volume 4 no. 3 issn 1027–4286 december 1999 - sanbi.org · volume 4 no. 3 issn 1027–4286...

Volume 4 No. 3 ISSN 1027–4286 December 1999

Millennium Edition

174 SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 3 December 1999

IN THIS ISSUE

FRONT COVER: Course participants and resource persons who attended SABONET’sDatabase and Herbarium Management courses in August and October 1999.

Guest EditorialGuest Editorial 174174Profile: Mário A. Calane da SilvaProfile: Mário A. Calane da Silva 176176Challenges facing southern African botany in the new millenniumChallenges facing southern African botany in the new millennium 177177Colophospermum mopaneColophospermum mopane is the correct name for the ‘mopane’ is the correct name for the ‘mopane’ 188188Threatened taxonomic knowledge: implications for method in ecologyThreatened taxonomic knowledge: implications for method in ecology 196196Southern African Plant Red Data List UpdateSouthern African Plant Red Data List Update 200200Herbaria and Red Data ListsHerbaria and Red Data Lists 202202SSC8 held in MozambiqueSSC8 held in Mozambique 204204SABONET Courses: Database & Herbarium ManagementSABONET Courses: Database & Herbarium Management 205205Computerisation of southern African herbariaComputerisation of southern African herbaria 207207How to collect field samples for DNA analysisHow to collect field samples for DNA analysis 214214Checklist of Namibian Plant SpeciesChecklist of Namibian Plant Species 216216Second edition of Second edition of Index herbariorum: southern African supplementIndex herbariorum: southern African supplement

now availablenow available 217217Recommended English names for trees in southern AfricaRecommended English names for trees in southern Africa 218218Changes to the SAHDG ListserverChanges to the SAHDG Listserver 219219Raven’s 7-point planRaven’s 7-point plan 219219Gondwana AliveGondwana Alive 220220SABONET Web site now availableSABONET Web site now available 222222From the WebFrom the Web 223223The Paper ChaseThe Paper Chase 226226Book ReviewsBook Reviews 232232E-mail addressesE-mail addresses 241241Regional News UpdateRegional News Update 249249

SABONET: Into the New Millennium

It is nearly 10 years since a group of southernAfrican plant scientists met in Maputo, Mozambique,to discuss the future of botany in the region. Todaywe are in that future — and SABONET is therealisation of the vision conceived in the long andoften pessimistic working sessions of the Maputomeeting.

Back in February 1990, the future for southern Africawas not what it used to be. While the Maputomeeting was concluding on 11 February 1990,Nelson Mandela was being released, and a new erafor southern Africa was dawning. Much of the rest isalready history.

The advent of SABONET was possible not only dueto regional changes, but as much due to majorinternational events. Perhaps most significant wasthe 1992 Rio Conference — the United NationsConference on the Environment and Development(UNCED). At Rio, many of the key instrumentsnecessary for the establishment of SABONET werecreated, in particular the Convention on BiologicalDiversity (CBD) and the Global Environment Facility(GEF). The CBD provided the policy framework andthe GEF the financial mechanism to put in place thekind of network conceived in Maputo. The need forcapacity building, infrastructure support andeffective communication and team buildingthroughout the region was re-affirmed at

Guest Editorial

175SABONET News Vol. 4 No. 3 December 1999

subsequent seminars, workshops and conferences.In 1993, at Kirstenbosch, Cape Town, a projectproposal was developed which served as the basefor a funding proposal. But as we soon discovered,it would be a long walk to the GEF. Fortunately, in1994 USAID provided funding for a new regionalnetworking initiative through IUCN’s Regional Officefor southern Africa (ROSA) in Harare. The USAIDfunding provided a kick-start for SABONET, givingthe project the opportunity to test its motto‘Learning by Doing’ in the three years prior to GEFfunds being released in 1997.

As the many articles published in SABONET Newshave reported, the project has developed rapidlyand effectively since the first meeting of its SteeringCommittee back in 1996. We now have a closely knitteam of committed players, from the young traineesjoining their first workshops and field outings to the‘old hands’ on the National Working Groups and theSteering Committee. We have been extremelyfortunate to have an exceptionally competentcoordination team, and over 100 enthusiastic andhard working members in our SABONET ‘extendedfamily’.

We will soon be in the new millennium, with greatexpectations to be met. The 1990s saw anunprecedented era of socio-political transformationthroughout the world, leaving it, we hope, a betterplace for all. On the environmental front, it has beena decade of policy development - perhaps too muchtalking and writing and not enough doing. So thechallenge now is to implement the vast list ofinternational agreements, principles, guidelines andaction plans. We should call for a moratorium onsymposia and talk-fests. We need to get out of theconference rooms and into the laboratories, herbariaand most especially into the field.

The primary goal of the CBD and GEF support is tomake biodiversity conservation happen. Ourapproach, in SABONET, has recognised the need forscientific and technical capacity, and our emphasishas been on learning. Training has been a priorityand will continue to be within SABONET. But as webuild our institutions — our herbaria and botanicalgardens — we must add value to effectivebiodiversity conservation on the ground. The worldand future generations will not thank us if our legacy

is limited to dried herbarium specimens and ex-situcollections of endangered species. The ultimategoal must be for in-situ conservation, and mostimportantly, systems of sustainable use of speciesand ecosystems for the benefit of all our people.

As Chairman of the SABONET Steering Committee, Iwould like to use this opportunity to thank all whohave made this such a successful venture. We mustthank, in particular, the donor agencies (USAID andGEF/UNDP) and the institutions in each of the tenSABONET countries for their generous support. I amsure that you will all join me in thanking ChristopherWillis and his small team (Nyasha, Carina, Tina andJanice) for the tremendous dedication,enthusiasm and energy they have contributed toensuring the joy and success of SABONET.

HAPPY NEW MILLENNIUM! q

Prof. Brian J. HuntleyChairman: SABONET Steering Committee

YOU KNOW YOU’VE HAD ENOUGHOF THE ’90s WHEN .......

You try to enter your password on themicrowave.You haven’t played patience with real cards inyears.You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reachyour family of 3.You e-mail your work colleagues at the desk nextto you to ask “Do you fancy going down to thepub?”You chat several times a day with a stranger fromyour home country ...You buy a computer and a week later it is out ofdate.Your reason for not staying in touch with friendsis that they do not have e-mail addresses.Your idea of being organised is multiple colouredpost-it notes.You hear most of your jokes via e-mail insteadof in person.

Source unknown.


P R O F I L EMário A. Calane da Silva

Perfil de Mário A. Calane da Silva

Mário A. Calane da Silva nasceu a30.07.1943 na então cidade de Lourenço

Marques, hoje Maputo, onde fez os seus estudosprimários e secundários. Em 1968 trabalhoucomo funcionário nos Serviços de Finanças.Reiniciou as suas actividades estudantis em 1977na Faculdade de Biologia da UniversidadeEduardo Mondlane, onde começou a exercer assuas novas funções de Técnico Assistente emTaxonomia Vegetal no Herbário LMU da mesmaUniversidade.

Terminou com sucesso o seu curso de Biologiaem 1981 tendo iniciado as suas funções comoCurador do Herbário LMA no Instituto Nacionalde Investigação Agronómica (INIA) a partir deFevereiro de 1982.

Em 1985/86 fez o Curso de Pós-Graduação em“Rural and Land Ecology Survey” na Holanda no“International Institute for Aerospace Survey andEarth Sciences (ITC)”. Após o seu regresso aMoçambique é nomeado Chefe do Departamento

de Botânica do INIA e Chairman of the NationalPlant Genetic Resources Committee.

Quando se iniciou o Projecto SABONET éindigitado como Coordenador Nacional de mesmopara Moçambique.

Foi praticante de futebol na categoria de Junioresno Clube1o de Maio onde foi vice-campeão ecampeão nos anos de 1960 e 1961.

Nas horas vagas gosta de ouvir música, ler ecuidar do jardim.

Profile: Mário A. Calane da Silva

Mário A. Calane da Silva was born on 30July 1943 in the then city of Lourenço

Marques, now Maputo, where he completed hisprimary and secondary schooling. In 1968 heworked as an employee for the Department ofFinances. He reinitiated his studies in 1977 in theFaculty of Biology at the Eduardo MondlaneUniversity, where he began his new duties as aTechnical Assistant in Plant Taxonomy at theLMU Herbarium of the same university.

He successfully completed his courses in Biologyin 1981 and became Curator of the LMAHerbarium at the Instituto Nacional deInvestigação Agronómica (INIA) in February 1982.

In 1985/86 he completed postgraduate studies in“Rural and Land Ecology Survey” in Holland atthe International Institute for Aerospace Surveyand Earth Sciences (ITC). On returning toMozambique he was nominated to be Head of theDepartment of Botany at INIA and Chairman ofthe National Plant Genetic Resources Committee.

When the SABONET project was launched in1996 he was identified to become the NationalCoordinator for the project in Mozambique.

He played soccer in the Junior category for the1o de Maio Club where he was Vice-Captain andCaptain in 1960 and 1961.

In his spare time he enjoys listening to music,reading and working in the garden. q

s Mário A. Calane da Silva.


Networking has now been adopted by the regionas a way forward to documenting knowledge onbotanical diversity. The different countries in theregion have limited economic power to go italone. The different countries now have the‘basic essentials’ in terms of field and herbariumtaxonomists. In addition to keeping the existingnetworks working and setting new ones, there isneed to inform policy makers about issues likelyto impact on the environment. In Botswana, forinstance, policy on environmental impactassessments is nearing completion, such thatevery major development will need to beaccompanied by an EIA. Taxonomists, as hasalways been the case, will need to continueselling themselves. It is becoming more and moredifficult to attract people into the subject evenwhere opportunities are wide open. For instance,Botswana with close to 2 500 plant species, hasonly 2 or 3 formally trained taxonomists.Capacity building will need to continue for sometime during the next millennium to make sure thatfloras are covered adequately in terms of expertise.

Dr Moffat Setshogo, University of BotswanaHerbarium, Gaborone, Botswana

n n n

Plants play a crucial role in the cycle of life. It istherefore for us, the plant scientists, to furtherunravel their secrets and, based on our researchfindings:• to promote their continued sustainable use;• to demonstrate the consequences of their

destruction by mankind; and• to help engender in our fellow humans a notion

of responsibility for them.

Dr Otto A. Leistner, National Botanical Institute,Pretoria, South Africa

n n n

Challenges facingsouthern African botanyin the new millennium

My opinion of the important challenges:• Educating everybody (including scientists) of

the value of systematics, and ensuring thatsystematics in turn is seen as not only anacademic exercise, but that it also can be anapplied science;

• Designing, proposing, passing andimplementing environmental laws with realteeth, and the implementation of a judicialsystem that has the courage and capacity topursue and punish environmental violations;

• Putting the “science” back into “environmentalscience”; and

• Enhancing and expanding the component of theschool’s biology syllabus that is dedicated tobotany (as opposed to human biology andzoology).

Dr Nigel Barker, Department of Botany, RhodesUniversity, Grahamstown, South Africa

n n n

The most important challenges for me in the newmillennium:• Making top level management as well as at

grassroots level people aware of theenvironment surrounding them;

• Promoting the optimal use of plants native to aspecific area to solve that area’s environmentalproblems; and

• Combat deforestation with native plantreforestation, especially in the drier areas.

Mr Henk Dauth, National Botanic Garden ofNamibia, Windhoek, Namibia

n n n

Botanical gardens in the southern African contextface two major challenges in the new century.Firstly, the pressure that will be placed onbotanical gardens to act as repositories for the


genetic material of rare and endangered plantswill increase dramatically, as man’sencroachment on, and destruction of, naturalhabitats increases with the burgeoning population.

Modern technology in the form of tissue culturelaboratories will continue to elude most gardensfor many decades yet, hence the continuedreliance on traditional propagation methods. It isassumed that a base minimum of 200 plants(some argue 500) is needed to adequatelyconserve the genetic viability of a single ecotype;within a taxon that has say five ecotypes, 1 000plants would need to be maintained. In 1-litrebags (the 1st potting stage), this equates to anarea of approximately 20 square metres, in adensity of 100 plants per square metre. Theimpact of this in terms of mature plants, the needfor adequate staffing, soil and potting media,insecticides and fungicides can be furthercalculated, and some serious thought will need togo into the process of selection for ex-situconservation, if such conservation programmesare to enjoy any success at all.

The second major challenge is also humanrelated—the rising cost of labour. Many gardenswill not be able to afford current labour levels,and alternatives such as mechanisation andautomation will need to be introduced to offsetthe high cost of wages. This will need to bebalanced though, with the developing country’sneed for job creation, competition for financialresources, and the ever-increasing need to havepublic support for our botanical gardens.

Mr Hans Heilgendorff, Pretoria NationalBotanical Garden, Pretoria, South Africa

n n n

We need to strive towards world-class botanicalscience—intelligent science. Intelligent science insouthern Africa is marketable to the highestlevels (decision-makers), it is socially relevant, isof a good botanical calibre and respected by ourpeers. Our work needs to be output-orientatedbecause it means that we as botanists and thework we deliver, will get exposure. Because weare a small community, it is critical to strengthenties with our colleagues and continue to forge

new ones on the continent and abroad. We needto continue building a work environment that isstimulating and that makes us proud, and one thatconstantly reminds us that all things botanical ispure pleasure. What probably makes a goodmillennium botanist in southern Africa is not justabout publication outputs, but also about stayingpositive and working towards creating and takinggood opportunities.

Ms Janice Golding, SABONET Coordinator’s Office,National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa

n n n

Southern African botany needs to stimulate andsupport sound autecological research (plantreproduction, regeneration and populationbiology) to enable resource managers to overseethe sustainable harvesting of useful plants fromconservation areas. Given the current andexpected demands for, particularly, traditionalmedicines, such essential research already lags bya generation. The timeous remedying of thissituation presents a challenge not only tobotanists, but to the very existence of some oftheir most fascinating subjects.

Dr Neil Crouch, Ethnobotanist, National BotanicalInstitute, Durban, South Africa

n n n

In my opinion there are still many gaps to befilled in botanical data for southern African,moreso outside South Africa and the FSAcountries, eg. compared to European States. Thebiggest challenge is filling up the gaps withoutcompromising the desired quality. In most of ourcountries, the few professionals employed inbotanical institutions are already so thinly spreadon the ground that this goal seems unattainable.This challenge will face us more seriously infuture if our economy, nationally and regionally,deteriorates further. That being the case, capacitybuilding will have to get highest priority, morethan ever before. Hopefully, with SABONET andother regional projects in place, this challengewill be tackled head-on.

Anonymous contributionn n n


The answer to the success of securing the futureof our rich botanical inheritance, lies ineducation. If we do not learn to respect, love,value and cherish our floral treasure, we will notbe able to save it. One of the greatest challengesin the new millennium will be to teach people totake pride in the flora of this magnificentcontinent.

Challenge number one, however, will be to findout exactly what the words “sustainableutilisation” mean! This buzz phrase is usedcarelessly and with enormous implications tonature. No population should be utilised untilsound research proves that this is feasible. Eventhen, we should proceed with caution, keeping inmind that we are tampering with the foundationof the planet.....

Ms Sonnette Krynauw, MpumalangaParks Board Herbarium (LYD)

n n n

The primary challenge facing botany in southernAfrica in the new millennium is to make full useof our unique position of being botanists thatwork in the midst of the world’s richest temperateflora. I see a gradual change from completing themassive task of the naming and describing theflora, to the new challenge of understanding howit all works, i.e. the evolutionary relationshipsbetween the species, the ecological interactionsbetween species and, finally, the sustainableconservation of this rich botanical diversity.

Dr Steve Johnson, School of Botany and Zoology,University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

n n n

While a good measure of botanical research hasbeen done in southern Africa, not much has beendone to articulate this acquired knowledge to theaverage man on the street, urban and rural alike.In the past, scientists were the sole beneficiariesof research. The new millennium, however, willchallenge us as botanists to “go back to ourproverbial roots” engaging more closely withpeople in managing resources with a commongoal. This will set the cornerstone to initiateextensive programmes to combine pure scientific

knowledge with the wisdom acquired throughoutthe ages. The botanist in the new millennium willneed to create a broader awareness of theimportance of botany which will convey a needfor support and continuous campaigning amongstdecision-makers on all government levels.

Dr Hugo Bezuidenhout and Michelle Harck,Kimberley South African National Parks

Herbarium (KSAN)n n n

We need to keep our cutting edge biologicalscience, and especially the systematic biologicalscience, alive. This will require funding andsupport. Over the past century, South Africa hasbeen able to develop some very good systematicbiological research, and it would be a shame tolose it all again. Yet this can easily happen: if wedrop far enough behind, then any good studentswill be advised to do their doctoral thesesoverseas. This will drain the best and brightestout of our universities, further depressing thequality of our local research. Losing our abilityto solve our own problems is a great loss ofindependence. But keeping that ability will needmore than words—it will mean substantialsupport, money, and above all a very wisemanagement of our limited resources!

Prof. Peter Linder, Botany Department, Universityof Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

n n n

The biggest challenge facing botany in southernAfrica in the new millennium is attracting theright people, especially the young ones, andkeeping them motivated. The other challenge is tomaintain and increase the multinationalcollaborations built up at the end of this century.

Mr Anthony Mapaura, National Herbarium andBotanic Garden, Harare, Zimbabwe

n n n

Although, we see the approaching millennium asthe start of a period filled with hope and newbeginnings, it will, in truth, be nothing more thana continuation of trends and fashions (both goodand bad) established in the latter half of this


century. In particular, the problems andchallenges we, as botanists, presently face will becarried into the first half of the new century.Probably the greatest problem facing us will befinancial.

