehlabathebe) Wickens, G.E. 1987. Crassulaceae. In Polhill, C. vaginata Eckl. & Zehy. subsp. vaginata R.M. (Ed.), Flora of tropical east Africa: 1–66. (MASE; Sehlabathebe) A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam.

158 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 (currently studying for a BSc (Hons) at the University of Cape Town) Southern African Ms Annah Moteetee - [email protected] Botanists’ (currently studying for a PhD at the Rand Afrikaans University) E-MAIL ADDRESSES Prof. CR Nagendran - [email protected] University Botanic Garden Mr Moretloa Polaki - [email protected] The following is a list of the e-mail addresses for staff working in some of the national/university MALAWI herbaria, botany departments, botanical gardens National Herbarium (MAL) and Botanic Gardens and biodiversity programmes of southern Africa. Mr Aubrey Banda - [email protected] Thanks to all those who sent their e-mail addresses Mr Augustine Chikuni - to the editors for inclusion in this list. [email protected] OR PLEASE NOTE that this list gets updated every [email protected] issue of our newsletter. In order to avoid frustra- Mr Dickson Kamundi - [email protected] tion and possible disappointment, our readers are Mr Bintony Kutsaira - advised to please use the most recent list available. [email protected] Some of the addresses listed in previous editions Mr MacLean Machinjili - of the newsletter may no longer be relevant. [email protected] Mr Zacharia Magombo - SPECIAL APPEAL: Should you be aware of any [email protected] changes to one or more of the addresses listed Ms Cecilia Maliwichi - below, or would like to be added to the list, please [email protected] notify Christopher Willis, at Ms Elizabeth Mayaka - [email protected] so that the list can be [email protected] updated on a regular basis. Mr Montfort Mwanyambo - [email protected] ANGOLA Agostinho Neto University General NHBG address: [email protected] Dr Esperança Costa - [email protected] Medicinal plants: [email protected] Dr Elissaveta Loutchanska - [email protected] Ms Liz Matos - [email protected] National Botanic Gardens of Malawi Mr Mphamba Kumwenda - BOTSWANA [email protected] National Herbarium (GAB) E-mail not yet available MOZAMBIQUE LMA Herbarium Peter Smith Herbarium (PSUB) Mr Mario da Silva - [email protected] Dr Elmar Veenendaal - [email protected] Ms Samira Izidine - [email protected] General address - [email protected] OR [email protected] Ms Marta Manjate - [email protected] University of Botswana Herbarium (UCBG) OR [email protected] Dr Moffat Setshogo - [email protected] LMU Herbarium - Eduardo Mondlane University LESOTHO Mr Salomão Bandeira - Herbarium - National University of Lesotho [email protected] (ROML) Ms Filomena Barbosa - Mr Paseka Mafa - [email protected] [email protected] SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 159 Ms Carlota Quilambo - [email protected] Coastal & Environmental Services Dr Ted Avis - [email protected] Department of Biological Sciences - Eduardo Ms Kate Johnson - [email protected] Mondlane University John Hatton - [email protected] Compton Herbarium (NBG & SAM) Ms Jo Beyers - [email protected] NAMIBIA Ms Pascale Chesselet - [email protected] National Botanical Research Institute Mr Christopher Cupido - Ms Patricia Craven - [email protected] [email protected] Dr Gillian Maggs-Kölling - [email protected] Dr Peter Goldblatt - [email protected] General NBRI address - [email protected] Dr Hubert Kurzweil - [email protected] Dr John Manning - [email protected] National Herbarium (WIND) Dr Ted Oliver - [email protected] Ms Esmerialda Klaassen - [email protected] Dr John Rourke - [email protected] Ms Coleen Mannheimer - [email protected] Dr Koos Roux - [email protected] Dr Dee Snijman - [email protected] National Botanic Garden Dr Kim Steiner - [email protected] Mr Henk Dauth - [email protected] Free State National Botanical Garden Vegetation Survey Mr Martin Lumley - [email protected] Mr Ben Strohbach - [email protected] Mr Amadeus Mogale (Curator) - [email protected] National Plant Genetic Resources Centre When sending mail to a staff member at the Free Ms Herta Kolberg - [email protected] State National Botanical Garden, insert the name of the person in the subject line Namibian Tree Atlas Project Ms Barbara Curtis/Coleen Mannheimer - Garden Route Botanical Garden [email protected] Ms Claire Wallace - [email protected]

SOUTH AFRICA Harold Porter National Botanical Garden Bolus Herbarium (BOL) - University of Cape Town Ms Karin Behr (Curator) - [email protected] Prof. Peter Linder - [email protected] Ms Pat Lorber - [email protected] Herbarium Soutpansbergensis Terry Trinder-Smith - [email protected] Mr Norbert Hahn - [email protected] Bolus library - [email protected] Jonkershoek Herbarium Buffelskloof Private Nature Reserve & Herbarium Ms Melanie Simpson - Mr John Burrows - [email protected] [email protected]

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160 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden National Botanical Institute Mr Graham Duncan - [email protected] Dr Daan Botha - [email protected] Mr Philip le Roux (Curator) - Prof. Brian Huntley - [email protected] [email protected] Ms Fiona Powrie - [email protected] National Herbarium (PRE) Mr Ernst van Jaarsveld - [email protected] Dr Heidi Anderson - [email protected] OR [email protected] (home) Dr John Anderson - [email protected] Mr John Winter - [email protected] Ms Clare Archer - [email protected] Dr Robert Archer - [email protected] Kirstenbosch Research Centre Mr Trevor Arnold - [email protected] Dr Neville Brown - [email protected] Ms Antoinette Botha - [email protected] Dr George Davis - [email protected] Ms Christien Bredenkamp - [email protected] Mr J de Wet Bosenberg - Ms Priscilla Burgoyne - [email protected] [email protected] Ms Maud Cloete - [email protected] Dr John Donaldson - [email protected] Ms Carole de Wet - [email protected] Dr Timm Hoffman - [email protected] Dr Bernard de Winter - [email protected] Ms Boniswa Madikane - Ms Emsie du Plessis - [email protected] [email protected] Ms Lyn Fish - [email protected] Dr Dave McDonald - [email protected] Mr Gerrit Germishuizen - [email protected] Dr Guy Midgley - [email protected] Dr Hugh Glen - [email protected] Dr Charles Musil - [email protected] Ms René Glen - [email protected] Ms Ingrid Nänni - [email protected] Ms Beverley Harris - [email protected] Dr Mike O’Callaghan - [email protected] Ms Loraine Hawker - [email protected] Mr Les Powrie - [email protected] Ms Lesley Henderson - [email protected] Dr Tony Rebelo - [email protected] Mr Paul Herman - [email protected] Dr Mike Rutherford - [email protected] Ms Millissa Heymann - [email protected] Ms Stephanie Wand - [email protected] Ms Marie Jordaan - [email protected] Ms Marinda Koekemoer (Curator) - Lowveld National Botanical Garden [email protected] Mr Rudi Britz (Curator) - [email protected] Ms Louisa Liebenberg - [email protected] Mr Johan Hurter - [email protected] Mr Cuthbert Makgakga - [email protected] Mr Willem Froneman - [email protected] Mr Mactavish Makwarela - When sending mail to a staff member at the [email protected] Lowveld National Botanical Garden, insert the Ms Alice Masombuka - [email protected] name of the person in the subject line Mr David Mbedzi - [email protected] Mr Jean Meyer - [email protected] Natal Herbarium (NH) Ms Nicole Meyer - [email protected] Ms Nikaya Arumugam - Ms Caroline Netnou - [email protected] [email protected] Mr Solomon Nkoana - [email protected] Dr Neil Crouch - [email protected] Dr Sarie Perold - [email protected] Mr Jeff Govender - [email protected] Ms Cathy Prentice - [email protected] Mr Smiso Ngcobo - [email protected] Ms Julie Ready - [email protected] Mr Alfred Ngwenya - [email protected] Ms Elizabeth Retief - [email protected] Ms Yashica Singh - [email protected] Mr Lionel Riddles - [email protected] Ms Rosemary Williams (Curator) - Mr Paulus Sebothoma - [email protected] [email protected] Prof. Gideon Smith - [email protected] Ms Shirley Smithies - [email protected] Natal National Botanical Garden Ms Hannelie Snyman - [email protected] Mr Brian Tarr (Curator) - [email protected] Ms Christina Steyn - [email protected]