Species are presently being lost at over 100%more than the background extinction rate. SouthAfrica, with over 10% of its vascular flora nowclassified as threatened, is no exception. Between1990 and 2020 (some 30 years) the population isprojected to double from 40 million to 80 million,this latter figure the apparent carrying capacity ofthe country as dictated by its water resources.The doubling of the population means that morehabitat transformation will take place than everbefore. With this loss of habitat we can expect tosee the extinction of a number of species. Formany of these we will know nothing more thantheir names and a brief description. As botanists,we have a pivotal part to play in this crisis. Wenot only have an obligation to do conservationresearch but also to teach that our ultimatesurvival as a nation will be through thesustainable use of these natural resources. Weneed to create a population of South Africans inwhich the vast majority are environmentallyconscious and who will act as protectors ratherthan exploiters. Although conservation hasbecome a popular choice of subject at bothuniversities and technikons, the expertise andfunding of conservation is still not enough totackle the serious environmental problems facingus. As a matter of urgency, conservation researchaimed at alleviating this problem need to beimplemented, even if it doesn’t generate money.This is also unlikely to happen while so manybotanists are tied up with excessiveadministration, fund raising and teaching, andwhile their research is under-funded.

The last few decades have seen the developmentof some exciting new technologies and paradigmshifts. The mushrooming of techniques to handleand analyse DNA and RNA need particularmention. They have been employed in disciplinesas diverse as physiology, taxonomy,biotechnology and even conservation. Thesetechniques will probably dominate much of thebotanical research conducted in the next century.

However, there is a danger that these techniqueswill be used at the expense of less glamorous butjust as productive older techniques. Newparadigms will also continue to play importantroles in the new millennium. One of these,cladistics, has provided us with the ability tomore objectively trace probable phylogenies. Ithas also challenged long-held concepts of groupdefinition and nomenclature. Another newtechnology, the computer, is beginning to changethe way we learn, do research and make money.In the last ten years, the linking of computers toone another has created a worldwide network thatwill allow the almost instantaneous transfer ofdigitised information. This has produced arevolution almost unparalleled since the inventionof the car and electricity. It is a revolution thathas touched almost all aspects of our lives andwill also change the way we do biology. We haveproduced a brave new world dominated more andmore by technology related to information.

The greatest opportunities are going to be in themarriage of Botany and Information Technology—what I call BIT. Information is a resource thatcan be used to generate money, a fact that hasbeen grasped by the First World. Science, inparticular, botany and zoology with their millionsof specimens in museums and herbaria, willbenefit form the IT revolution. Already databasesexist for chromosome numbers, herbariumcollections, plants names, plus innumerableothers. We are also beginning to see theproduction of the first interactive keys for plantidentification. In the new millennium it willprobably be information technology that willbring on the greatest changes; it will shape ourworld in ways that we are still unaware.

It is becoming evident that botany, once a gentlescience, is now at the cutting edge of several newtechnological fronts. Botanists can no longer sitquietly in their laboratories or herbaria expectingthe status quo to protect their livelihood.Nowadays botanists need to continually retrain sothat they are familiar with new technologies andphilosophies, and so that they are able to meetemerging needs. There is a need to stay currentand to continually refocus. We have already seensome mass refocusing, disciplines such as


taxonomy, ecology and physiology have fallingstudent numbers while conservation,biotechnology and molecular biology are allbetter supported. Refocusing has, unfortunately,led to the virtual disappearance of somedisciplines. Anatomists were once part of almostevery botany department; these days it is difficultto find a department that has one. Every secondjob advertised requires expertise in molecularmethods, but when last did you see a jobadvertised for a lichenologist? There is a definiteloss of expertise in many fields. I believe that ifwe do not have the will to support these non-profit making disciplines, the science of botany isgoing to regret their virtual demise sometime inthe future.

Dr Ashley Nicholas, University ofDurban-Westville, Durban, South Africa

n n n

The rate and magnitude of change in the newmillennium will have no precedent - globally.The major challenges for South African botanywill be those also facing the globe. How willglobal plant ecological knowledge match up to theneed to understand the consequences ofunprecedented change? There is an irony. Weunderstand much about plant performance withinthe comfort zone of limited change. However, weusually have to rely on vague inference regardingconditions for existence and non-existence ofmost plant taxa.

The next millennium will be the greatest yet formixing of floras due to globalisation transfers,changing climate and unpredictable geneticallyaltered plants. It is likely that even the concept of“alien species” will ultimately disappear. Result-ing ecosystems of novel biotic composition withnovel interactions will require new understandingagainst a backdrop of increasing rates of radicalland use change and probably insidious pollution.Our approaches will need to shift from those ofthe awkward multi-disciplinary patchwork tothose centred on integrated multi-hierarchicalsystems. This will not happen overnight. Butthere are other starting points, also in SouthAfrica. One of these is to initiate systematicassessment of life and death scenarios for plant

taxa. The future of biodiversity and its usedepends on such actions. Clearly, the evolutionof ethics, affected by engineered changes such asa possibly dramatic extension in human age, islikely to bear heavily not only on ourunderstanding of biodiversity but also on theextent of its existence by the year 3000.

Dr Michael C. Rutherford, Kirstenbosch Research Centre,National Botanical Institute, Cape Town, South Africa

n n n

The dawn of the new millennium seems to be agood opportunity to envision realistically whatcan and could be achieved in botany in SouthAfrica in the first few years of the 21st century.But indeed, not dreaming unrealistically aboutpies in the sky, detached from reality. Let onerather plan around tangible, achievable goals inresearch, training and scientific service deliveryto various communities. Dreaming with one’sfeet squarely on the ground, so to speak. The aimof the following few paragraphs is not to dealcomprehensively with all or even a reasonablecross-section of aspects of botany in SouthAfrica. It is rather to provide a few ideas onwhere one could focus attention in some fields ofbotanical endeavour for the foreseeable future.

Every botanist working in South Africa has amandate, a duty in fact, to document and studythe country’s rich flora and vegetation and theintricate processes governing their physiologicalpathways. No one else is better positioned to dothis. Indeed, we are uniquely placed to addressmost if not all of the needs of the country, thesubcontinent and the international community asfar as the indigenous and naturalised floras andvegetation of our country are concerned. Notonly accumulating data, but analysing anddisseminating it appropriately to information-hungry end-users. For example, would it notserve an excellent purpose to create a ‘state-of-

Conservatism (more of the same)versus

Liberalism (thinking big):aspects of botany in the new millennium


the-art’ published (and web-based?) informationsystem on southern African plants (perhapsfocusing initially on medicinal, poisonous andfood plants). Such a system should ideally havekeys and, if electronic, database search facilitiesand an interactive plant identification capabilityfrom which information about plant names(scientific and vernacular), descriptive morphological,biological and ecological information could beobtained. Other aspects could include illustrations(such as habit, flowers, fruits, habitat anddiagnostic characters), utilisation information(medicinal, food, other), with a facility togenerate distribution maps for all species. Thesystem could be further enhanced by providinghorticultural information, including cultivation,propagation and horticultural attributes. Some ofthe first products to be delivered in a chain ofevents aimed at achieving such an integrated,published system on the southern African florawill be an annotated checklist of all medicinallyimportant plants and of the seed plant familiesand genera. Both are being finalised and are dueto appear in 2000.

The last few decades of the 20th century havebeen characterised by the accumulation of analmost inordinate amount of data on the southernAfrican flora. Countries of our subcontinent mustindeed be some of the world leaders when itcomes to generating botanical information!! Butthese data should now be analysed and put towork for us. The time is ripe to apply multi-disciplinary approaches to the data with an aim toderive a great diversity of products that wouldfurther emphasise the relevance of botanicalinformation in a rapidly developing society.

But the preserved and living botanical collections,inventories of plants at the organism-level andvegetation types are not yet complete. Thisimportant fact should also be emphasised. Muchfunding and effort would still be required toensure that the flora and vegetation areadequately catalogued.

Furthermore, this is a time to seek newconnections and sustain the existing support baseof South African botany. Through workingclosely with colleagues in various biological

sectors and with sponsors and stakeholders,botanists should further strengthen their efforts tomaintain and indeed develop relevance. Theefforts required to achieve this will only becomemore challenging, particularly in a worldnowadays dominated by a generation who findsmost of its entertainment from couch-slouching infront of a television screen. The productsemanating from our research efforts shouldtherefore be a healthy mixture of traditional,hardcore science and modern, consumer-drivenoutputs. For example, producing monographsunravelling the intricacies of relationshipsamongst species, genera and even families shouldnot be negotiable: they remain the basis for muchof our research efforts in other subdisciplines,such as high-profile biological conservationthrusts and predicting the effects of global climatechange on species composition and vegetationchange. However, these monographic and otherproducts should be presented in such a way that awider spectrum than our immediate colleaguesunderstand and value them for what they are: ameans of comprehensively disseminating criticalbiological information on our flora that allows usto produce predictable classification systems.Such systems in turn are important for us (andanyone else for that matter) to understand andsustainably manage our precious and perishableplant resources.

Contacts with our counterparts abroad should befurther strengthened, especially through SouthAfrican researchers visiting overseasorganisations and through us hosting foreignvisitors in South Africa. But no longer shouldapproaches be entertained whereby local botanistsare relegated to playing a secondary role inaccessing research material only, with perhaps atbest a rather unsatisfactory invitation of co-authorship extended, with no possibility ofmaking an intellectual contribution to thepublished end-product.

I could go on..., but suffice it to say that finally Iwould like to record here my sincere appreciationfor and gratitude to all those involved in andsupportive of South African botany, for theirgenerous contributions and unfailing efforts tounlock the mysteries of the richest temperate


flora and vegetation on the face of the globe. Thesustained involvement of a broad range ofsponsors and benefactors has enabled plantscientists to make substantial progress in researchand service delivery during the last few decadesof the 20th century. By increasingly combiningPERFORMANCE and DELIVERY withSTRATEGY, it is anticipated that this supportwill continue well into the future. What more canI say...?

Prof. Gideon Smith, Research and Scientific Services,National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa

n n n

Possibly the biggest challenge facing southernAfrican botany in the new millennium is globalchange. The effects of change in climate, landuse and the dispersal of new species around theglobe will be the issue for the southern Africanbotanical research community. In order tomonitor and predict changes in speciesdistribution detailed correlation between presentdistribution of species and environmentalvariables, as well as experimental work to testhypotheses derived from such correlations, willbe needed to distinguish between realised andfundamental niche restrictions. In addition,system ecological considerations will have to begiven to understand the potential of the southernAfrican ecosystems in the release or capture ofcarbon to and from the atmosphere and thecontribution to the global carbon cycle. This hasbecome particularly pressing as a political issuesince the Kyoto Conference. It appears to me thatwe should expect some of the most importantcontributions to be made by botanists in the fieldof biogeography, ecophysiology and systemecology.

Dr Elmar Veenendaal, Harry OppenheimerOkavango Research Centre, Maun, Botswana

n n n

In response to this, I write as a botanist who hasbeen involved in policy issues pertaining to therequirements of the Convention on BiologicalDiversity not only to conserve biological diversitybut to promote the sustainable use of itscomponents in a manner that will lead to the fair

and equitable sharing of benefits arising out ofthis utilisation. This implies that, in addition todeveloping a broadly based scientificunderstanding of our ecosystems, it is alsoimportant to understand the range of socio-economic issues which influence the protectionand sustainable use and management ofvegetation. The challenge will be to balance thediverse economic, cultural and social needs ofresidents and the users of such areas with theneed to maintain our natural resources andconserve our biological and cultural heritage. Thefragility of many of the ecosystems, theunpredictable nature of rainfall in many areas andthe harsh economic environment intensifies thischallenge.

Dr Maureen Wolfson, Education and ResearchSupport, National Botanical Institute,

Pretoria, South African n n

• Continued on page 184


As a horticulturist involved in building andmaintaining botanical gardens for most of myworking life, I have found the visits with theSABONET team to botanical gardens in southernAfrica fascinating. I have been inspired by thevast diversity of indigenous flora, the climate, thenatural beauty of the environment and theenthusiasm of the staff. There is tremendouspotential to develop these gardens along theconventional lines to which I am so accustomed.

The greatest challenge in realising this greatpotential is to overcome the almost total lack ofinfrastructure, skills and expertise. But does theanswer really lie in imposing first world conceptson a third world community? To my mind thefirst step is to bridge this gap. We need tointroduce concepts that will inspire the localpeople, that will meet their needs, that willstimulate their interest and that will enableunderstanding of the principles, practicalities andpurpose of a botanical garden. The challenge forthe millennium is to raise the consciousness ofthe local communities towards valuing the naturalenvironment and motivating them to take theinitiative in developing and preserving theirheritage for the benefit of all their people and forfuture generations.

Mr John Winter, Gardens & Horticultural Services,National Botanical Institute,Kirstenbosch, South Africa

n n n

Botany, like many other fields in science, hastraditionally been the domain of a privileged few.This dynamic and exciting field needs to getexposure and become accessible to a wider groupof individuals. For this to happen, botany needsto be promoted from a grassroots level. The needfor conservation, preservation and an apprecia-tion for our natural environment have to beinstilled in the youth.

As we move away from conventional medicinestowards traditional medicines, botany will play anincreasingly important role in the area of naturalremedies. Advances in technology, includingthose at molecular level, and the knowledge andexperience owned by those who use these

remedies through generations will supplementeach other provided that these are, at the veryleast, considered. As a consequence of the wideracceptance of the role of botany in naturalmedicines, the manufacturing of quality productswill be inevitable.

Ms Ferozah Conrad, Compton Herbarium,National Botanical Institute,Kirstenbosch, South Africa

n n n

I believe to be effective in promoting botany, weas botanists should be much more pragmatic inour approach and realising, that because we lovenature and plants in particular and understand theneed for conservation, does not necessarily meanthat other people share our passion, knowledge,interest, understanding or commitment.

Greater emphasis should therefore be placed oninformal education, and programmes, includingradio and TV, should be developed to focus onwhat is of relevance to, and within the grasp ofthe man in the street, as well as to increase thelevel of knowledge and understanding of ecologyin its widest sense. These programmes should bestimulating, aiming to illustrate the delicatebalance in nature, and because most humans areself-centered, how mankind is affected if thisbalance is disturbed.

Dr Daan Botha, Gardens & Horticultural Services,National Botanical Institute,Kirstenbosch, South Africa

n n n

The biggest challenge facing botanists—and allbiological scientists for that matter—in southernAfrica, will be convincing politicians,developers, policy and decision makers thatconservation of biological diversity will pay offin the long term. We will have to find ways ofquantifying the value of biological resources andbe able to provide hard facts and figures, becauseblack-on-white financial implications seem to bethe only way of convincing developers and policymakers to even consider conservation of thenatural environment. We will have to find waysand be able to make suggestions on how to best

44 Continued from page 183


combine economic development and conservationof biological diversity.

Ms Herta Kolberg, National Plant GeneticResources Centre, NBRI, Windhoek, Namibia

n n n

As botanists in southern Africa, one of our mainchallenges in the new millennium will be toconserve the rich biodiversity of southern Africa.The ever increasing population will mean morehousing developments, more food to be producedand more fuel and water required. All thesethreats will impose more demands on our naturalvegetation, especially the wetlands. More damswill be constructed to supply more water, thusimpeding the flow of water. Over and above thiswetlands are often regarded as the dumping areasfor industrial waste or unwanted areas that can bereclaimed for other purposes. All theseperceptions need to be changed. There needs tobe better liaison between the various ResearchInstitutions, the commercial sector, in particularenvironmental management companies that doimpact studies or restore wetlands and nurseriesas well as with the legislative sector.

Aquatic botanists need to arouse a greaterawareness of these vulnerable habitats, especiallywith regard to plants. They need to inform andeducate the public why it is essential to save ournatural wetland flora. This requires more fieldguides. These guides need to be affordable andwritten in such a manner that ‘the man in street’can understand or, should we say, ‘that the manin the bog is not bogged down’ by botanicaljargon.

This challenge can be met if there is a mindchange amongst aquatic scientists. We need toforsake our ‘possessiveness of our particularresearch’ and unite as a strong force that canconfront the materialistic, sadly sometimescorrupt, commercial sector.

SABONET has already established a network insouthern Africa. We as aquatic botanists, need togo into the next millennium nurturing thesechannels of communication and collaboration thathave been made accessible to us.

Ms René Glen, National Herbarium, NationalBotanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa

n n n

“The SIXTH GREAT extinction spasm ofgeological time is upon us, grace of mankind”—Edward Wilson (1992)

But how deep has this SIXTH extinction spasmalready eroded into the landscape of life? Andwhat is its measure against the five previousspasms since life first took root on the continentssome 450 million years back? Can we claim forour subcontinent the record richness in extantterrestrial life and how far has this beenundermined? We don’t know!

In answering these questions and leading a mega-paradigm shift in human outlook, the southernAfrican botanical fraternity has the mostprofound role to play in the opening years of thenew millennium.

Dr John Anderson, Palaeobotany,National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa

n n n

“In the past 50 years, by onereckoning, the working vocabularyof the average 14-year-old hasdeclined from some 25,000 wordsto 10,000 words (Spretnak1997)......in roughly the same halfcentury the average person hascome to recognize over 1000corporate logos but can nowrecognize fewer than 10 plantsand animals native to his or herlocality.”(David W. Orr, ConservationBiology 13(4): 696-699, August 1999)


Southern African botany must change from aEuro-centric science to one that is effectivelyAfro-centric. Since botanical science is one of themajor driving forces of environmentalconservation awareness, it is only a productive,motivated and community-involved botanicalfraternity which will have any chance of haltingthe environmental degradation of southernAfrica. Botany and its relevance to the world inwhich we live has to be understood andappreciated by all southern Africans, from themost influential politicians and businessmen, tothe poorest rural farmers.

Mr John Burrows, Buffelskloof Private NatureReserve & Herbarium, Lydenburg, South Africa

n n n

Challenges for southern African botany are: thedevelopment of skilled manpower in taxonomyand plant conservation in the countries;promotion of plant resources (both terrestrial andmarine flora) for the benefit of the people.