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 161 Dr Elsie Steyn - [email protected] Mr Pete Phillipson - [email protected] Mr Jacques van Rooy - [email protected] (presently at the following address in Ms Helen van Rooyen - [email protected] Tanzania: [email protected] until Ms Janine Victor - [email protected] December 1999) Ms Mienkie Welman - [email protected] Mr BS Ripley - [email protected] Dr Maureen Wolfson - [email protected] Rondevlei Scientific Services Herbarium, Wilder- NBI Libraries: ness National Park, Sedgefield Mary Gunn Library - [email protected] Dr Nick Hanekom - [email protected] Librarian: Mary Gunn Library (Ms Estelle Ms Francine Rubin - [email protected] Potgieter), National Herbarium - Dr Ian Russell - [email protected] [email protected] Ms Beate Sachse - [email protected] NBI Librarian (Kirstenbosch): Ms Yvonne Reynolds - Saasveld Herbarium (SAAS) - Port Elizabeth [email protected] Technikon Mr Mike Cameron - [email protected] Peninsula Technikon - Department of Biological Mr Peet Peens (Curator) - [email protected] Sciences Mr JC Coetzee - [email protected] H.G.W.J Schweickerdt Herbarium (PRU) - University of Pretoria Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology - Ms Martie Dednam - [email protected] Tierberg Karoo Research Centre field station Prof. Braam van Wyk - Dr Sue J. Milton - [email protected] [email protected]

Potchefstroom University Scientific Services Herbarium, Department of Dr Matt H. Buys - [email protected] Water Affairs and Forestry, Knysna Dr Sarel S. Cilliers - [email protected] Mr Johan Baard (Curator) - Prof. Braam Pieterse - [email protected] [email protected] Mr Rynhard Kok - [email protected] PRECIS [email protected] Skukuza Herbarium (KNP), Kruger National Park Pretoria National Botanical Garden Ms Guin Zambatis (Curator) - Mr Hans Heilgendorff (Curator) - [email protected] [email protected] Mr Nick Zambatis - [email protected] General: [email protected] Southern Cape Herbarium Qwa Qwa Herbarium - University of the North Yvette van Wyk - [email protected] OR (Qwa Qwa campus) [email protected] Prof. Rodney Moffett - [email protected] Nicholas Cole - [email protected]

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Rhodes University - Botany Department University of Cape Town - Botany Department Dr Nigel Barker - [email protected] Prof. John Bolton - [email protected] Prof. CEJ Botha - [email protected] Prof. William Bond - [email protected] Mr Tony Dold - [email protected] Dr Jill Farrant - [email protected] Prof. Roy Lubke - [email protected]

162 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 Dr Jeremy Midgley - [email protected] University of the North - Botany Department Prof. Willie Stock - [email protected] Mr Martin J Potgieter - [email protected] University of Cape Town - Institute for Plant Mr Pieter Winter - [email protected] Conservation Prof. Richard Cowling - [email protected] University of Port Elizabeth - Botany Department Dr Dave Richardson - [email protected] Dr JB Adams - [email protected] (Estuarine vegetation) University of Durban-Westville - Botany Department Prof. Guy C Bate - [email protected] Mr Ashley Nicholas - [email protected] (Estuarine micro-algae) Dr EE Campbell - [email protected] University of the Free State - Department of (Terrestrial vegetation) Botany and Genetics Dr DR du Preez - [email protected] Prof. Johan Venter - [email protected] (Surf zone algae) R.L. Verhoeven - [email protected] Mr PT Gama - [email protected] (Microalgae) University of Natal-Durban - Biological Sciences Department University of Pretoria - Botany Department Prof. Alan Amory - [email protected] Prof. George Bredenkamp - Prof. Patricia Berjak - [email protected] [email protected] Dr Glen Campbell - [email protected] Prof. Albert Eicker - [email protected] Prof. John Cooke - [email protected] JJM Meyer - [email protected] Mr Bruce Page - [email protected] Prof. Noel van Rooyen - Prof. Norman Pammenter - [email protected] [email protected] Mr Herbert M. Sibiya - [email protected] University of Stellenbosch - Botany Department Mr Dehn von Ahlefeldt - Prof. Frikkie Botha - [email protected] [email protected] Dr Charlie Boucher - [email protected] Dr Paula Watt - [email protected] Dr Leanne Dreyer - [email protected] Dr Karen Esler - [email protected] University of Natal-Durban - Electron Micro- Ms Lynn Hoffmann - [email protected] scope Unit, George Campbell Building Dr Bettie Marais - [email protected] Mr James Wesley-Smith (plant scientist) - Prof. Valdon Smith - [email protected] [email protected] Dr Piet Vorster - [email protected]

University of Natal-Pietermaritzburg - Botany University of Stellenbosch - Botanic garden Department Piet van der Merwe - [email protected] Dr RP Beckett - [email protected] Mr Clinton Carbutt - [email protected] University of the Transkei - Botany Department Dr WA Cress - [email protected] Prof. R Bhat - [email protected] Dr TJ Edwards - [email protected] Dr Sizwe Cawe - [email protected] Ms CW Fennell - [email protected] RV Nikolova - [email protected] Dr JF Finnie - [email protected] Dr JE Granger - [email protected] University of North-West - Biological Sciences Prof. EF Hennessy - [email protected] Department Dr Steven D Johnson - Prof. S David Phalatse - [email protected] [email protected] Ms NP Makunga - [email protected] Dr MT Smith - [email protected] University of Venda - Botany Department Prof. J van Staden - [email protected] Mr Maanda Ligavha - ligavham/[email protected] SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 163 Ms Colleen Todd - [email protected] OR [email protected] todd_colleen/[email protected] OR [email protected] Mr Robert Tshivhandekano - Mr David Chuba - [email protected] robie/[email protected] (currently studying for a BSc (Hons) at the Prof. Pablo Weisser - University of Cape Town) pablo/[email protected] Ms Florence Nyirenda - [email protected] University of the Western Cape - Botany Depart- Dr Patrick Phiri - [email protected] OR ment [email protected] Dr Derek Keats - [email protected] Mr Frans Weitz - [email protected] Independent Mr Mike Bingham - [email protected] University of the Witwatersrand - Botany Department Dr Mandy-Jane Balkwill - ZIMBABWE [email protected] Biodiversity Foundation for Africa Ms Glynis Cron - [email protected] Mr Jonathan R. Timberlake - Prof. Ed Witkowski - [email protected] [email protected] (small messages only) OR [email protected] Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden Mr Peter Chaplin (Curator) - National Herbarium (SRGH) & Botanic Garden [email protected] Mr Ezekeil Kwembeya - Mr Andrew Hankey - [email protected] [email protected] (currently Ms Sharon Turner - [email protected] studying for a MSc at the University of When sending mail to a staff member at the Cape Town) Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden, insert Mr Claid Mujaju - [email protected] the name of the person in the subject line (currently studying for a MSc at the University of Cape Town) NOTE: Additional South African botanists’ e-mail National Herbarium (SRGH) - [email protected] addresses can be accessed on the internet at the Ms Nozipo Nobanda (Curator) - [email protected] following address: Ms Ratidzayi (Rattie) Takawira - http://www.ru.ac.za/departments/herbarium/ [email protected] (also available SAHWG/address.html through SRGH) The web page entitled “Southern African Bota- nists’ addresses” was prepared by Peter Phillipson, University of Zimbabwe - Department of Biologi- Rhodes University and the Selmar Schonland cal Sciences Herbarium, Grahamstown, with thanks to Nigel Dr Shakkie Kativu - [email protected] Barker and Les Powrie. Mr I Mapaure - [email protected] Dr Clemence Zimudzi - [email protected] SWAZILAND National Herbarium (SDNH) University of Zimbabwe - Institute of Environ- Malkerns Research Station (general) - mental Studies [email protected] Prof. Bruce Campbell - [email protected] This address can be used to contact Gideon OR [email protected] Dlamini, Titus Dlamini or Bongani Dlamini at the Prof. Peter Frost - [email protected] National Herbarium. Insert the name of the person in the subject line. Independent Mr Michael Kimberley - [email protected] ZAMBIA (cycads, orchids and succulents) Herbarium (UZL) - University of Zambia Ms Meg Coates Palgrave - [email protected] Ms Tasila Banda-Sakala (presently studying at Mr Darrel C.H. Plowes - [email protected] the Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA) - 164 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 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 NEW ZEALAND Queensland Herbarium, Toowong, Queensland Victoria University, Wellington Bryan Simon - Mr Fanie Venter - [email protected] [email protected] (work) [email protected] (home) NORWAY (Tropical grasses) Agricultural University of Norway - Department of Biology and Nature Conservation ENGLAND Dr Brita Stedje - [email protected] IUCN - World Conservation Union (Hyacinthaceae) Craig Hilton-Taylor - [email protected] SWEDEN Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Swedish Museum of Natural History Diane Bridson - [email protected] Prof. Dr Bertil Nordenstam - (Rubiaceae; Vahliaceae) [email protected] (Compositae, Dr Thomas Cope - [email protected] especially Senecioneae and Calenduleae; (Poaceae) Syncarpha; Colchicaceae; Anticharis) Gerald Pope - [email protected] (Asteraceae) Uppsala University Dr Kaj Vollesen - [email protected] Mattias Iwarsson - [email protected] (Acanthaceae, Blepharis, Duosperma) (Lamiaceae, Leonotis) GERMANY USA University of Cologne - Botanical Institute University of California - Jepson Herbarium Dr Joachim Thiede - Bruce Baldwin - [email protected] [email protected] (Aizoaceae; Crassulaceae) (Blepharispermum; Welwitschiella)