Dr Salomão Bandeira, LMU Herbarium,EduardoMondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique

n n n

As we exit this millennium, we remember someinfluential mind shifts in the botanical world. Forinstance, we started to move slowly away fromcolonial gardens tainted with exotics, to gardensin tune with southern African verdant vegetation.Why this sudden mind-shift? There was publicityof the advantages of changing from exotic toindigenous, and public awareness inspired theshift.

As we enter the new millennium, southernAfrican botany is charged with severalchallenges: conservation of our rich diversity,competing with technocrats for students andprofessionals, producing wise botanists,networking with southern Africa andinternationally, creating seed banks, saving rarespecies, and initiating and hosting a SouthernAfrican Flower Show. All of these areguaranteed to succeed through a precedingprimary activity viz. AWARENESS. The greatestchallenge facing southern African, in fact

African, botany is an enterprising awarenesscampaign. Imagine talking to a potential sponsorwho is already enlightened about our challenges.Imagine an inflow of students towards botanybecause they recognise the challenges and want tobe part of it. Imagine not having to vigorouslypromote a plant book on sale, because the publiccan see where it fits in.

Let us begin the new millennium by empoweringcouncillors, government officials,parliamentarians and Heads of States of SADC(Southern African Development Community)countries. Let us challenge Heads of States toreach out in a 10-minute broadcast (concurrently)to their citizens, on our rich green heritage. Wehave to develop the interest and arouse curiosity.A rare orchid in Malawi, for example, should beshown on telly in all SADC countries. Themessage should be, ‘It’s our responsibility andpride as southern African citizens to care for andprotect such plants’. In short then, let us“politicise” southern African botany!

Ms Yashica Singh, Natal Herbarium, NationalBotanical Institute, Durban, South Africa

n n n

As an amateur botanist and a farmer who has tomake a living from the natural environment, Ifind that the modern cavalier attitude towardsfundamental knowledge of the environment isinexplicable. Farming without a clear knowledgeof the individual components of the environment(in this case, my farm), their distribution and themanner in which they function as integral parts ofthe environment leads to a simple situation. Ashort term “mining” of the environment’sresources to my ephemeral benefit is, sooner orlater, followed by bankruptcy.

The dependency of humanity on the world’senvironmental resources for its survival isunquestioned. It merely represents a form ofmacro-farming. We all understand that ifhumanity continues to make environmentalmanagement decisions without such basicunderstanding of its components and theirfunctioning as is required in farming, then thesame failure of the system will occur.


I believe that botany in all its facets should beplaying a much greater and more forceful role insafeguarding those building blocks of all life —our indigenous plants.

Mr Tony Abbott, Umtamvuna Nature ReserveHerbarium, Port Edward, South Africa

n n n

I see the most important challenge being revisionsof all the succulent plant genera of South Africa,followed by popular guides which makesidentification for the lay person simple andunderstandable.

Publication of regional field guides. Thepopularisation of botany by producing practicalhandbooks making botany easily understandableto the layman and thus further marketing andpopularisation of our flora. Also producingpublications dealing with practical botany such asgrowing of indigenous plants.

Mr Ernst van Jaarsveld, National Botanical Institute,Kirstenbosch, South Africa

n n n

The research questions to be tackled in the newmillennium are, of course, as many and varied asthe botanists who are there to tackle them, andwill be limited solely by the imaginations of thoseresponsible. And that is both our strength andweakness. As I see it, the most important singlechallenge facing southern African botany israising the funds to continue providing existingand future botanists with the most exciting andintellectually satisfying career imaginable. Themost obvious way of doing this is to convincepoliticians that Botany is Essential. The next mostobvious is to do the same to large privateconcerns. But how to do that?.....I leave that tobotanists of a more political bent.

Dr Hugh Glen, National Herbarium, NationalBotanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa

n n n

The most important challenge facing southernAfrican botany in the new millennium is that ofproducing high quality science while at the same

time directing government in their attempts tomitigate the impacts of southern African societieson the region’s botanical resources. This can onlybe done if southern African botanists link witheducators in raising people’s awareness of theregion’s spectacular floral richness. Quality,relevancy, education and training encapsulate thechallenges which lie ahead.

Dr Timm Hoffman, Ecology and ConservationSubdirectorate, National Botanical Institute,

Kirstenbosch, South African n n

I see two main challenges for botany, and inparticular for plant taxonomy. Firstly there is theneed to convince governments of the importanceof plants, and research in general, to ensuremaintenance and expansion of herbaria in theregion. Secondly, taxonomists should becomemore dynamic to initiate and support nationalinitiatives in close collaboration withgovernments, botanical institutes and otherconservation bodies.

Ms Marinda Koekemoer, National Herbarium,Pretoria, South Africa

n n n

I believe that the biggest challenge facingsouthern African botany in the new millennium ishow to justify spending money on botanicalresearch when poverty-stricken people are dyingfrom disease and hunger. Therefore thechallenges are to find ways to solve the realproblems that we face, such as food shortages,water shortages, and in fact growing shortages ofnatural resources. I believe that the real problem-solving botanical research includes that which isgeared towards priority issues in the ThirdWorld. The following are what I consider thepriority issues:• Food shortages: genetic engineering, e.g.

making crops resistant to diseases, pesticides,etc., bringing the costs down and limitingshortages;

• Diseases such as Ebola and AIDS: (a) biopros-pecting will hopefully lead to the creation ofnew drugs; (b) conservation may prevent theextinction of potential species before their


medicinal use (or that of others in the chain) isdiscovered;

• Weighing up conservation versus benefits tothe community; and

• Job creation: how can botany be used in thisway?

Ms Janine Victor, National Herbarium, NationalBotanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa

n n n

The end of this century has seen southern Africanherbaria move from being “MysteriousMuseums” of the few to active centres of plantresearch that contribute information that isessential for national development. The challengein the new millennium is to maintain thismomentum of demystifying these institutions sothat their relevance in national developmentbecomes increasingly unquestionable by thegeneral public.

Ms Nozipo Nobanda, National Herbarium andBotanic Garden, Harare, Zimbabwe q

In a recent article in Adansonia, Breteler,Ferguson, Gasson & ter Welle (1997), reducedthe monotypic genus Colophospermum Kirk exJ.Léonard to a species of Hardwickia Roxb.(previously also monotypic with the Indianspecies H. binata Roxb.). This change of the wellknown name C. mopane (Kirk ex Benth.) Kirk exJ.Léonard for the common and widespreadarborescent ‘mopane’ to H. mopane (Kirk exBenth.) Breteler, caused some confusion amongbotanists, ecologists, nature lovers etc. insouthern Africa.

However, Léonard (1999) in an article (inFrench) in Bulletin du Jardin Botanique Nationalde Belgique, provides convincing arguments,based on taxonomic grounds, for not accepting

Colophospermum mopane is the correct name for the ‘mopane’

by Mienkie Welman

EDITORS’ NOTE:Prof. Léonard’s note on Colophospermum (in French) published in Bulletin du Jardin BotaniqueNational de Belgique 67 in 1999 was an important document. As we felt it necessary for southernAfrican botanists to be able to read and consider what was published in the note, we have asked MsWelman to summarise her translation of his note. This summary has been sent to Prof. Léonard inBelgium, who agreed to Ms Welman publishing the summarised and translated note in this newsletter.

the above name change. It would be useful forreaders of SABONET News to look at a summaryof Léonard’s article:

All the authors who have had occasion in the pastto study the two above mentioned genera,included in the tribe Detarieae of the Leguminosae(Caesalpinioideae), have kept them separate intheir keys and no one has noted the existence ofparticular affinities between them. Breteler et al.based their conclusion on a comparativeexamination of the pollen, the wood anatomy andsome macromorphological characters.

a. The pollenThe pollen of the two monotypic genera studiedby Ferguson is very similar and belongs to a very


particular type (pantoporate), very rarelyencountered in the Leguminosae. The pollen ofHardwickia however, is distinguished, at firstsight, from that of Colophospermum by itsmicroreticulate exine, whereas the exine ofColophospermum is reticulate.

Ferguson concluded by saying that the existenceof common macromorphological characters couldconfirm the idea that this special type of pollenencountered in Hardwickia and Colophospermumcould in reality be the reflection of an affinitybetween them.

Léonard states that it is because he is influencedby the existence of common macromorphologicalcharacters in the genera Hardwickia andColophospermum that Ferguson considered thisparticular type of pollen, not as could beinterpreted as a phenomenon of convergence(secondary adaptation to wind pollination), butrather as an indication of a real affinity betweenthese two genera.

b. The wood anatomyAccording to the anatomical descriptions of thewood of C. mopane and H. binata provided byGasson & ter Welle, it appears clearly that, apartfrom small differences, the structure of the woodof these two species is very similar fromnumerous points of view. The absence of axialcanals in the wood of these two species probablyconstitutes a very important character. Thesecanals, in fact, are very often present in the woodof other genera of the tribe and their absence inColophospermum and Hardwickia could thereforebe the indication of particular affinities betweenthem. In conclusion, these two authors said, thesetwo genera should be united.

Léonard stresses that the classification ofphanerogams in genera rests, above all, on themacromorphological analysis of the flower, aswell as of the fruit and the seed. It is very clearthat it is suitable for the systematist to searchequally for characters in other disciplines, suchas palynology, xylology, blastogeny and manyothers. The ideal is to find a concordancebetween the macromorphological characters andthose based on other disciplines.

Meanwhile, in cases of disagreement betweenthese diverse characters, the priority shouldremain with the macromorphological characterson which systematics rests. It is for thesystematist, after most profound morphologicalstudies, to take the responsibility to decide:separate or unite. The researchers of relateddisciplines should ‘remain in their role ofinformant of the systematist and not unsettle theclassification themselves’.

c. The macromorphological charactersBreteler gave a list of characters common to thegenera Colophospermum and Hardwickia, someof which, he said, in that tribe exist only in thesetwo genera. He then enumerated the differencesbetween these two genera, but concluded, withoutmuch explanation, by putting the two genera insynonymy and in transferring C. mopane to thegenus Hardwickia. Since then the latter consistsof two species which he distinguished as follows:

‘Leaflets obscurely pellucid-dotted, with 4–6palmately arranged nerves; flowers with (4–) 5sepals and with 10 (–11) stamens; fruit straight,strap-shaped, with a proximal wing.India ........................................ H. binata.Leaflets very distinctly pellucid-dotted, with 8–11palmately arranged nerves; flowers with 4 sepalsand with 20–25 stamens; fruit curved, reniform,with a very narrow wing at one side. Southerntropical Africa............................................H. mopane.’

Léonard comments as follows:1. It is quite true that in flower, C. mopane and

H. binata resemble one another at first sight.This aspect of similarity is above all due to thepresence of unijugate leaves in these twospecies, but this character also exists in othergenera of the tribe;

2. Breteler gave a long list of the characterscommon to the two genera. It is logical sincethe two genera are neighbours in the same tribe;

3. It should be remarked meanwhile, that severalcharacters, among those cited as common tothe two genera, are not exclusive to them, butare also found in other genera of the tribe.Breteler moreover acknowledged this, as forexample some translucid points in the leaflets,


the absence of a corolla, the presence of asingle ovule in the ovary and even stronglyruminate cotyledons. These last characters thenare not themselves the reflection of particularaffinities between these two genera;

4. Breteler then enumerated the differencesbetween the two genera. These arecomparatively fewer in number. No comment-ary accompanies this enumeration of distinctivecharacters before the author places the genusColophospermum in synonymy under the genusHardwickia;

5. It is to be noted, on the other hand, thatnumerous distinctive characters between thesetwo genera are not mentioned by the author,such as those discussed below.

6. Breteler insisted too much on the similaritiesbetween the two genera and not enough on thecharacters which separate them. It is notbecause genera present common characters,even numerous and sometimes exclusive ones,that it is necessary to put them in synonymy.Affinities and putting in synonymy should notbe confused. They are totally differentconcepts.

7. The fundamental role of the systematist is tostudy all the differences between groups,afterwards establish the value, generic orspecific, of those differences, and, only finally,to decide on the maintenance or the union ofthe groups studied;

8. Breteler neither having proceeded to thedetermination of the systematic value of thelisted distinctive characters, nor havingfurnished commentary on their subject, thereader has to try to interpret the ideas of theauthor. He judges nevertheless, at the readingof his text, that the author accorded to thedistinctive characters listed by him, only aspecific value, as he put the two genera insynonymy;

9. In proceeding in this way, the author,unconsciously no doubt, worked in a subjectivemanner and not in an objective manner. As asubject, he relied on his impressions(subjectivity) and did not try to translate thereality of the facts studied (objectivity). Thesystematist, let us remember, is not free todetermine arbitrarily the value of thecharacters, it is the facts which should lead himto determine that value.

Léonard now reviews the principal differenceswhich have been observed between the generaColophospermum and Hardwickia and tries tospecify their systematic values.

1. The number of sepalsThe number of sepals is always 4 inColophospermum and 5 in Hardwickia. Thischaracter is used in keys to separate these twogenera. In almost all the genera of the tribeDetarieae, the number of sepals is always 4.Very rare are the species of those genera whereare encountered, moreover, flowers with 5sepals. In this tribe, only a few genera possessflowers of which the calyx is always composed of5 sepals. These observations then show that ineach of the genera of the tribe, there is only asingle number of sepals in the flower. Thenumber of sepals then represents a character ofgeneric value in the Detarieae tribe. To considerarbitrarily this character as having only a specificvalue results in placing in the same genus aspecies of type K4 with a species of type K5,rendering from this fact the retained genusheterogeneous, contrary to all the other genera inthe tribe.

2. The aestivation of the calyxIn Colophospermum, the aestivation of the calyxis clearly alternative. In Hardwickia, on thecontrary, the aestivation of the calyx is imbricate.In the Detarieae tribe, the majority of generapossess calyces with an imbricate aestivation. In acertain number of genera, by contrast, thisaestivation is subvalvate. Clearly, a distinctlyalternative aestivation is rare. There is then inevery genus of the tribe only one type ofaestivation of the calyx. This character thenpossesses a very important generic value. Thefusion of the genera Colophospermum andHardwickia results then in the establishment of aheterogeneous genus within which coexist twoclearly distinct types of aestivation of the calyx.

3. The number of stamensThe flowers of H. binata always have 10stamens, rarely 11, whereas those of C. mopanepossess 20–25. In the Detarieae tribe, the flowersof a large number of genera contain only 10stamens. In other genera, this number variesslightly and oscillates between (8–) 10 (–13), but


the basic number of 10 remains. Rare are thegenera where the flowers show a much smallernumber of fertile stamens, as for example 7(8) inAfzelia Sm. Equally rare are the genera where thenumber of stamens is always distinctly more than10, as for example Colophospermum with 20–25stamens. One sees then in the Detarieae tribe,that the number of stamens generally remainconstant in the same genus and only rarely ismore than 10 (–13). This character is thengenerically important in the tribe. It presents ageneric value and certainly more than a specificvalue.

4. The surface of the anthersIn C. mopane, the surface of the anthers issmooth, whereas in H. binata, the anthers areverrucose. This last character, very particularly,seems to be very rare in the tribe. Its value ismanifestly more than specific. It is assuredlycorrelative, that is to say that this character canbe used in addition to distinguish the genera whena group of other distinctive characters of genericvalue allow us to separate them.

5. Presence or absence of a discIn H. binata, there is no disc in the flower; thestamens are inserted around the ovary. In C.mopane, on the contrary, there is a disc in theflower. The stamens originate from below aslightly crenulated disc which itself, encircles thesomewhat stipitate base of the ovary. Thepresence or absence of an organ, in the presentcase a disc, evidently constitutes a very importantdistinctive character. In the tribe Detarieae, theflowers of all the species of numerous genera donot possess a disc, but equally numerous are thegenera of which the flowers of all the speciesinclude a disc. The presence or absence of a discthen constitutes a character of generic value.

6. The position of the styleIn H. binata, the style is terminal, on the ovaryas well as on the fruit. In C. mopane, on thecontrary, the style is inserted laterally on theovary. This character is again accentuated on thefruit of Colophospermum which gives theimpression of having made a rotation of 90°showing again the remains of the style clearly onthe side. In the majority of genera in the tribe,the style is terminal or subterminal on the ovary.

The circumstance of the style very clearly lateralon the fruit seems to be very rare. In the presentcase, this character presents an at leastcorrelative value to distinguish Colophospermumfrom the genus Hardwickia.

7. The fruitThe fruits of C. mopane and of H. binata arevery different.

In Hardwickia, the fruit is elongated, terminatedby the remains of the style and is thenlongitudinally symmetrical. It is composed of along wing-shaped inferior part and a slightlyinflated terminal part enclosing the seed. Theveins which traverse the fruits of H. binata areall longitudinal and are directed towards thesummit of the fruit. The fruit of H. binata opens,slowly, by apical dehiscence.

In Colophospermum, on the contrary, the fruit isreniform, the remains of the style are lateral,and, consequently, the fruit is longitudinallyasymmetrical. The fruit does not include a wing-shaped inferior part and the seed occupies thewhole fruit. The margin of the rounded part ofthe fruit is slightly winged.The veins whichtraverse the fruit mostly emanate from therounded part of the fruit and are laterally directedtowards the remains of the style. The fruits ofColophospermum are indehiscent or open, veryslowly indeed, by lateral dehiscence.

In the Detarieae, apart from slight secondaryvariations, all the species of the samehomogeneous genus possess, most often, thesame type of fruit. The structure of the fruit inthis way, furnishes an excellent character ofgeneric value. Putting then arbitrarily in the samegenus fruits as different as those ofColophospermum and Hardwickia results inmaking that genus more heterogeneous again.