University of Hamburg - Institut fuer Allgemeine University of Missouri-Columbia - Dunn-Palmer Botanik Herbarium (UMO) PD Dr HEK Hartmann - Dr P. Leszek D. Vincent - [email protected] [email protected] (Asteraceae, Senecio; Iridaceae, Aristea) (Aizoaceae; Mesembryanthema) 15 August 1999 ❑

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 165 south again in April this year. Her first known locality produced nothing. It was as dry as a bone, Regional News but her luck was in: further up the Konkiep River some showers had fallen and she not only found it Update 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, News from Namibia but the number of localities within this region was greatly increased. All in all, 176 specimens were A lot has happened at WIND since you last heard collected on a circular trip that started and ended from us—our contribution to the previous edition in Grunau. Thank you to SABONET for making of SABONET News went astray, and we were this trip possible. dismayed to find ourselves missing when we received our copies from Chris. The National Botanic Garden has had an active period of development too, with the new green- Still, we have made great progress, and I feel that house nearing completion. It will be divided into a our data capture team, led by Esmerialda, deserves desert house and a tropical house and will have an first mention this time. Not only have they ful- adjoining nursery area. Henk Dauth hopes to filled the goal of entering all the Poaceae, but also complete planting by the end of the year and to the Cyperaceae, the Pteridophytes, and most of the open the garden and the greenhouse officially Asteraceae! Our next goal is to complete all the early next year. We hope to collect some plants for other monocots and the rest of the Asteraceae by the desert house in the southern Namib at the end the end of August. Our total stands at over 35 000 of September. entries, almost half of all WIND accessions, so we are grateful to Elaine, Mary and Jocelyn for their There is a rather dark cloud over the garden at commitment to the cause, and as always to present, with the roads department requesting SABONET for their support, without which none deproclamation of the area and planning to put a of this would be possible. road right through the middle of the garden. This we hope to prevent, but it is still a worrying Field trips have been high on our agenda, although possibility that would be a great pity in the only rains have been patchy this year. Several of us botanic garden in the country, as well as one of the went to Caprivi, both to tree-atlas and to collect, few green areas in the capital. and had a very successful trip, including a first record of Cadaba termitaria for Namibia. We have two new staff members at WIND—Silke Bartsch, a new research technician with special Patricia Craven undertook a very successful trip interests in tissue culture and horticulture, and south too. She had been plagued for many years by Helvi Kandapo, our new technical assistant. The a strange Oxalis. It seemed new, but she just could recent additions have really helped to speed the not find it in flower. It was also one of those awful processing of specimens through the system and things that has a long, thin delicate stem growing have certainly contributed to us being able to down between rocks that made it a night mare fulfill our SABONET targets. trying to extract the bulb. Then in 1991 she and her husband found a few plants with the prettiest We have instituted “translation workshops”, of flowers and I sent it to Leanne Dreyer at STEU. during which Sabine, Esmerialda, Silke and She confirmed Pat’s suspicions about a possible myself sit down for a day and “blitz” all the new species and is interested in describing it for German-English labels we can stomach in eight us, but we needed more material if possible. So hours. This has certainly also been a contributing with financial support from SABONET, Pat went factor to data-capture success, as completion of 166 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 groups was often held up by a couple of boxes of Southern African Society of Aquatic specimens needing translation of their data; the Scientists conference company helps us all by allowing us to vent. We have also obtained the assistance of Ms Anabela The Southern African Society of Aquatic Scien- Almeida in translating our Portuguese-English tists (SASAQS) held its 35th conference at labels. Swakopmund, Namibia, from 27 June to 1 July 1999. The delegates were from Namibia, South Another notable milestone will be the publication Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, of our new species list, devotedly edited by Pat Uganda, Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Belgium, the Craven. This will be a boon to many biologists United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. working in Namibia and we already have a waiting The theme of this years conference was research, list for the limited number of copies we plan to conservation, and the management of aquatic publish. resources in southern Africa. The scientific sessions were held at the Auditorium of the Ministry Our next most pressing need is for a researcher to of Fisheries and Marine Resources and at one of concentrate on the useful plants that are being Swakopmund’s holiday resorts—the Alte Brücke overharvested in Namibia at present, with Conference Centre. The two auditoria were within Harpagophytum procumbens being the worst (brisk!!) walking distance of each other so it was affected thus far. We feel that this rapidly growing possible to attend presentation at either of the problem needs someone’s undivided attention parallel sessions. (although we would forgive them for looking at effects of fire in the northeast of Namibia too). The venue was idyllic—for us South Africans (especially from Pretoria and Johannesburg) it was Well, that’s it for now. Regards to all wonderful to be in such a peaceful and friendly SABONETers from us here at WIND. town. The only hazard of walking between the two venues was the “urbanised” pelicans who used the Coleen Mannheimer 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 News from South Africa and Marine Resources building reminded one that this whole conference was all about the manage- Ted Oliver, from the ment of our wetlands in southern Africa. Compton Herbarium in Cape Town (NBG The conference was officially opened by the & SAM), received his Namibian Minister of Agriculture and Rural PhD from the Univer- Development, Mr Helmuth Angula. In his opening sity of Cape Town speech he highlighted some of the institutions that during June 1999. His were actively involved in research on the aquatic thesis was entitled resources in Namibia and also water resources that “Systematic studies they share with neighbouring countries. Many of in the tribe Ericeae their research efforts are envied by other countries, (Ericaceae-Ericoideae)”. especially in the field of fisheries research and Anna Fellingham management, but they regard themselves as “data (also from NBG & poor” when it comes to fully understanding their SAM) received an MSc at the same ceremony. Her aquatic systems. This statement can be applied to study was on inflorescences in the genus all the southern African countries, certainly from a Cliffortia. botanical point; we do not know what plants occur in our wetlands. We all know that the plants in any Information supplied by Ted Oliver wetland are the primary producers and form a vital SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 167 link between all the other activities within a wetland, yet there are very few inventories of News from Swaziland southern African wetland plants. Since our last contribution to SABONET News, There where 84 oral presentations and 30 posters; the Swaziland National Herbarium (SDNH) has of these 114 presentations only 10 were plant- moved out of the building it shared with the related. The majority of the presentations were on Swaziland National Plant Genetic Resources fish and water management, yet the plants that Centre (NPGRC) at the Malkerns Research Cen- play the major role were hardly acknowledged. tre. The herbarium is now housed in a nearby This congress made me realise that if we wish to building that used to be occupied by an American- assist in the management of our wetlands, we, sponsored vegetable production project which was especially all the delegates that attended Aquatic completed in 1997. In our “new” building there is Plants training course at Moremi Wldlife Reserve more working space and all specimens have been in 1998, need to know more about the plants that transferred from old wooden cabinets to steel grow in the water. cabinets which were donated to the SDNH by the National Botanical Institute (NBI), South Africa, Namibia not only excels in the field of fisheries in 1996. research: in past few years they have produced three field guides namely Let’s look at Seaweeds The Assistant Herbarium Curator, Mr Titus produced by Enviroteach; Guide to the common Dlamini, has returned from the University of Cape plants of the Cuvelai wetlands by N. Clarke and Town where he pursued a Masters degree in Cyperaceae of Nambia: an illustrated key by N. Botany. His secondment to full acting position, on Clarke and C. Mannheimer. Also the Department behalf of the Curator who is involved in the of Water Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Water country’s Constitutional Review Commission, is and Rural Development and the Desert Research still pending with government. Foundation of Namibia have produced a well- illustrated management guide: Namibia’s water: Mr