8. The seedThe seeds of the genera Colophospermum andHardwickia are totally different.

In Colophospermum, the seed, occupying thewhole fruit, has taken the form of the latter; it istherefore reniform and the radicle is lateral. Onthe other hand, the seeds are clearly winged



s The principal characters separating the genera Hardwickia Roxb. and Colophospermum Kirk ex J.Léonard:A–B, open calyx with 5 or 4 sepals (x3); C–D, aestivation of the calyx imbricate or alternate (x5); E–F,androecium with 10(11) stamens with disc absent or with 20–25 stamens with disc present (x4); F’, detail showingthe disc (x8); G–H, anther verrucose or smooth (x12); I–J, ovary with style terminal or lateral (x6).(A,C, Lushington s.n.; B,D,H,J, Teixeira 1539; E, Gamble 15258; FBF’, Phipps 2414; G,I, Khan 2319).Drawings and translated caption reproduced with permission from Léonard’s article published in Bulletin du JardinBotanique National de Belgique 67: 21–43 (1999). Drawings by Antonio Fernandez.


s The principal characters separating the genera Hardwickia Roxb. and Colophospermum Kirk ex J.Léonard:A–B, fruit elongated, longitudinally symmetrical, with wing-shaped inferior part and with terminal part slightlyswollen, enclosing the seed, with veins all longitudinal and directed towards the summit of the fruit, with apicaldehiscence or fruit reniform, longitudinally asymmetrical, without wing-shaped inferior part, with seed occupyingthe whole fruit, with veins mostly directed laterally towards the style, with lateral dehiscence (x1); C–D, seedwith surface without resiniferous vesicles, not winged, with terminal radicle or seed covered with numerous largeresiniferous vesicles, clearly winged around the circumference, with lateral radicle (x12); E–F, seed with marginnot changed into mucilage after some time in hot water or seed with wing changed into thick mucilage after sometime in hot water (x12) (A, Jafri 2780; B, Teixeira s.n.; C, E, Wight 874; D,F, Greenway 10590). Drawings andtranslated caption reproduced with permission from Léonard’s article published in Bulletin du Jardin BotaniqueNational de Belgique 67: 21–43 (1999). Drawings by Antonio Fernandez.


along their whole circumference and, above all,their surface is covered with numerous and verycharacteristic large resiniferous, reddish vesicles,sticky and fragrant (whence the name of thegenus proposed by Kirk: colopho-spermum).

Finally, after some time in hot water, not onlythe testa, having become soft and filled withresiniferous vesicles, is lifted with difficulty toshow the cotyledons, but the appearance of theseed is modified. The marginal portion of thetesta (the winged part) is, in effect, muchthickened with a sort of mucilage which, in water,has a tendency to detach itself from the seed.

In Hardwickia, in total contrast, the seed, onlyoccupying the extremity of the fruit, is foundunder an elongated-triangular shape with aterminal radicle. These seeds are not wingedalong their circumference and their surface iswithout resiniferous vesicles. After some time inhot water, not only is the slightly coriaceous testalifted easily by pressure to show the cotyledons,but the appearance of the seed is not modified.

The value of the three characters (position of theradicle, presence or absence of a wing andconsistency of the testa) is at least correlative andthese characters only reinforce the diversedistinctive characters with generic value whichexist between these two genera. By contrast, thepresence in Colophospermum of resiniferousvesicles and the behaviour of the margin of thetesta in water appear to be particularly importantdifferentiating characters. The presence ofresiniferous vesicles on the seeds is altogetherexceptional in the tribe. This character presents ageneric value. In practically all the genera of thetribe, the testa of seeds plunged into hot water, isnot modified. The case of Colophospermum isaltogether exceptional and this transformationinto mucilage of the margin of the testa whenplunged into water presents a generic value.To conclude this comparative examination of theseeds, it is proper to underline the fact that thecombination of the quoted characters belonging tothe seeds of Colophospermum has not beenobserved in any other genus of the tribe.

Therefore it does not appear at all indicated toplace in the same genus seeds differing on this

point such as those of Colophospermum andHardwickia.

9. The translucid points in the leafletsWhereas these translucid points are alwaysabundant and very visible in transparency in theleaflets of Colophospermum, in Hardwickia, bycontrast, we have not seen any in transparency.Breteler said that there are some, but in muchsmaller number and less visible. In the presentcase, this character presents at the most only acorrelative value.

10. The geographical distributionIt is quite evident that the geographicaldistribution does not constitute, on its own, acharacter of systematic value, even if Hardwickiais localised on the Indian continent andColophospermum in the southern African region.One is struck, however, that in Africa the area ofC. mopane is almost entirely situated in theZambezian regional centre of endemism withsome infringements into the Karoo-Namibregional centre of endemism and into theKalahari-Highveld regional transition zone. Theflora of this Zambezian regional centre ofendemism is composed of about 8 500 species, ofwhich about 54% are endemic to the centre.

In view of all the important macromorphologicaldifferences separating these two genera quotedabove, one is entitled to ask if the ‘mopane’,growing in a region with a high degree ofendemism, did not differentiate there genericallyin the course of time since the separation of theAfrican and Indian continents. In the presentcase, this character of geographical distributionappears then like a character of at leastcorrelative value.

The re-establishment of the genus Colophospermumrenders it all its phytogeographic significance.Colophospermum again becomes an endemicZambezian genus, rather than being relegated tothe rank of an endemic Zambezian species of anAfro-Indian genus.

COLOPHOSPERMUM DISTINCT FROM HARDWICKIA

In concluding this objective comparative analysisof the distinctive macromorphological characters,it appears clearly that the genus Colophospermum



is distinguished from the genus Hardwickia by anensemble of characters, some with generic value,others with correlative value. All these charactersbelong not only to the structure of the flowers,but also to the structure of the fruits and theseeds. The result of this analysis is that thesystematist can not put these two genera insynonymy.

The characters common to these two genera,characters of a systematic value most certainlynot negligible (such as the absence of bracteolesand the absence of axial canals in the wood) areto be interpreted, as a reflection of the affinitiesexisting between these genera. With regard tofiliform filaments and the common structure ofthe pollen, characters favouring pollination by thewind, it could be explained, as suggested initiallyby Ferguson, as a convergence phenomenon.

In conclusion, the following key allows easyseparation of the genera Hardwickia andColophospermum:

Sepals (4) 5; aestivation of the calyx imbricate;stamens 10 (11); disc absent; fruits elongated,longitudinally symmetrical, with a wing-shapedinferior part and a somewhat inflated terminalpart enclosing the seed, with veins alllongitudinal, directed towards the summit of thefruit, with apical dehiscence; seeds with surfacewithout resiniferous vesicles, not winged, withmargin not changing into mucilage after a time inhot water, with a terminal radicle and a testa,after being plunged in hot water, being liftedeasily; anthers verrucose; style terminal on theovary and on the fruit; leaflets with not manytranslucid points and very little visible;India ....................................... Hardwickia

Sepals 4; aestivation of the calyx alternative;stamens 20–25; disc present; fruits reniform,longitudinally asymmetrical, without inferiorwing-shaped part, with seed occupying the wholefruit, with veins mostly directed laterally towardsthe style, indehiscent or with slow lateraldehiscence; seeds covered with numerous largeresiniferous vesicles, clearly winged along thewhole circumference, with the wing changing

into a thick mucilage after some time in hotwater, with lateral radicle and with a testa, afterbeing plunged in hot water, being lifted withdifficulty; anthers smooth; style lateral on theovary and on the fruit; leaflets with abundant andvery visible translucid points; Africa (Zambezianregional centre of endemism) ..............................................................Colophospermum

NOTES

1. Considering Léonard’s conclusive article, it isclear that the proposal to conserve the nameColophospermum made by Smith, Timberlakeand van Wyk (Taxon 47: 751–752, August1998), is superfluous, since the two generaColophospermum and Hardwickia are verydifferent.

2. Copies of the articles by Léonard and Breteleret al. are available from the Mary GunnLibrary, National Botanical Institute, Pretoria,in the usual manner. A copy of the translationinto English of Léonard’s article is availablefrom the Curator, National Herbarium (PRE),National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

3. I am grateful to my colleague in PRE, Ms P.Burgoyne, for asking me to translate Léonard’sarticle into English and thus introducing me tothis very interesting case in the Leguminosae.

REFERENCES

Breteler, F., Ferguson, I., Gasson, P. & terWelle, B. 1997. Colophospermum reduced toHardwickia (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae).Adansonia, ser. 3, 19: 279–291, fig. 1–5.

Léonard, J. 1999. Colophospermum n’est passynonyme d’Hardwickia (Caesalpiniaceae):conclusion d’une méthode objective de travail.Bulletin du Jardin Botanique National deBelgique 67: 21–43. q

W (Mienkie) G WelmanNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria 0001SOUTH AFRICATel.: (27) 12 804 3200Fax: (27) 12 804 3211E-mail: [email protected]


Threatened Taxonomic Knowledge:Implications for Method in Ecology

by Mark Mattson

A recent article in SABONET News entitled‘Threatened knowledge in southern Africa: somethoughts’ (Willis & Smith 1999) re-stated anemerging concern amongst botanists about theregional status of taxonomic expertise. In this,and similar articles, the following themes areapparent:

• Taxonomic studies are underfunded, andunacknowledged as integral to the discipline ofbiology.

• Taxonomic knowledge and insight are welldeveloped in few individuals.

• Such knowledge, often accumulated over manyyears, is not always published or passed on toyounger, student taxonomists.

These concerns are important because they arepart of a broader discussion about what we teach,and the kinds of knowledge we value. Thesuccesses of experimental, laboratory botany, andincreasing prominence of molecular biology andbiotechnology, has introduced a subtly alteredview of what biology is; of where it begins —with natural history, description and observation,with naming things at the level of the organism inits environment. If modern biology loses sight ofthis, a qualitative and quantitative framework ofinterpretive and evaluative skills will becomediminished in importance. A particular kind ofknowledge will fade. This view is related to theconcerns of Willis and Smith (1999) in importantways. It suggests that we are losing touch withhow insight in environmental biology is anchoredin description, observational ability, and the long-lived field inquiries of the naturalist.

A recent article in the SABONET News, entitled ‘Threatened knowledge in southern Africa: somethoughts’, drew attention to the emerging concern amongst botanists about the status of taxonomicexpertise in our region. These concerns may be part of a broader debate about what we teach, andthe kinds of knowledge we value in biology. This topic is also important because it helps us reflecton our sometimes misguided notions of what ecology can, and cannot do.

Braam van Wyk appears to echo such concerns ina recent guest editorial in Plantlife (Van Wyk1999). While genetics, cytology, physiology andmolecular biology have flourished in recentyears, he states that “in many cases theresearcher has been alienated from the livingplant in its natural environment”. He goes on tosay that while most South African plant specieshave been classified, and basic descriptions oftheir form and structure published, “essentiallynothing is known about the dynamic ecologicalinterrelationships and behavioural patterns of thevast majority of southern African plants”.Threats to our environment being what they are,and in a region with the richest botanicaldiversity of any equal-sized area on the planet,van Wyk’s opinion that “practically no ecologicalstudies on individual plant species and theirassociated communities are being carried out byprofessional botanists in the region”, is surelyworthy of consideration. In another article quotedin SABONET News, Noss (1997), discussing thefailure of universities to produce conservationbiologists, recommends that students be requiredto develop skills that are not gained in traditionalcourses or thesis research. Noss defines theseskills as including familiarity with fauna and floraof regions of interest, including identificationskills, competence with survey methods, andknowledge of life histories. It is becoming morewidely acknowledged that the conceptualcenterpieces of conservation biology, appealed toin the absence of critical autecologicalinformation, can lead us astray when confrontinga real world of scanty data and complex habitatrelationships (Kareiva 1994). Why then, when


the need for descriptive natural history is mostcompelling, does it appear to be unfashionable?

There are doubtless varying perspectives on thisquestion. One of them concerns the inquiry intowhat ecology can and cannot do; it suggests thatphilosophical competence in science influencesecological methodology — for seriousenvironmental scientists, this is related to theparallel observation that competence intranspersonal theory/ecophilosophy determinesthe depth and value of our response toenvironmental crises (Fox 1990; Wilber 1995).

There is awareness amongst thoughtful ecologiststhat, despite many successes, community ecologymay not accomplish the task of discoveringgeneral theories and empirical laws for use inenvironmental management (Shrader-Frechette &McCoy 1994a). For this reason, when makingconservation-related decisions, case-specificnatural history knowledge of particular taxa ismore important than general ecological theory(Shrader-Frechette & McCoy 1993).

This approach to ecological method,characterised as a logic of case studies, concedesthe heuristic, and explanatory power of muchecological theory, while powerfully endorsing theimportance of natural history. Much ecologicalwork appeals to theoretical explanation tounderwrite talk about fundamental mechanismsand identification of causes in particular cases(Shrader-Frechette & McCoy 1993). In contrast,the case-study approach tends to focus on specificphenomena. It emphasises our ability to seecausal relations in such phenomena, and then tosynthesise results about individual cases or eventsto produce a theoretical explanation (Shrader-Frechette & McCoy 1993). It’s promoters arguethat, insofar as ecology is required for solvingpractical environmental problems, it is more ascience of case studies and statistical regularities,than one of general laws (Shrader-Frechette &McCoy 1993). It is applicable to uniquesituations, and those not amenable to statisticaltests, or traditional hypothesis testing. It providesan organised framework for the evaluation ofalternative models and explanatory accounts, andfor scientific work in situations in whichdeterministic laws are not evident (Shrader-

Frechette & McCoy 1993). This method alsoconcedes the important practical question inecology of how to extract information aboutsystem functioning from purely observationaldata (Mentis 1988). The quality of data disclosedthrough observation has long been appreciated byethnobiologists. As one example, Cunningham(1994) cites keen observation by forest peoples inAfrica, Asia, Australia and South America ashaving led to rich sources of knowledge on foreststructure, canopy gap dynamics, and pollinationand dispersal of forest plants. Indeed, muchecological modelling and field-experimentationhas been flawed by insufficient descriptiveknowledge of ecological systems (Pomeroy,Hargrove & Alberts 1987).

Such a method is particularly needed in uniquesituations, like most of those in communityecology, where we cannot replicate singularevents, and where method-bound approaches failto deal with the particularity, complexity andhistoricity of many ecological phenomena (Mentis1988; Shrader-Frechette & McCoy 1994a).Again, this approach emphasises the need forpractical and precise knowledge of naturalhistory, and is a critical departure from thegeneral mathematical models and untestableprinciples of some past ecological theorising(Shrader-Frechette & McCoy 1994b). Further, itis unrealistic to believe that descriptive work canalways be directly and immediately linked to thetesting of specific hypotheses (Pomeroy et al.1987). The influential writings of Karl Poppermay be interpreted as a denying of legitimacy toresearch programmes not framed in terms ofspecific hypotheses (Roughgarden, May & Levin1989), and a downgrading of the scientific valueof hypotheses based inductively on observedregularities (Poynton 1991). Inductive processesare now becoming better understood in biology,and it is well accepted that there is nothingunscientific in the inductive processes ofclassification, ordination, correlation andregression procedures (Poynton 1991). However,biologically meaningful interpretation of theseprocedures remains a matter of ecological insight,which is improved by field experience (Hill &Gauch 1980), and is dependent on natural historyinformation (Mattson 1993).


Popper was critical of induction, and maintainedthat what most characterised scientific work wasthe critical testing of hypotheses. Many expertsare suspicious of research that focuses on detailedcase studies, without framing of specific hypo-theses (Shrader-Frechette & McCoy 1993, 1994a).Mentis (1988), aware of the ungeneralisablenature of many ecological phenomena, warnsagainst this, stating that powerful testing allowsfocus on only one or a few hypotheses while“ecology is par excellence a field in whichmultiple cause and multiple effect apply”.

Poynton (1991) further cautions that to followcurrently fashionable rules of scientificdemarcation blindly, runs the risk of discouragingexploratory and descriptive work, without whichnon-trivial hypotheses cannot be formulated.Such work may of necessity be unstructured,especially amidst the rule-defying complexity ofthe environmental sciences, which are still in adata-gathering phase (Poynton 1991). Increasingphilosophical maturity amongst ecologists hashelped them to defend the less-formulaic logic ofcase studies, as well as the system of inferencesused to link data to hypotheses, and theconceptual, ethical and methodological analyseswhich ensure rigour.

There is increasing evidence to suggest that ifecology turns out to be a science of case studies,that it is not obvious that this is a defect. Ecologymay not be flawed because it sacrifices univers-ality for utility, or because it sacrifices generalityfor natural history and case study-based precision(Shrader-Frechette & McCoy 1994a). Further,the notion that case study logic is non-scientificreflects a prevalent ignorance about scientificmethod. It is not possible here to provide a fulltreatment of case study logic and its philosophicalaccomplishments; but we may, in summary, noteits following basic features as:

• Injunctive — based on exemplars or paradigms(Kuhn)

• Evidential — knowledge grounded in evidence,i.e. direct experience in the form of empiricaldata (Empiricism)

• Falsifiable — subject to confirmation orrefutation (Popper)

These requirements are significant. They are,respectively, the aspects of science emphasisedby the three schools of philosophy of sciencemost influential today — namely, Thomas Kuhn,Empiricism and Sir Karl Popper (Wilber 1998).Case study logic incorporates and integrates theessentials of each of them. Lastly, case studypractice specifically attempts to include ‘ethicalrationality’ as an integral aspect of method.Shrader-Frechette & McCoy (1993) assert therequirement for ecology to move beyond purelyscientific rationality “into a real recognition ofecological interdependence, not only among allliving beings, but also among science and ourdeepest values”.

The value of competence in Philosophy ofScience is unacknowledged by ecologists, and isan unequivocal aspect of Noss’s challenge touniversities to produce conservation biologists(Noss 1997). It is hoped that this article hassuggested the ways in which philosophical issuesin science may affect how research is conductedand supported, and the fate of the environmentdetermined. It is perhaps a challenge for allbiologists to consider how they might promote amore integral, reflective approach to education,research and funding in the natural sciences.