Bongani Dlamini, the Technical Assistant in A decision makers’ guide. The Cyperaceae of the Herbarium, attended a six week course in Plant Namibia has been reviewed in the Paper Chase Genetic Resources Management, hosted by the column in this issue of SABONET News; reviews Nordic Gene Bank in Alnarp, Sweden, from 13 of the other books will appear in the next issue. June to 25 July 1999. His participation in the course will enforce SDNH’s contribution to the I would like to thank Shirley Bethune and her activities of the NPGRC’s since the two institu- worthy team of 12 local organising committee tions have a close working relationship. members and six assistants at the conference for a very informative and well-organised congress. Having just reviewed the Flora Protection Act, the The friendly, efficient way in which they organ- Herbarium is currently involved in the Forestry ised everything enabled all the delegates to relax Policy and Legislation Review project which is and enjoy the congress, meet several aquatic sponsored by the Danish Cooperation for Environ- scientists from other countries, and gain a lot more ment and Development (DANCED) and coordi- information. nated by the Forestry section of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The project offi- I would also like to thank the National Botanical cially began in December 1998 and is destined to Institute for funding my trip. I hope to meet more end in December 2001. It has just gone through SABONET members at the 36th congress of the the first phase which involved assessment of the Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists. available forest resources in the country. Involve- ment of SDNH staff in the project proved vital René Glen when it came to field verification of data that was National Herbarium, Pretoria captured remotely in satellite images. E-mail: [email protected] Titus Dlamini, Swaziland National Herbarium 168 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 part of an EU-sponsored regional study that seeks News from Zimbabwe to evaluate the impacts on wildlife of livestock introduction to areas cleared of tsetse fly Anthony Mapaura, Christopher Chapano and Erina (Glossina sp.) in the Zambezi Valley. The trips Nyamhanga participated in the SABONET were made in collaboration with the Matopos Miombo Woodland course which was held in Research Station. Zambia. The course was a memorable occasion for them, for current talk in the National Herbarium is SRGH Staff ❑❑❑ now largely prefaced with “When we were in Zambia...”. We at SRGH cherish and appreciate the knowledge and new techniques they gained Each edition of SABONET News is the result of a from the course. The trio is now dissipating this team effort, and the editors would like to sin- knowledge to the rest of the team at SRGH. cerely thank the following people and organisations that have helped in preparing this, the tenth Ratidzayi Takawira is in Kenya for a month-long issue of SABONET News: training course in biodiversity conservation, which ends on 22 July. The course is organised by the Antworks Tropical Biology Association. Clare Archer John Burrows Zivanai Tsvuura and Erina Nyamhanga are work- Matt Buys ing on producing a checklist of plants in the David Chuba Gillian Condy Mazowe Botanic Reserve. This should be ready Caitlin Davies for submission to the publishers by the end of July. Titus Dlamini The 48 ha Mazowe Botanic Reserve is an out- Emsie du Plessis station of the National Botanic Garden. It shows a Suzanne Enslin miombo woodland that has been little disturbed in Hugh Glen more than 50 years, as well as a primary riverine René Glen fringe, probably the only one remaining on the Janice Golding central watershed of Zimbabwe. Kathy Immelman Maretha Joubert Christopher Chapano has been compiling the Dickson Kamundi National Herbarium’s Grass Collection Register, Edwin Kathumba which has been submitted for editing. We hope Lerato Kose that by the end of August the manuscript of the Ezekeil Kwembeya Grass Collection Register would have been sent to Otto Leistner the publishers. Paseka Mafa Gillian Maggs-Kölling Memory Chandinyira joined the National Her- Coleen Mannheimer barium as a Data Entry Clerk on 3 May 1999. This Dave McDonald brings to two the number of Data Entry Clerks Claid Mujaju working on our PRECIS database under the Nozipo Nobanda SABONET programme. The database entries now Florence Nyirenda Ted Oliver stand at 16 500. This represents 3.3% of our Patrick Phiri collection. A zip drive has been acquired and Estelle Potgieter installed in the PRECIS database; it is working Adela Romanowski perfectly. Nyasha Rukazhanga-Noko Moffat Setshogo Zivanayi Tsvuura and Christopher Chapano went Gideon Smith on plant collection trips to the Zambezi Valley on SRGH Staff 22–26 February and 6–10 April. The trips were Sandra Turck

SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 169 For further information related to the SABONET project or contributions to SABONET News, please contact:

Christopher Willis or Marthina Mössmer The Editors SABONET News National Botanical Institute Private Bag X101 Pretoria 0001 SOUTH AFRICA Tel: (27) 12 804 3200 Fax: (27) 12 804 3211 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

In the December 1999 edition If you are not already on the SABONET News mailing list, or your contact details of SABONET News… have changed, please complete this form and post or fax it to the SABONET Coor- ❖ Profile: Mario AC da Silva dinator at (27) 12 804 3211. ❖ IBC Report-back ❖ Challenges in the new millennium Name: ...... ❖ Computerisation of herbaria Position: ...... ❖ Computer & Herbarium Management Organisation: ...... Courses ...... ❖ SABONET Report Series Address: ...... ❖ The Paper Chase ...... ❖ Regional News Update ...... Country: ...... Tel. (include international dialling code): ...... Fax: ...... E-mail (where available): ......

170 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 2 August 1999 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. All photographs by Christopher Submissions for the next issue should reach the editors before 12 November 1999. The editors Willis except where otherwise noted. would be grateful for material submitted on diskette (preferably using WordPerfect or MS SABONET News IS PRINTED ON Word) as well as an accompanying hard copy. RECYCLED PAPER. Articles can also be submitted via e-mail. If possible, please include black and white Printing: photographs, slides or line drawings to illustrate your material. Please caption all tables, figures Business Print Centre and photographs clearly on a separate sheet. Each photograph or slide should be labelled with Typesetting: a photographer credit. Each author should Antworks Layout & Design 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.

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