SABONET’s field-based programmes, andsupport of botanic gardens and herbaria isencouraging. May it contribute to a re-focussingof emphasis in academic biology to one thatendorses the centrality of natural history anddescriptive knowledge, and restores it toprominence. This process needs to become anexplicit feature of curriculum development andteaching. Finally, this paper has at no time soughtto criticise other aspects of biology. Inattempting to resolve environmental problems,the question is never, What kind of biology isright and what is wrong?, but rather one of, howto promote complementarity between differentinterests and methods? q

ReferencesCunningham, A.B. 1994. Combining skills:

participatory approaches in biodiversityconservation. In: Botanical diversity in southernAfrica, ed. B.J. Huntley. Strelitzia 1, National


Botanical Institute, Pretoria, pp. 149–167.Fox, W. 1990. Toward a transpersonal ecology:

developing new foundations for environmentalism.Shambhala, Boston.

Hill, M.O. & Gauch, H.G. 1980. Detrendedcorrespondence analysis: an improved ordinationtechnique. Vegetatio 42: 47–58.

Kareiva, P. Introduction to special feature in Ecologyby Schemske, D.W., Husband, B.C., Ruckelshaus,M.H., Goodwillie, C., Parker, I.M. & Bishop, J.G.1994. Evaluating approaches to the conservation ofrare and endangered plants. Ecology 75(3): 584–606.

Mattson, M.C. 1993. Conserving forests: abiophilosophical analysis of the Durban region.Unpublished MSc thesis, University of Natal, Durban.

Mentis, M.T. 1988. Hypothetico-deductive andinductive approaches in ecology. Functional Ecology2: 5–14.

Noss, R.F. 1997. Failure of universities to produceconservation biologists. Conservation Biology 11(6):1267–1269. Extracted in SABONET News 3(1): 28–29.

Pomeroy, M.R., Hargrove, E.C. & Alberts, J.J.1987. The ecosystem perspective. In: Concepts ofecosystem ecology: a comparative view, edsPomeroy, M.R. & Alberts, J.J. Springer-Verlag,New York.

Poynton, J.C. 1991. Scientific thinking. BiologyDepartment, University of Natal, Durban.

Roughgarden, J., May, R. & Levin, S.A. 1989.Introduction. In: Perspectives in ecological theory,

eds Roughgarden, J., May, R. and Levin, S.A.Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Shrader-Frechette, K.S. & McCoy, E.D. 1993.Method in ecology: strategies for conservation.Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Shrader-Frechette, K.S. & McCoy, E.D. 1994a.What ecology can do for environmentalmanagement. Journal of Environmental Management41: 293–307.

Shrader-Frechette, K.S. & McCoy, E.D. 1994b.Applied ecology and the logic of case studies.Philosophy of Science 61: 228–249.

Van Wyk, B. 1999. Guest editorial in Plantlife 20: 2–3.Wilber, K.W. 1995. Sex, ecology, spirituality: the

spirit of evolution. Shambhala, Boston.Wilber, K.W. 1998. The marriage of sense and soul:

integrating science and religion. Random House,New York.

Willis, C.K. & Smith, G.F. 1999. Threatenedknowledge in southern Africa: some thoughts.SABONET News 4(2): 106–109.

Mr Mark Mattsonc/o Durban Botanic GardensP.O. Box 3740Durban 4000SOUTH AFRICATel.: (27) 31 2011 303Fax.: (27) 31 2017 382E-mail: [email protected]

“Researchers on tropical biodiversityCparticularly taxonomistsCshouldbecome directly involved in discussions over national implementationof Article 15 of the CBD [access to genetic resources]. Without theirinvolvement and input, the new regulatory frameworks drafted mainlyby politicians, government bureaucrats, and lawyers will continue tocreate unnecessary obstacles to the development of a properknowledge base for tropical biodiversity......Developing countries andenlightened governments of developed nations should encourage aconcerted global effort to strengthen the biodiversity informationsystems and scientific capacity of developing countries.”(Alejandro Grajal, Conservation Biology 13(1): 6-10, February 1999)


Plant Red Data List WorkshopThe last SABONET-hosted workshop/trainingcourse of the 20th Century took place at theNational Herbarium in Pretoria, South Africafrom 22–26 November 1999. The purpose of the5-day workshop was to impart the latesttheoretical, technical and practical skillssurrounding Red Data Listing to the recentlynominated Country Red Data List Coordinatorsand the other invited participants. Furtherinformation was not available at the time of thisarticle going to press, and I shall give a completereport-back in the first SABONET News issue ofthe new millennium.

Country CoordinatorsThe National Working Group of each of the tenparticipating countries nominated Country RedData List Coordinators. The Coordinators areresponsible for leading the process of producing anational Red Data List. They will be expected towork in close collaboration with plant expertswith regard to taxonomy and distribution issues.Their full contact details are available on theInternet on http://www.sabonet.org (SouthernAfrican Plant Red Data List Project). Thepersons are:

Zimbabwe:Mr Anthony Mapaura (National Herbarium,

Harare)Mr Christopher Chapano (National Herbarium,

Harare)Zambia:Ms Catherine Nguvulu (Division of Forest

Research, Kitwe)Mr Isaac Simwanza (Department of National

Parks and Wildlife Services, Kafue)Swaziland:Mr Titus Dlamini (National Herbarium, Malkerns)South Africa:Ms Janine Victor (National Herbarium, Pretoria)

An update on the

Southern African Plant Red Data Listby Janice Golding

Namibia:Ms Patricia Craven (National Herbarium,

Windhoek)Ms Sonja Loots (National Herbarium, Windhoek)Mozambique:Ms Samira Izidine (LMA Herbarium, Maputo)Malawi:Mr Dickson Kamundi (National Herbarium,

Zomba)Ms Elizabeth Mwafongo (National Herbarium,

Zomba)Lesotho:Mr Motebang Molise (Roma Herbarium, Roma)Ms Lerato Kose (Conservation Division, Ministry

of Agriculture, Maseru)Botswana:Ms Queen Turner (National Herbarium, Gaborone)Angola:Ms Georgina Neto (Luanda Herbarium, Luanda)Ms Luzia Ferreira (Luanda Herbarium, Luanda)

New Red Data List plant taxaUndertaking a literature survey is a good startingpoint for compiling Red Data Lists. The SouthernAfrican Plant Red Data List Project conducted anintensive literature survey from May 1999– October 1999 which brought to light that 383taxa previously unrecorded in Red Data Listsexists for ten countries. New species and newlocalities usually suggest good potentialcandidates for Red Data List status.

187 references that are catalogued were sourced:7 books, 28 journals and 11 popular articles,4 reports and 2 theses were surveyed. The datawere collected in a way that was biased towardsFlora of southern Africa (FSA) region countriessince these have already been the focus of RedData List compilations. Much of the informationcollected comes from the documented ‘hotspots’(areas with high levels of diversity and endemism)such as Mulanje and Nyika (Malawi),


Mwinilungu (Zambia), Chimanimani (Zimbabwe)and so forth.

The Orchidaceae are by far the best representedin the database as new potential Red Data Listcandidates. The edible tubers (referred to as‘chikanda’) of some 200 species of Disa,Habenaria and Satyrium from peat bogs andwoodlands in Zambia should all be considered aspotentially threatened (M.G. Bingham, pers.comm.). Angraecum angustipetalum Rendle isrecorded from Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon and theDemocratic Republic of Congo. There are onlytwo Flora zambesiaca (FZ) region collections,both from Mount Mulanje collected on the lowerslopes in 1915 and 1919 respectively. Theselower slopes are now under tea cultivation. A.angustipetalum has not been rediscovered despiteexhaustive surveys (La Croix & Cribb 1998).

Red Data Lists do not include hybrids (dependingon the species/taxonomic concept used bytaxonomists) and there are also no guidelinesavailable for the treatment of hybrids (Hilton-Taylor, pers. comm. 1999). Aerangis kotschyana(Rchb.f.) x Aerangis verdickii (De Wild.) wasrecorded from Phalombe Plain in Chiradzulu(Malawi) at an altitude of 650 m. A hybridswarm was collected on an old fig tree used forshade in the village and for a bee nest. PhalombePlain is now denuded and densely populated, anda great possibility exists that the population maybe extinct (La Croix & Cribb 1998).

The number of new potential Red Data List taxain the FSA region countries exceeds the FZregion countries and Angola (described inConspectus florae angolensis). However, thisrelative paucity is partly due to the large numberof publications (reflected in the number of newpotential taxa) emanating from the FSAcountries, particularly South Africa.

For the FSA region, South Africa in particular,there are a great many new finds. These includethe many succulents from the Northern Cape (eg.Gariep Centre, Richtersveld). New finds are stillbeing discovered from the Cape Floristic Regionsuch as Linconia ericiodes (Bruniaceae) and

s The literature survey shows that SouthAfrica has almost twice as many new RedData List candidates than the country with thenext highest figure (Zimbabwe).

s The number of potential Red Data List taxa asrepresented by these plant groups. The Orchidaceae isthe most well represented in the literature survey.

s Based on publications, the majority (although onlyslight) of potential Red Data List candidates are fromthe FSA region countries.


Cyrtanthus wellandii (Amaryllidaceae; IUCNcategory: Vulnerable D2), both known from asingle population (Oliver & Oliver 1999; Snijman1999).

Revisions also have tremendous implications toRed Data Lists. A good example is Haworthiawhere there were previously 40 taxa on the RDLlist, and since the revision (Bayer 1999), thereare probably at least 62 that merit threatenedstatus because of their narrow distribution rangeand their vulnerability to plant collectors.

Clearly, there is a need for more publishedstudies to focus on the FZ region countries andAngola, and on less charismatic plant species.Exercising literature surveys is essential for RedData Lists, but the information needs to besupplemented with field knowledge. Whileliterature surveys will be an ongoing activity forthe duration of the Southern African Plant Red

List Project, collaboration and peer reviews willbe encouraged. q

References and Further ReadingBayer, M.B. 1999. Haworthia revisited. Umdaus

Press, South Africa. 250 pp.La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. 1998. Orchidaceae In:

Pope, G.V. (ed.) Flora zambesiaca. Florazambesiaca Managing Committee. Whitstable LithoPrinters, United Kingdom. 11(2): 321–569.

Oliver, E.G.H & Oliver, I.M. 1999. Bruniaceae; anew species from western Cape. Bothalia 29(2):256–258.

Snijman, D.A. 1999. Amaryllidaceae: Cyrtantheae.New species and notes on Cyrtanthus in the SouthernCape, South Africa. Bothalia 29(2): 258–263.

Janice GoldingSABONET Coordinator’s OfficeNational Botanical InstitutePretoria,SOUTH AFRICAE-mail: [email protected]

W hat role can herbaria play in thecompilation of Red Data Lists? This key

question was presented to the Southern AfricanHerbarium Working Group (SAHWG) meeting inPotchefstroom on 13 October 1999, and thisarticle largely benefited from this platform.SABONET is concerned with the development ofherbaria and their associated staff in the tenmember southern African countries. This articleconsiders the matter of herbaria and the potentialrole they can assume with regards to Red DataLists (RDLs).

RDLS are compiled from as many sources aspossible and this would include herbaria.Continuous literature surveys, evaluation oftaxonomic opinions and reflecting this in RDLsare as important as marking threatened taxa inherbaria. Herbaria are the ultimate source for thecorrect identification and classification of plant

Herbaria and Red Data Listsby Janice Golding

taxa. The use of markers/indicators of RDLstatus can go a long way towards compiling,monitoring and improving RDLs. Indicatorsultimately help to ensure the identificationaccuracy of threatened taxa. Their basic purposeis to ensure that the information (taxonomic,distribution, habitat and population information)captured by RDL compilers is sound. Furtherinformation on a taxon concerned may also begenerated from certain herbarium users.

Indicators may include threatened plant labels (asmall marker placed on the species cover), indexcards (if a card filing system is in use), computertags (if an electronic filing system exists) or evencoloured species covers.

The first call for the application of theseindicators goes back almost 15 years or there-abouts, when Prof. A.V. (Tony) Hall made


mention of it. In 1994, a memorandum waspresented to the SAHWG which proposed that asmall marker be placed on the folders of everytaxon considered to be threatened (Hilton-Taylor1994). The matter was approved in principle at asubsequent SAHWG meeting, but never fullyendorsed; most recently, its proposal was mooted(Golding 1999). All three the individuals whoforwarded the proposals have been involved withthe compilation of RDLs: A.V. Hall wasinvolved with the first list of threatened plants forsouthern Africa (Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland,South Africa and Botswana) (Hall et al. 1980)and the Fynbos and Karoo biomes of SouthAfrica (Hall & Veldhuis 1985) amongst others;C. Hilton-Taylor published a comprehensiveRDL of southern African plants for five countries(Hilton-Taylor 1996); the author is currentlyinvolved with the Southern African Plant RedData List Project spanning the ten SABONETmember countries.

Some herbarium curators have expressed theirreserved approval of indicators on the groundsthat the functionality of RDL indicators isquestionable or that implementation presents thegreatest constraint. The information presented isderived from ad hoc personal communicationswith the curators/representatives from herbaria ofSouth Africa and Zimbabwe (A.P. GoossensHerbarium (PUC); Bews Herbarium (NU); C.E.Moss Herbarium (J); Compton Herbarium(NBG & SAM); National Herbarium, Namibia(WIND); National Herbarium, South Africa(PRE); National Herbarium, Zimbabwe (SRGH);University of the North Herbarium, UNIN).

The use and scope of RDL indicators in certainherbaria may be limited, and this may bereflected in the opinions of curators. Cursoryobservations reveal that some herbaria are more

s The threatened plant label that was designed morethan a year ago for use at NBG & SAM.

s A small random sample of opinion (n=8) shows thatthe larger sector either fully endorses the concept ofRDL indicators in herbaria and/or already makes useof a system of RDL indicators.

frequently visited by user groups who haveextensive field knowledge or whose visitingreasons may be to undertake vegetation surveysas part of, for example, Environmental ImpactAssessments (see Willis 1998). These usergroups may respond positively to theimplementation of indicators and they can make ameaningful contribution towards RDLs (Golding1999).

The lack of information regarding the breakdownof herbarium user profiles makes it difficult toassess whether some herbaria/certain habitats orvegetation types have more of a need for RDLindicators than others.

A question commonly posed is whether alikelihood exists that unscrupulous collectors willeasily find rare and threatened populations ifRDL indicators are used in herbaria? The basicassumption is that only bona fide people shouldbe given access to herbarium collections. Peoplecan consult freely available publications or websites to check what is threatened and then cross-reference herbarium collections to obtain thespecimen/locality information. However, thiswould need to be controlled at the herbariumlevel. The use of indicators does not in anywayassist them beyond what they can do already.

The task of implementing the use of theseindicators appears to be the biggest impediment(workload, staff-time and to some extent,motivation). No herbarium houses material forevery taxon with RDL status, and in no uncertainterms is the required workload large particularly


if this activity is integrated with accession duties.Herbaria serve as providers of botanicalinformation and this is a necessary and essentialservice that needs to be maintained for manyreasons (see Baijnath & Nicholas 1994; Müller1994). They can play a crucial role inmaintaining accuracy of RDLs by ensuring thatspecimen data on threatened plants is conveyed toherbarium-users and parties who work withthreatened plants. If this role and the applicationof RDL indicators of any kind is not adopted,there is a chance that the taxonomic integrity ofRDLs may come into question.

Southern African herbaria need to refine theirposition and role as botanical information centreswithin the reality of plant species losses, habitatdegradation and extinctions. The importance ofRDLs will feature more frequently in theforthcoming years than ever before, andindicators present a way for herbaria to riseaccordingly to the challenges.

Any comments will be welcomed by contactingthe author or by making a contribution to theSouth(ern) African Herbarium Working Groupchat site http://www.ru.ac.za/departments/herbarium/SAHWG or the new chat site of theSouthern African Plant Red Data List Projectlinked to the SABONET web sitehttp://www.sabonet.org. q

References and Further ReadingBaijnath, H. & Nicholas, A. 1994. Herbaria: human

and infrastructural needs in southern Africa. In:Huntley, B.J. (ed.) Botanical diversity in southernAfrica. Strelitzia 1. pp. 175–199.

Golding, J.S. 1999. Threatened plants and the role ofherbaria. Paper presented to the Southern AfricanHerbarium Working Group. Potchefstroom. 4 pp.

Hall, A.V., de Winter, M., de Winter, B., & vanOosterhout, S.A.M. 1980. Threatened plants ofsouthern Africa. South African National ScientificProgrammes Report No. 45. CSIR, Pretoria. 244 pp.

Hall, A.V. & Veldhuis, H.A. 1985. South AfricanRed Data Book plants: Fynbos and Karoo Biomes.South African National Scientific ProgrammesReport No. 117. CSIR, Pretoria. 160 pp.

Hilton-Taylor, C. 1994. Memorandum to the SouthernAfrican Herbarium Curators Working Group.Addendum E (16 September 1994). 2 pp.

Müller, T. 1994. The role a botanical institute can

play in the conservation of the terrestrial biodiversityin a developing country. Biodiversity andConservation 3: 116–125.

Willis, C. 1998. Herbaria, plant taxonomists andenvironmental impact assessments. SAIE&ES FastTrack News 2: 5–6.

Ms Janice GoldingSABONET Coordinator’s Officec/o National Botanical InstituteSOUTH AFRICAE-mail: [email protected]

SSC8held in Mozambique

T he Eighth SABONET Steering Committee(SSC) meeting was held at the Hotel

Cardoso, Maputo, Mozambique, on 30 Septem-ber 1999. The occasion was hosted by Mr MárioAC da Silva/Ms Samira Izidine and Dr SalomãoBandeira of the LMA and LMU Herbariumrespectively, as well as Ms Henny Matos ofUNDP-Mozambique. In addition to the SSCChairperson, the SABONET Secretariat andNational Coordinators or representatives fromnine of the ten participating countries, the follow-ing individuals also attended the meeting:

• SABONET-IT Centre, South Africa:Mr Trevor Arnold

• UNDP/GEF, Tanzania: Dr Alan Rodgers• UNDP-Mozambique: Ms Henny Matos

s Participants who attended the 8th SABONETSteering Committee meeting, Maputo, Mozambique,30 September 1999.


• UNDP-South Africa: Ms Jaana Rannikko• LMU Herbarium, Mozambique: Dr Salomão

Bandeira• NETCAB/IUCN ROSA, Zimbabwe: Mr

Reford Mwakalagho• SADC FSTCU, Malawi: Mr Ernest Misomali• National Herbarium, Tanzania: Mr William

Mziray• Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK:

Prof. Simon Owens & Dr Alan Paton.

For the first time since the start of the SABONETProject in 1996, we were privileged to have withus in Maputo representatives from Tanzania and

Kew, and we hope that this closer liaison willlead to greater collaboration between staff fromthe National Herbarium in Tanzania, Kew Her-barium and the southern African staff participat-ing in the SABONET Project.

Apart from the usual matters discussed at suchregional meetings, the SSC approved the sponsor-ship of a new cohort of postgraduate students forthe year 2000. This included staff attached toherbaria in the following countries: Lesotho,Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa,Zambia and Zimbabwe. We wish them all wellwith their studies in the new millennium. q

The period of August to October was a busy timefor members of the SABONET Secretariat andstaff of South Africa’s National Herbarium(PRE): during August two back-to-back RegionalDatabase Management Courses were held at theNational Herbarium in Pretoria and duringOctober the National Herbarium (PRE) in SouthAfrica hosted SABONET’s third HerbariumManagement Course.

Database Management CoursesTrevor Arnold of NBI’s Data ManagementSection presented the two back-to-back RegionalDatabase Management Courses at the NationalHerbarium in Pretoria during August.

The first course (11–14 August) was a Beginner’sCourse, where course participants learnt aboutthe PRECIS.pc Specimen Database, Windows 95(and Windows Explorer in particular), as well asfile management, data security and MicrosoftAccess 2. For many of the course participants,who came from all ten southern African coun-

SABONET Courses:SABONET Courses:Database & HerbariumDatabase & Herbarium

ManagementManagementby Christopher K. Willis

tries, much of the ground covered during thecourse was new, and we were privileged to havethree very able demonstrators, all of whom hadattended previous Database ManagementCourses, to assist Trevor. The demonstratorswere Ms Esmerialda Klaassen (National Her-barium, Namibia), Ms Ferozah Conrad (ComptonHerbarium, South Africa) and Ms NikayaArumugam (Natal Herbarium, South Africa).This system of using more experienced staff fromregional herbaria to assist in presenting courses tonew staff members is one which worked ex-tremely well, and will certainly be usedagain in future courses. Many thanks to Esmerialda,Ferozah and Nikaya for their understanding,patience and support. The project is clearlybuilding up a core group of competent databasemanagers within the southern African region. It isvery pleasing to see that the skills acquiredduring in-service training courses and the experi-ence gained within herbaria are not being re-stricted to those who have acquired them, but arebeing transferred to others in the region as well.


An Advanced Database Management Course(16–19 August) was presented by Trevor Arnoldin the week following the Beginner’s Course.Areas covered during this course included• Database management and security• Installing and using the Virus Protection System• Backing up data using Windows 95• Checking Y2K compliance and correcting

computers that are only partially Y2K compliant• Using MAPPIT• Developing and running Microsoft Access

queries and converting queries to reports• A basic knowledge of SQL and how it works

Thanks to Trevor Arnold and his staff in theNBI’s Data Management section for the timeinvested in presenting and preparing for the tworegional courses held during August 1999.

Third Herbarium Management CourseFrom 11–29 October 1999, the National Her-barium (PRE) in South Africa hostedSABONET’s third Herbarium ManagementCourse. The previous two courses were held inAugust 1997 and November/December 1996.The course was arranged and presented largelyby Ms Marinda Koekemoer (Curator, PRE) andher staff, with support from the Mary GunnLibrary staff, Dee Snijman, Meg Coates Palgraveand Trevor Arnold. Course participants from theten southern African countries experienced anintensive three-week training course and gainedconfidence in working in the following areas ofherbarium management:• Collecting, pressing, mounting, drying and

labelling plant material for use in herbaria• Knowledge of the requirements regarding the

physical curation of herbaria• Knowledge of the requirements regarding the

scientific curation of herbaria• Ability to identify plants within the family

Amaryllidaceae (presented by Dee Snijman ofthe Compton Herbarium, Kirstenbosch, SouthAfrica)

• Knowledge of, and ability to use, the essentialliterature required for libraries that areattached to herbaria, and a basic understandingof library cataloguing

• Basic ability to use and write botanical keys

• Basic knowledge of microscopes and dissectingtechniques

• Ability to use keys in identifying selected treetaxa (presented by Meg Coates Palgrave,Zimbabwe)

Course certificates were presented to the partici-pants by the Deputy Minister of South Africa’sNational Department of Environmental Affairs &Tourism (DEA&T), Ms Joyce Mabudafhasi, atan evening function held in the Pretoria NationalBotanical Garden on 27 October 1999. At thissame function, the SABONET four-wheel drivevehicle for South Africa was officially handedover by the UNDP-South Africa Resident Repre-sentative, Mr David Whaley, to the SABONETRegional Coordinator, Christopher Willis, onbehalf of the National Botanical Institute (seeNews from South Africa in the Regional NewsUpdate column for more information on this).Thanks to Marinda Koekemoer and the other staffof the National Botanical Institute, and especiallyto the National Herbarium, as well as MegCoates Palgrave for all their efforts in presentinganother successful SABONET in-service trainingcourse. It is now up to those staff who weretrained to implement what they learned in theirown institutions and countries.

SABONET course statisticsSABONET has so far hosted thirteen regionaland two national training courses since November1996, through the generous support of its donoragencies, the Global Environment Facility (GEF)through the United Nations Development Pro-gramme (UNDP) and USAID via the WorldConservation Union-Regional Office for Southern


Africa’s (IUCN ROSA) NETCAB Programme.A total of 192 participants (102 male : 90 female)have attended these courses. This total includes110 different individuals (65 male : 45 female).(See the bar graph above for a breakdown of thenumber of course participants and individuals thathave attended courses from the various southernAfrican countries.) An average total of 14 indi-viduals from the participating countries haveattended each regional training course held thusfar, with an overall average total of 12 partici-pants per course if the two national courses thatwere held in Namibia during 1997 are included.The maximum number of courses that have beenattended by an individual is seven, and this

applies to the countries of Lesotho, Mozambique,Namibia and Zimbabwe. The mean number ofcourses attended by an individual for all thecourses presented thus far is two. Individualsfrom 36 different institutions have so far ben-efited from SABONET in-service trainingcourses held within the southern African region.The third Herbarium Management Course wasthe fifth regional course hosted by the SABONETProject in 1999, the highest number of regionalcourses held within one year since 1996. Of thesefive courses, three were held in South Africa,and one each in Zambia (Miombo WoodlandIdentification) and Zimbabwe (Grass Identifica-tion). q

C omputerisation of southern African herbariais a core activity within the SABONET

Project, as stated within the Logical FrameworkMatrix: “Activity 3.1. Computerisation of plantspecimens stored in national and regional her-baria...”. Progress amongst participating institu-tions in this important process has been describedin several previous editions of this newsletter.Maps showing the geographical distribution ofspecimens computerised by several southernAfrican herbaria were included in the August1998 edition and bar graphs included in both theAugust 1998 and April 1999 editions ofSABONET News. The bar graphs attached showthe most recent progress achieved by participat-ing southern African herbaria, both for totalplant specimens computerised, and grasses as aseparate group. Progress made by individualherbaria in the computerisation process can bedetermined by comparing the latest figures withpreviously published data. In terms of totalspecimens computerised, greatest progress hasbeen made at the following herbaria: WIND(National Herbarium, Namibia—20 963 speci-mens since March 1999), SRGH (National

Computerisation of southern African herbaria

by Christopher Willis & Trevor Arnold

Herbarium, Zimbabwe—15 576 specimens sinceMarch 1999) and the National Botanical Insti-tute’s Compton Herbarium in Kirstenbosch,South Africa (NBG & SAM, 9 927 specimenssince March 1999). Namibia’s National Her-barium now also has the highest percentage ofspecimens computerised by participating southernAfrican herbaria, namely 63.9% (of a total of ca70 000 specimens), followed by South Africa’sNational Herbarium (PRE) with 63.3% (of a totalof ca 1 200 000 specimens). PRE’s collection ofindigenous and naturalised plant taxa from theFlora of southern Africa (FSA) area are fullycomputerised.

As noted in the minutes of the Fourth SABONETSteering Committee (SSC) meeting held inZomba, Malawi, a regional decision was taken inSeptember 1997 to focus initially on computeris-ing the grass specimens (Poaceae) in the partici-pating southern African herbaria. As this was apolicy decision taken by the SSC, we also reporthere on progress amongst the regional herbaria interms of computerising their grass specimens.The following herbaria have computerised 100%



s Number of specimens (solid bars) and percentage of collections computerised (striped bars) in selectedsouthern African herbaria using the PRECIS Specimen Database.

s Number of grass specimens computerised (solid bars) and the percentage of the total grass specimen collectionthis represents (striped bars) in selected southern African herbaria using the PRECIS Specimen Database.


s Maps 1–4. Geographical coverage of specimens computerised using the PRECIS Specimen Database—National Herbarium (WIND), Namibia; National Herbarium (SRGH), Zimbabwe; National Herbarium (GAB),Botswana and Peter Smith Herbarium (PSUB), Botswana. Each cell corresponds to a quarter-degree latitude/longitude grid square. Grey shaded cells represent grid squares where between 1 and 24 specimens have beencomputerised, while solid cells represent grid squares where 25 or more specimens have been computerised. Allmaps produced by Trevor Arnold, Data Management section, National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa,using the locally developed MAPPIT GIS.


s Maps 5–8. Geographical coverage of specimens computerised using the PRECIS Specimen Database—RomaHerbarium (ROML), Lesotho; Natal Herbarium (NH), South Africa; Compton Herbarium (NBG and SAM), SouthAfrica and the National Herbarium (PRE), South Africa. Each cell corresponds to a quarter-degree latitude/longitude grid square. Grey shaded cells represent grid squares where between 1 and 24 specimens have beencomputerised, while solid cells represent grid squares where 25 or more specimens have been computerised. Allmaps produced by Trevor Arnold, Data Management section, National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa,using the locally developed MAPPIT GIS.


of their grass specimens: ROML (Lesotho),WIND (Namibia) and NBG (South Africa). Otherherbaria where 50% or more of the grass speci-mens have so far been computerised include PRE(South Africa, 91.3%), UZL (Zambia, 80%),MASE (Lesotho, 60%) and SDNH (Swaziland,50%). 100% of PRE’s grass specimens from theFSA area are computerised. The uncomputerisedcomponent is largely grass specimens collectedfrom tropical Africa north of the FSA region.Staff attached to Zimbabwe’s National Herbarium(SRGH) have computerised 14 889 grass speci-mens, representing 30% of their grass collection.Staff attached to both GAB (National Herbarium,Botswana) and LUAI (Luanda Herbarium, An-gola) are yet to start computerising their grassspecimens (although they have computerisedother plant groups). As a result these participat-ing herbaria are not represented in the corre-sponding bar graph.

Attached are maps showing the geographicalcoverage of specimens computerised as of No-vember 1999 in the following southern Africanherbaria: WIND (Namibia), SRGH (Zimbabwe),GAB and PSUB (Botswana), ROML (Lesotho),NH, NBG & SAM and PRE (South Africa). Thecells shown represent quarter-degree latitude/longitude grid squares, with the grey cells repre-senting grid squares with between 1 and 24specimens computerised, and the black cellsrepresenting grid squares with 25 or more speci-mens computerised by the specific herbarium.Although specimens from other participatingherbaria (Luanda Herbarium (LUAI), Angola;Maseru Herbarium (MASE), Lesotho; NationalHerbarium (MAL), Malawi; INIA Herbarium(LMA), Mozambique; National Herbarium(SDNH), Swaziland and the University of Zam-bia Herbarium (UZL), Zambia) have been com-puterised (see bar graphs), their geographicalcoverage has not been included because (a) it wasnot received by the National Botanical Institute’sData Management section, or (b) there was noquarter-degree grid square value attached to thespecimens so far computerised, resulting in thespecimens not being able to be mapped. If thiscomputerised information is to have any rel-evance in future, serious attention must be given

towards attaching grid square references to thespecimens computerised in each of the herbariaconcerned. q

Christopher Willis & Trevor ArnoldNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria0001SOUTH AFRICAE-mail: [email protected] (Christopher)[email protected] (Trevor)

HOW DO WE DESIGN

THE RIGHT USE OF LANGUAGE

BACK INTO THE CULTURE?

• Restore the habit of talking directly to each other,whatever the loss of economic efficiency;

• The proper use of language is a slowly acquiredart that is easily corrupted by technological con-trivances that increase the volume and velocity ofcommunication...We cannot disinvent the Internet,but for our own sanity we can and should limit theuse we make of it;

• Restore the habit of public reading....adults shouldturn off the television, disconnect the cable, undothe computer, and once again read good booksaloud to their children;

• Those who corrupt language ought to be held ac-countable for what they doCbeginning with theadvertising industry;

• To preserve the places where language grows, wemust protect the independence of local newspa-pers and local radio stations by forbidding non-local ownership. We need to support regional pub-lishing houses and small, independentbookstores....We need to teach the young to hon-our difference in speech and dialect.....And wemust protect those parts of our culture wherememory, tradition, and devotion to place still ex-ist, because it is there that language is often mostvibrant;

• Finally, because language is the only currencywherever men and women pursue truth, thereshould be no higher priority for schools, colleges,and universities than to defend the integrity andclarity of language in every way possible.”

(David W. Orr, Conservation Biology 13(4):696–699, August 1999)



There is no doubt that there is a shortage ofbotanists on the subcontinent. Even ignoring

the exceptional botanical wealth of the subconti-nent, we need more taxonomists, field ecologistsand biogeographers. It is unlikely that politicaland economical factors will change the status quoin the future.

How can this problem be redressed? One solutionis to encourage amateur involvement in botany.At retirement many people have the time andenergy to seek a suitable hobby. Many youngerpeople yearn for a goal—a target—to provide afocus for their weekend outdoor activities. Withage many active people require a more sedatehobby—bagging peaks and racing up and downmountains becomes a little harder and newmotivation and direction is required. Sadly, thereis no vibrant culture of fostering amateur involve-ment in botany present among professionalbotanists. Amateurs are usually perceived asignorant meddlers, best discouraged in the inter-ests of achieving scientific and curatorial targets.And yet, amateurs provide a vast resource thatcan be tapped to catalogue, map, describe,inventorise and explore our flora.

The Protea Atlas Project is an attempt to involveamateurs in botany. In its scope it is ratherambitious: participants are expected to come togrips with the ecology and taxonomy of the 400proteas on the subcontinent. The idea is to fosteran understanding of why plants occur where theydo—the role of water, soils, climate, fire,pollinators, seed dispersers and competitors onprotea distributions is built into the data routinelyrequired for the project. In addition, threats suchas alien invaders, agriculture and picking are also

ThePROTEA ATLAS

PROJECTincluded, providing a focus for conservationideals. Together, it is hoped that participants willnot only make a contribution to the understandingand conservation of our flora, but also acquirelife skills enabling them to participate meaning-fully in monitoring rare species, assisting inconservation actions and inventorising threatenedhabitats.

Where the Protea Atlas Project differs from mostother Atlas Projects (and there are many ofthem—tree atlases are underway or planned forNamibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, KwaZulu-Natal,Mpumalanga; there are also frog, bird and alienplant atlases), is that it does not involve a rastersampling unit. Simply put, other atlases use afixed grid system—usually the 1:50 000-scalemaps—as the units for information collecting.These are usually on the scale of 25 x 25 km.The Protea Atlas Project allows the atlasser toselect his own plot anywhere—using latitude andlongitude to define the centre (a GPS is handy).

Furthermore, the maximum size of a recordlocality is 500 m in diameter. This means that thedata are ideal for monitoring by conservationauthorities (indeed, Western Cape Nature Con-servation has included the Protea Atlas input ontotheir cybertracker system used by field rangerson patrols). It is also at a scale ideal for Environ-mental Impact Assessments and evaluating RedData Book status of our plants as individualpopulations can be mapped, enumerated andmonitored. Furthermore, the scale is ideal forlooking at patterns of fine-scale species distribu-tions, modelling global climate change anddesigning optimal nature reserve systems toconserve our flora.


Although the Protea Atlas Project has been alargely South African Project, it was hoped thatother countries would join in. Indeed, membersfrom Zimabwe and Swaziland contributed to theproject from its inception. In Swaziland, underthe auspices of the Swaziland National TrustCommission, the project blossomed.

However, the project was conceptualised in therich Cape Floral Kingdom, where the emphasis isquite different from that of the tropical andsubtropical floras. In the Cape Flora conservationissues are paramount—1/3 of proteas are listed inthe Red Data Book for plants. To some degreethere also is a tourist and commercial cut-flowerinterest in proteas. However, in Zimbabwe, the

issues are quite different. The primary focus hereis the difference in classification between theJohn Beard and the John Rourke/Dick Brummittcamps. In our recent visit there, three thingsstood out.

w Firstly, compared to the Cape Flora proteas,tropical proteas are rather similar to one an-other, making identification a little morecomplicated. It is perhaps not surprising then,that there are divergent views on the taxonomyof the species.

w Secondly, proteas are far more ubiquitous thanherbarium records would suggest. Given thelarge flowerheads that occupy much space inherbarium cabinates, atlassing is perhaps the



best way of obtaining representative data.Certainly, herbarium records fall far short ofadequately showing protea distributions withinZimbabwe—this must impact on taxonomicalperceptions. However, motivating people tomap common species requires much effort—rare species are far more charismatic.

w Thirdly, the incidence of hybrids between evenunrelated species is legion—an order of magni-tude higher than anything seen in the CapeFlora. This applies not only to the numbers ofhybrid plants as a proportion of the totals, butalso that we found hybrids between mostspecies at so many places. This makes plantidentification a little more difficult. It alsomeans that the inclusion of a few cryptichybrids in herbaria may increase the apparent

morphological variability for a species—thismay partly explain the taxonomical polarisationof viewpoints. However, more data are neededto adequately evaluate these impressions. Nodoubt other equally intriguing discoveries willbe made in other countries.

We are looking to expand the Protea AtlasProject to other SADC countries, should thedemand exist. If you would like more informationon the project, visit us at http://www.nbi.ac.za/protea. Should you wish to participate in theproject or initiate a local atlassing group pleasewrite to The Coordinator, Protea Atlas Project,Private Bag X7, Kirstenbosch 7735, South Africa(or e-mail: [email protected]). q

IntroductionEstimates of global biodiversity extinction ratesrange from between 1% to 30%; see text box. Itis broadcast on televisions and radios that at leastone species of plant or animal is becoming extincteveryday. The threat of extinction, even if notaccurately assessible, is nonetheless real. Africa,particularly heavily industrialised countries suchas South Africa, is no exception. Those readersliving in the Johannesburg–Pretoria area willhave noticed that over the last 20 years the twocities have more or less merged. We are, nodoubt, all aware of this habitat destructionwhether it be from expanding conurbation, pineplantations or overgrazing. The forces that drivehabitat destruction are social, economic andpolitical, and there is little likelihood that whilepopulations continue to expand and the greedycontinue to exploit, that it will not stop. Asbotanists, we all need to be concerned with thisissue even if there is, at present, little that we cando about it. Naturally we can all play our part intrying to improve the situation whether it bethrough recycling waste, canvassing political

HOW TO COLLECT FIELD SAMPLES FOR DNA ANALYSIS

by Hassina Aboobaker & Ashley Nicholas

figures or just educating the next generation to dothe right thing. Another thing that we can be doneis to being to collect DNA samples forpreservation. In fact, the collection of DNAsamples should become a routine part of any fieldtrip undertaken to collect herbarium or similarspecimens. There are a number of methods thathave been successfully implemented; the mostconvenient of these being the silica gel method.This procedure is simple, effective and relativelycost efficient; and is given below.

Why use the silica gel method?Although the use of freshly collected material isthe preferred source for DNA or RNA analysis,it is not always possible or desirable. In Africa,much of the fieldwork undertaken by botanists isto remote areas and may last for weeks. In suchsituations, it is impossible to use fresh material orimpractical to preserve it in liquid nitrogen.Besides, collected DNA samples may need to beposted to experts elsewhere for analysis and, as aresult, may spend up to as much as a year in thequeue waiting to be diced, split, bulked and run.



Also, we need to start thinking of keeping DNAsamples, especially of extinct plants, for somedistant time when it may be possible to recreatethose species in the laboratory using only its DNA.

Did you know?• Natural or background extinction rates are

about 1 to 2 species per year (Badgley 1997).Presently more than 100 species are becomingextinct per year, 100% more than thebackground extinction rate.

• 20% of bird species have become extinct in thelast 2000 years (Thomas 1998).

• According to Thomas (1998) 4% to 5% of theUSA’s plant species (some 20 000) arethreatened with extinction. In South Africa justover 10% of our 21 377 species are threatened(Golding 1999). Twice that of the USA.

• The world population grows by 90 millionpeople each year (Population ActionInternational 1997).

DNA preservation using silica gelContainersWe use aluminum tablet tubes, the kind you getwhen you buy those effervescent vitamin tablets,and which have a dehydration mechanism builtinto the tightly fitting cap. Chase & Hills (1991)recommend 12 x 8 cm ziplock plastic bags. Inessence, any small watertight container will do.

a) Preparation of Material: 4 to 6 grams offresh material (leaves are used if the plant hasthem) needs to be collected. This plant materialhas to be either torn or cut using a razor-blade orscalpel (we use an NT cutter) into pieces nobigger than 2 cm2. To speed up drying, weusually try to make pieces smaller. However, donot use a scissors as these tend to crush ratherthan cut their way through the material.Unfortunately, crushed cells will immediatelystart to undergo lysis and the nucleic acids inthese cells will be denatured or destroyed.

b) Silica Gel: The pieces of plant material arenow intermixed with about 50 to 60 grams of

silica gel. For effective preservation, Chase &Hills (1991) recommend a ratio of 10 grams ofgel to 1 gram of plant material. However, wehave found that in more succulent material, suchas stapeliad stems, the ratio of gel needs to beincreased. As Chase & Hills (1991) point out, itis better to have too much gel than too little. Thesilica gel should be a mixture of small (28-200mesh size non indicating silica gel) and large(6-16 or 6-18 mesh size self-indicating silica gel)in a ratio of 1 : 25. The smaller-sized silica gelwill remove any moisture from the plant material,while the larger-sized silica gel, by turning fromblue to pink, will give an indication of howeffective this has been. Plant material removedfrom the container between 12 to 48 hours later(depending on how much moisture it contained)will, if sufficiently dehydrated, be brittle. Thiscan be tested by snapping it with your fingers.Remember that degradation of the DNA will startwithin about 12 hours of the plant material beingcollected.

The above procedure can be carried out at thesame time as the herbarium voucher specimensare being made. Remember to place a pencilwritten tag with your name and number in thecontainer. Alternatively, we attach a pencilwritten label to the outside of the container usingcellotape; making sure that it is securely tapedon. This latter option has the advantage of nothaving to open the container (if it is nottransparent) to look for your tag.

c) On returning to the laboratory orherbarium: Once dry or on returning to homebase, the silica gel can be removed. However, weplace a small handful of the larger mesh, self-indicating gel into the container with the materialso that it can continue to remove any moisturethat finds its way in. If this gel eventually startsto turn pink (you need to check periodically) thenthe material may rehydrate and spoil. The initialgel, after it has been removed, can now be placedin an oven at about 150°C for drying. When dry,the larger mesh silica gel, will return to itsoriginal blue colour. Your gel mixture is nowready to be used again. Drying in a microwavewill also work, and is much faster. If you aresituated in the field and need to recycle your gel,


then a portable plant drier will work, but thismay take much longer, sometimes even days.

ConclusionAs pointed out by Jones et al. (1997) allbiologists are geneticists now. DNA techniquesare being employed in all fields of biology fromtaxonomy to ecology to physiology. This shift inemphasis needs to be embraced and botanicalcollectors encouraged to take DNA samples(especially of endangered plant species) as amatter of routine when collecting herbariumspecimens. There are also many extant projectsthat collectors can contribute samples to, sohelping researchers expand their sample base.The senior author is looking for DNA samples ofMondia whitei (Periplocaceae) for a study ongene conservation of this threatened medicinalplant, while the junior author is less fussy andwould be grateful for any material of theAsclepiadaceae (in its broadest sense). If youwould like a slightly more in-depth look at how tocollect and preserve DNA samples Chase & Hills(1991) and Adams (1993) are recommended. q

References and Further ReadingAdams, R.P. 1993. The conservation and utilization

of genes from endangered and extinct plants: DNABankNet. In: Gene conservation and exploitation—20th Stadler Genetics Symposium, eds. J.P.Gustafson, R. Appels & P. Raven. Plenum Press,New York, pp. 35–52.

Badgley, C. 1998. The mass extinctions of the 21stcentury. http://www.sprl.umich.edu/GCL/notes2/extinct.html. Consulted 5th November, 1999.

Chase, M.W. & Hills, H.H. 1991. Silica gel: Anideal material for field preservation of leaf samplesfor DNA studies. Taxon 40: 215–220.

Golding, J. 1999. A Plant Red Data List for southernAfrica. SABONET News 4(2): 111–118.

Jones, N., Ougham, H. & Thomas, H. 1997.Markers and mapping: we are all geneticists now.New Phytologist 137: 165–177.

Population Action International. 1997. Whypopulation growth matters. http://www.populationaction.org/why_pop/whyfactfig.htm. Consulted 5th November, 1999.

Thomas, J.H. 1998. Lecture 10 — Extinction.BIL160. Evolution and Biodiversity. http://fig.cox.miami.edu/Faculty/Tom/bil160sp98/10_notes.html. Consulted 5th November, 1999.

Hassina Aboobaker & Ashley NicholasBotany DepartmentUniversity of Durban-WestvillePrivate Bag X54001Durban 4000SOUTH AFRICAE-mail: [email protected] (Aboobaker) [email protected] (Nicholas)All correspondence to be addressed to the SeniorAuthor.

Checklist of NamibianPlant Species

The first work onNamibia’s flora,Prodromus einerFlora vonSüdwestafrika, cameout in a series ofleaflets between 1966and 1972 (Merxmüller1966–1972). Itincluded keys togenera and speciesand has thus been thestandard referencework for the NationalHerbarium of Namibia. In 1992, Kolberg et al.brought out an updated list with references toname changes. This publication, Checklist ofNamibian Plant Species started off as anotherupdated list, but over the past few years itevolved to become a list that needs checking, i.e.it is not necessarily a list of what occurs inNamibia, but what has been recorded asoccurring here! The aim was to find out what‘may’ occur here so a means of identifying suchtaxa could be found, e.g. suitable literature.

The sources for the list were herbariumspecimens, literature and communication withbotanists all over the world. Obviously it was notpossible to verify taxonomic status or include allherbarium specimens not yet computerised, sonotes have been included to indicate problemareas. Similarly, an exhaustive survey of the


literature was unrealisable and many readers mayquestion the inclusion of certain references. Onemust however remember that Prodromus is inGerman, so references in English have beenadded to help with the language barrier.

The editor would like to thank all contributorsthus far and expresses the hope that this is justthe beginning of their and many other experts’input! SABONET, and in particular ChristopherWillis, are thanked for making publicationpossible so that it can reach a far greateraudience. Constructive criticism, feedback andcommunication will make this publication reallyworthwhile!

The production of the Checklist of NamibianPlant Species was supported financially by theGlobal Environment Facility/United NationsDevelopment Programme and the Ministry ofAgriculture, Water and Rural Development,Government of Namibia.

Report Details: Craven, P. (ed.). 1999.Checklist of Namibian Plant Species. SouthernAfrican Botanical Diversity Network ReportNo.7. SABONET, Windhoek, Namibia. 206 pp.ISBN 1-919795-37-5.

To order a free hard copy of this report, contactPatricia Craven, National Botanical ResearchInstitute, Private Bag 13184 Windhoek, Namibia.Tel: (264) 61 2029111, Fax: (264) 61 258153,E-mail: [email protected] q

ReferencesKolberg, H., Giess, W., Müller, M.A.N. &

Strohbach, B. 1992. List of Namibian plant species.Dinteria 22: 1–121

Merxmüller, H. (ed.) 1966–1972. Prodromus einerFlora von Südwestafrika: 1–175. J. Cramer, Lehre.

The second edition of Index herbariorum:southern African supplement, co-authored byGideon Smith and Christopher Willis, has beenpublished as the eighth number in the project’soccasional SABONET Report Series. The firstedition was published in September 1997 butincluded only 20 southern African herbaria. Thesecond edition provides updated information onthose herbaria included in the first edition, as wellas including new information for some 75additional herbaria within the region that were notincluded in the first edition. The authors, withsupport from a few colleagues from SouthAfrica’s National Herbarium (Marthina Mössmer,Christien Bredenkamp and Jean Meyer), travelledmore than 60 000 km within southern Africapersonally visiting many of the herbaria andaccessing first hand information directly from thevarious herbarium curators. Photographs of eachherbarium are included in the publication, someof which readers will have seen in progressreports published in previous editions ofSABONET News since December 1998. Thismilestone regional publication contains probablythe most detailed and comprehensive informationregarding southern African herbaria everpublished, and complements the Southern African

Second edition ofIndex herbariorum:

southern African supplementnow available


Herbarium Needs Assessment report published asnumber six in the SABONET Report Series in July1999.

The production of the Index herbariorum:southern African supplement 2nd edition wassupported financially by the Global EnvironmentFacility/United Nations DevelopmentProgramme.

Report details: Gideon F. Smith and ChristopherK. Willis. 1999. Index herbariorum: southernAfrican supplement. 2nd edition. SouthernAfrican Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 8.SABONET, Pretoria, South Africa. 184 pp.ISBN 1-919795-47-2.

The report is available free of charge from theSABONET Secretariat, and will also be added tothe project’s web site, http://www.sabonet.org indue course. To order a free hard copy of thisreport, contact The Project Coordinator, South-ern African Botanical Diversity Network, c/oNational Botanical Institute, Private Bag X101,Pretoria, 0001 SOUTH AFRICA.Tel.: (27) 12 804 3200 Fax: (27) 12 804 3211E-mail: [email protected]. q

RecommendedEnglish names

for trees ofsouthern Africa

SAPPI and Jeep Sponsored Workshop

by Hugh Glen

It is surely part of the mission of every botanist,or at least every taxonomic botanist, to spend at

least some time doing whatever may be possibleto encourage amateurs and hence the nextgeneration to share one’s interest in plants. Oneof the most necessary first steps in this regard isto have a set of easy to remember, descriptivenames for the plants one loves, in the language of

one’s target audience. It would seem thatsouthern African trees are well provided in thisregard, with the standard names in the NationalList of Trees (Von Breitenbach 1995). But arethey? Closer inspection reveals that some namesare at best insensitive in the light of today’srealities (e.g. bastard this and Transvaal that),while some large groups such as the genus Rhusare carefully hidden from the novice’sunderstanding by a layer of disparate names thatwould hardly lead one to suspect that thesenumerous groups (six in Rhus) all belong to thesame genus, and so need only one set of groupcharacters to be memorised.

In July Jacana Education organised a day-longevent in Johannesburg, which was attended bysome 40 academics, artists, publishers, botanists,nature conservation officials and members ofamateur organisations. This meeting came to theconclusion that there was a need for a revision(probably, it seemed at that stage, relativelyminor) of the existing list of standard names.Accordingly, a group of seven representativeswas elected to examine the best available list(s) inthe light of a list of principles drawn up by thewider conference. The task proved considerablylonger and more exacting than it appeared atfirst, but a list pr recommended names wasdrawn up and is now available for comment. Inaddition, a statement of the principles followedwith some fully worked examples and manyshorter notes was prepared. This statement aloneoccupies 18 pages, and is far too long toreproduce here. The list of names includes over1200 entries.

All this information is available on the internet athttp://www.wits.ac.za/museums/herbarium/common.htm or for those who do not have webaccess, hard copy may be had from JacanaEducation, P. O. Box 2004, Houghton 2041,South Africa. Requests may also be sent toJacana by fax [(27) 11 648 5516] or phone [(27)11 648 1157, ask for Pam Thompson].Unfortunately it is necessary to cover the cost ofprinting the hardcopy, so there is a charge ofR15.00 for this option. Nevertheless, anyoneinterested in trees is strongly urged to read thelist of recommended names and send comments


to Jacana as soon as possible (by phone, fax ore-mail to [email protected]). q

Hugh GlenNational HerbariumNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria 0001 South AfricaE-mail: [email protected]

Changes to theChanges to theSAHDG ListserverSAHDG Listserver

Contact details of the South(ern) AfricanHerbarium Discussion Group (SAHDG)listserver, being run on behalf of the South(ern)African Herbarium Working Group (SAHWG)by Pete Phillipson, have recently changed. Thecontact e-mail address is now:[email protected]. This e-mail addresscan be used to send e-mail to all the listmembers. Subscription can also be done throughthe following web site: http://www.ru.ac.za/mailman/listinfo/sahdg-L. All members of the oldlist have been automatically transferred to thenew system, and should have received a welcomemessage via e-mail. This message providesinformation about sending messages andaccessing membership details from the web. Ifyou are a member and have not already done so,please take a moment to visit these web pages tosee what this is all about. An additional feature ofthe new system is the automatic archiving of allmessages. Members can also use e-mail to makechanges to their membership details. Send ane-mail to [email protected] the word ‘help’ in the message body,and an e-mail message will be sent to you withinstructions.

If you have questions, problems, comments,please send them [email protected]. q

RAVEN’S 7- POINT PLAN

More than 4 000 scientists from 100 countries met inSt Louis, Missouri, in August 1999. Held only onceevery six years, the International Botanical Congresswas last held in Tokyo. Peter Raven, Director of theMissouri Botanical Garden and President of theCongress, proposed the following seven-point plan toaddress the global problems of plant conservation:

1. Establish a new coordinating body for plantconservation, preferably linked to the UN. At itsheart would be a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral alliance of all the key players.

2. Secure additional funding for the study of plants.The Global Environment Facility should help byproviding funds for capacity building in developingcountries.

3. Make plant information accessible on theInternet. A huge effort is needed to computerisethe information on herbarium specimens and makeit available to all. Botanic gardens, too, shouldcreate a unified database of all their holdings ofliving plants.

4. Place more emphasis on the dangers of alienintroduced plants and animals to nativebiodiversity.

5. Maintain national censuses of the condition ofwild plants. This will show which are wellprotected in nature, which are abundant, and whichare endangered.

6. Give special attention to medicinal plants. Waysare needed to ensure their use is sustainable.

7. Provide international funding for research onplant population biology and plant reproduction.It includes, for example, work on pollinators andthe problem for seed banks of recalcitrant seeds.

In conclusion, Raven called for a major UN-sponsoredconference to establish the necessary alliance andwork out how to implement such a plan.

Source: Adapted, with permission, from Plant Talk,Issue 19, October 1999. q


q


by Marthina Mössmer

The Tree of Lifehttp://phylogeny.arizona.edu/tree/phylogeny.htmlThe Tree of Life is a multi-authored, distributedInternet project about phylogenyand biodiversity. The sitecontains information on thediversity of organisms on Earth,their history, and characteristics.The information is linkedtogether in the form of theevolutionary tree that connectsall organisms to each other. The web site consistsof over 1380 WWW pages housed on 20computers in four countries, and is authored bybiologists from around the world.

A site map, viewable by text-only browsers as wellas graphical browsers, provides an overview of theproject. To look at pages in the Tree, you can beginat the root, or you can search for a particularorganism; alternatively, you may wish to go to somepopular groups or browse some sample pages.

Each page contains information about one group oforganisms (for example, the Coleoptera page givesinformation about all beetles, the Salticidae pageabout jumping spiders, the Cephalopoda pageabout squids, octopuses, and related molluscs, andthe Fungi page about fungi). The pages are linkedone to another in the form of the evolutionary treeof organisms, with the pages branching off from agroup’s page being about subgroups. For example,the links from the page on frogs leads one to pageson individual families of frogs, and eventually up tosome individual species of frogs.

South African Association of Botanistshttp://botany.ru.ac.za/SAAB/SAAB.htmAt the time of going topress, this web site was stillunder construction, but youshould soon be able to useit to find members= names,SAAB contacts, the SAAB mission statement andconstitution, as well as a calendar of upcomingevents.

Grass Phylogeny Working Grouphttp://www.ftg.fiu.edu/grass/gpwgThe Grass Phylogeny Working Group wasestablished in 1996 with the goal of combining aseries of existing data sets to produce acomprehensive phylogeny for the grass family.Another more general goal of this collaboration wasto help focus the further development (i.e. taxonsampling) of existing data sets. Because of thestrong support for various portions of thisphylogeny, and the clear need for a revisedclassification of the family, the Grass PhylogenyWorking Group will also present a subfamilialclassification of the grasses based on thecomprehensive phylogenetic analysis. The web sitealso includes the most current grass cladogram(July 1999).

IBChttp://fp.bio.utk.edu/mycology/nom-news.htmFor those curious souls, Dr. Ron Peterson of theUniversity of Tennessee Botany department has onthe mycology web page a “summary” of the eventsthat took place at the recent nomenclature sessionat the IBC in St. Louis. There is also some othermaterial pertinent to Botanical nomenclature on thispage.

BioLinkhttp://www.ento.csiro.au/biolink/home.htmThe first test version (Beta 1) ofBioLink, The BiodiversityInformation Management System,was made available earlier thisyear. Since its release BioLink hasbeen enthusiastically received.Over 90 copies have been requested byresearchers in 22 countries and numerousdemonstrations have been held at museums andconferences in Australia, the U.K., Europe and theU.S. As a result of often extensive comments andsuggestions, numerous changes have been madeto BioLink including the addition of a number ofnew features. We have now completed these


changes and would like to announce the release ofa new test version, BioLink Ver. 1.0 (Beta 2). Aswith the previous release, this release is beingmade available free of charge.

FEATURES ADDED TO THE NEW BIOLINK RELEASE

The first release of BioLink provided managementtools for taxon names and material informationbased on both museum specimens and fieldobservations. This new release focuses on taxon-based information while extending and fine-tuningmany of the features of the first release. Majoradditions in this release include the following:

$ Expanded taxon handling to include botanicalnames

$ Storage of common names$ A Loans Management module including an

automatic reminder feature$ Type data for both genera and species$ Management of taxon-based political distribution

information$ Full support for literature references$ Full support for multimedia and other binary data

items$ Recording of the storage location of taxa$ A Query Tool to search for and retrieve any item

or set of items in a BioLink database$ An expanded mapping tool which can display

georeferenced bitmap images and candynamically calculate the distance between mapobjects and the mouse pointer

$ Calculation of predictive distributions using bothBox Car and Gower Metric climatic matchingalgorithms

Two changes of special interest involve theinstallation procedures and the database engine.The installation procedures included with BioLinkBeta 1 proved more difficult than originallyanticipated. Because of this we have developed acompletely new installation program. This customdeveloped program steps through the entire setupprocess including the installation of the BioLinkclient software, gazetteer and modelling datasets,database engine and demonstration data. This newprogram greatly simplifies the installation ofBioLink.

The second significant change from Beta 1 is themove from Microsoft SQL Server to the MicrosoftData Engine (MSDE). This new database providesthe core SQL Server functionality in an easier toinstall and royalty free package. This means that aseparate SQL Server license is no longer required

and yet all of the power and robustness of SQLServer is maintained. It also means that migrationto the full Microsoft SQL Server package is assimple as obtaining a licensed copy of the software.

RELEASE SCHEDULE, PREREQUISITES AND COSTS

Prerequisites for installing BioLink include aPentium-based PC running Windows 95/98/NT4and up to 300 megs of disk space (if all gazetteerfiles, modelling files, database engine anddemonstration data are loaded). The next releaseof BioLink, Beta 3, is scheduled for the end of thisyear. This release will feature a flexible, user-definable report writer. The complete BioLinkpackage, BioLink Ver. 1.0, will be released earlynext year. Pricing and licensing details and theuser’s manual are currently being finalised and willbe available on the BioLink web site shortly.

OBTAINING A COPY OF BIOLINK BETA 2As with Beta 1, this release of BioLink is beingprovided free of charge. Because of its large sizeBioLink is available only on CD-ROM. To receive adisk please e-mail your name and postal addressto [email protected]. We will mail a copydirectly to you.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BIOLINK

For additional details concerning BioLink see theBiolink web site (URL above). You can also contactus directly with any questions and comments [email protected]. If you would like to be addedto the BioLink mailing list please visit http://www.ento.csiro.au/biolink/subscribe/subscribe.html.

Synthesis of the North American Florahttp://www.bonap.orgThe new Synthesis of the NorthAmerican Flora web site provides aquick view of relative diversity acrossU.S. and Canada for any taxon ofvascular plants. This digital product displays colour-coded summary diversity maps for all ranks. Thesystem allows Boolean operators for geographicqueries and user selection of regions (states/provinces). These options should allow a close lookat relative diversity among various North Americanareas (coastal plain, great plains, etc.) for taxa atany rank.

OVERVIEW OF THE SYNTHESIS

Over the past 30 years, Dr John Kartesz, Directorof the Biota of North America Program (BONAP) ofthe North Carolina Botanical Garden has produced


a vast database for the vascular plants of NorthAmerica north of Mexico. The work now serves asan international standard for many federalgovernment agencies, universities, colleges, andprivate conservation groups, including The NatureConservancy. It provides the only comprehensivesource for nomenclature and taxonomy for allknown native and naturalised vascular plantsand their associated synonyms (nearly 75,000names), as well as the phytogeography,morphology and other data for the approximately28 000 unique plant types.

The Synthesis software was written by DrChristopher Meacham, plant taxonomist andsoftware specialist at the Jepson Herbarium,University of California at Berkeley. The program isdesigned for IBM-compatible computers runningWindows 3.1, 95, 98, NT, or 2000 operatingsystems, with at least 25 MB of available hard-diskspace, a Pentium or faster processor, andminimally 32 MB of RAM. The program can also beused on Macintosh computers running Virtual PCsoftware, although it is recommended that thecomputer have components that are comparable toor better than those indicated above. This programenables plant taxonomists, horticulturists,nurserymen, foresters, wildlife managers,ecologists, and other plant enthusiasts to producespecies checklists, distribution summaries, andspecies assessments for morphology, rarity,endemism, nativity, and other biological attributes.Since the program is entirely mouse driven, usersno longer need to type scientific names in orderto view distributional or biological attribute data, orto produce checklists anywhere within NorthAmerica, from private wood lots to state or regionalfloras. This program consists of three integratedcomponents: the Lexicon, Atlas, and BiologicalAttributes.

LEXICON

The Lexicon provides the underlying nomenclatureand taxonomy used within Dr Kartesz=s 1994Timber Press publication A Synonymized Checklistof the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada,and Greenland, including current updates. Eachname has undergone rigorous scrutiny in bothorthography and authorship to assure scientificcorrectness and consistency with the InternationalCode of Botanical Nomenclature. The Lexiconenables the user to show immediate relationshipsbetween taxa at various ranks, i.e. families, genera,species, subspecies, and varieties, and to producelistings of all plant names in current use (synonyms

and/or accepted names). Synonymisedchecklists can be displayed and printed for anyplant group. Author citations for all scientificnames, along with common names for each fullyaccepted species can also be included. TheSynthesis permits the transfer of scientific names(in italics!) directly into Microsoft Word orWordPerfect documents by simply clicking on thedesired name. By using the Lexicon as a standardreference tool, countless hours of tediouseditorial time can be saved by those needing toinclude accurate scientific names withinmanuscripts or species checklists.

ATLAS

The Atlas displays distribution maps for each ofthe more than 28 000 accepted taxa,representing nearly a quarter of a million state orequivalent level records. The maps can be printed inblack and white or colour, or saved as bitmapimages. The Atlas permits individual state orequivalent level summaries of taxa to bedisplayed for each of the 70 geographicregions. Rare, state level noxious, extirpated/historical occurrences, eradicated, extinct, anderroneous reports are indicated for various taxa bydifferent colours. Complex search capabilities arealso possible, including Boolean operationsdesigned to compare and contrast taxa common toindividual states, groups of states, or even groups ofgeographic regions. Bibliographic and/or repositoryvouchering details documenting each of the 240 000state or equivalent level records can bedisplayed by simply running the cursor over thatparticular geographic area. Zoom capabilitiesembedded within the mapping system will permitcounty level and even site-specific data to be addedin the future.

BIOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES

The Biological Attributes provide fully populatedsummaries for 172 biological fields, includingmorphological and other specialised data, for allaccepted taxa. These biological attributes wereselected because of their botanical usefulness orinterest to a broad audience and/or because oftheir national or international significance.Examples of these attributes include: state andnational level rarity and endemism, nativity,weediness, habit (tree, shrub, vine, etc.), habitat,trophic level, duration, etc. Numerous other datafields that might be of interest to the horticulturalcommunity and gardeners, such economicallyimportant plants and herbs of commerce, plantsreported to have medicinal uses, major range


plants, plants reported to be toxic or edible(including the part of the plant that has beenreported to be edible), drink plants, spice plants,lumber and timber sources, ornamental grasses,perfume plants, alpine species, along with plantsthat attract butterflies, honeybees, andhummingbirds, are included. Boolean operationsare also incorporated within the BiologicalAttributes , enabling comparisons of variousattributes to be made in concert with state leveldistributions.

ORDERS

The Synthesis is now available through the NorthCarolina Botanical Garden. An order form can beprinted and faxed or mailed to the North CarolinaBotanical Garden.

Proceedings of the 1998 BGCI Congresshttp://www.nbi.ac.za/bgci98/html%20files/home.htmFrom the 14th to the 18thSeptember 1998 the FifthInternational Botanic GardensConservation Congress tookplace in Cape Town, SouthAfrica. It was held in theKirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on thenorthern slopes of Table Mountain and was co-organized by BGCI and the National BotanicalInstitute of South Africa (NBI) and hosted by NBI.The Proceedings of the Congress are available onthe NBI’s web site.

The theme of the congress was Plants, People andPlanet EarthCthe role of botanical gardens insustainable living. The aim of the congress was toreview the priorities for botanic gardens as centresfor biodiversity conservation and the promotion ofenvironmental sustainability. The congresssupported the development of a renewed globalstrategy for botanic gardens in the 21st century andhighlight shared responsibilities and their commonmission. The Congress was attended by over 400participants from 55 countries.

See http://www.nbi.ac.za/bgci98/html%20files/willis.htm for the text of Christopher Willis=spresentation on SABONET.

Diversity of New Zealand plantshttp://www.sbs.auckland.ac.nz/nzplants/index.htmThis web site provides an

introduction to the spectacular diversity in biology ofplants in New Zealand and provides a comparisonwith plants from around the world. It is designed tobenefit high school students and teachers, tertiarystudents and academics, and enthusiasts andscientists alike. The plants of New Zealand haveevolved through a long period of isolation, over 80million years ago, creating an incredibly uniqueflora and fauna. Almost 80% of New Zealand’svascular flora alone is endemic. New Zealand hasbeen described as the closest scientists will get tostudying life on another planet or as a ANoah’s Ark@. q

Marthina MössmerSABONET Project ConsultantE-mail: [email protected]

THE PAPER CHASEby Hugh Glen and Christopher Willis

The object of this column is to keep an eyeopen for literature that SABONET users may

find useful. This will mostly be new publications,but may well include older information in answerto questions such as “what’s the best key to ...”.It is neither possible nor desirable that the flow ofsuch information should be one-way, fromPretoria outwards, so would readers please feelfree to submit notes and useful information to theaddress at the end of this column. Full-lengthbook reviews have been moved to their owncolumn, as they seem to be flourishing.

The citation of an item here does not imply anyguarantee of its contents or even its existence;very often the compiler has not seen thedocuments referred to.

The following new thesis is to be found in theMary Gunn Library:–

Oliver, E.G.H. 1999. Systematic Studies in the


tribe Ericeae (Ericaceae C Ericoideae). Ph.D.,University of Cape Town.

Recent new books include:-

Bayer, M.B. 1999. Haworthia revisited.Umdaus, Pretoria. ISBN 1-919706-08-1. Bigger,better and more colourful than Bruce’s twoprevious Haworthia books.

Bolnick, D. 1995. A guide to the common wildflowers of Zambia and neighbouring regions.Macmillan, London. ISBN 0-333-64038-1.Zambians can be proud of this little book, whichprovides short descriptions and beautifulwatercolour paintings of some 600 species ofmostly herbaceous plants found, I gather, not allthat far from Lusaka. This book is a more thanworthy companion to the tree book by Storrs(see below), and raises the question of whetherSABONET could or should try to persuade NBIBookshop in Pretoria to keep basic texts like thisone on the flora of all member countries, and notjust the FSA region.

Breuer, I. 1998. The World of Haworthias. Vol. 1,Bibliography and annotated index. Breuer,Niederzier (Germany). ISBN 3-926573-08-2.Exactly as it says, a catalogue raisonné of namesin Haworthia, and so a book to gladden the heartof the succulentomane and frustrate everyone else.

Craven, P. & Marais, C. 1992. DamaralandFlora. Gamsberg Macmillan, Windhoek (reprint1998). ISBN 1-86848-784-9. A recent visit toSwakopmund with Pat Craven’s Namib Flora inthe cubbyhole (along with maps, passports etc.)showed just how excellent her books are. I’mlooking forward to the next one. And to the dayNBI bookshop keeps them.

Storrs, A.E.G. 1975. Know your trees: some ofthe common trees found in Zambia. Reprint 1995by Regional Soil Conservation Unit, Nairobi.Pity there’s no visible ISBN number or price.The book deals with some 185 common trees,many of which are as familiar to us “downsouth” as they presumably are to the intendedZambian audience. The sequence, which dependson striking habits, presence or absence of milky

latex and thorns, and leaf form and arrangement,will ring a bell with tree-enthusiasts south of theLimpopo, too. However, the common names inBemba, Kaonde, Lunda, Lozi, Nyanja and Tongamark this as a specifically Zambian book, and allthe more useful for it. What makes the book evenmore useful for practical tree-lovers is the(admittedly sketchy) coverage of Araucaria,Pinus and Eucalyptus, which are among thecommonest exotic trees in the subcontinent. Theglossary, which includes some medicinal-plantjargon, is also memorable (and would be more soif there were twice as much of it). If I were togripe about the reprint, I should concentrate onthe elderly names used for a few species (What Icall stamvrug hasn’t been Chrysophyllummagaliesmontanum in the herbarium for some 30years; first it was Bequaertiodendron, and now itis correctly Englerophytum magaliesmontanum.)and the coarse screen used to reproduce whatwere evidently first-rate original photographs.But this griping is mainly because I want a copyand have not found one on sale. Although thisneither is nor pretends to be the ultimate book onZambian trees, it is an excellent and noteworthystep in that direction.

Van Balgooy. M.M.J. 1998. Malesian seedplants: portraits of tree families. Rijksherbarium,Leiden. ISBN 90-71326-36-6. The verso (left-hand-side) of each opening is given over to a linedrawing of one representative species of thefamily in question; the recto is filled with briefbut concentrated notes on the salient features ofthe family.

Among the older books that somehow escaped thenet, these are especially noteworthy:-

1. Friedmann, F. 1994. Flore des Seychelles:Dicotylédons. ORSTOM, Paris. ISBN 2-7099-1226-0. Descriptions are terse, but no more sothan necessary. The presence of commonnames is a blessing, however, and the notesseem good. There are numerous line drawings,which are beautifully explicit as identificationaids. I suspect that all the useful facts in theintroduction are repeated in English inRobertson (1989), which is a boon to those ofus who read French by the “look and guess”


method. One suspects that the paper on whichthis book is printed may not be ideallypermanent (or was it always rough and cream-coloured?). Nevertheless, I was delighted tofind this one. The Robertson book has a mapshowing where all the islands are, and someline drawings, as well as lists of the monocotsand gymnosperms. It claims to be an annotatedchecklist, which means that vouchers anddistribution (which islands in the Seychelles),and a few lines of notes, often including athumbnail description, are given for eachspecies. Now that I have found Friedmann,I shall enjoy using both books.

2. Woods, R.S. 1966. An English–ClassicalDictionary for the use of Taxonomists. PomonaCollege, Los Angeles. Yes, it is old, so oldthat it antedates both ISBN numbers and myentire botanical career (and, I expect, theentire lives of some SABONETters). But how Ihave managed to function for the past howevermany years without it is beyond belief. Thisbook is a dictionary full of (almost) all thewonderfully obscure words one needs toconcoct a name and then a description for thatnew taxon. How ever shall I do without it,now that I know of its existence?

Christopher Willis draws our attention to:-

AETFAT Bulletin 45 (June 1999)w SABONET—A Regional Capacity-BuildingProgramme (Christopher K. Willis & Brian J.Huntley). Pages 9–12.

Africa—Environment & Wildlife 7(6) November1999w CAPE Action plan for the environment(WWF South Africa). Pages 46-47. A US$ 1million project is underway to draw up a long-term conservation strategy for the Cape FloralKingdom. Funded by the Global EnvironmentFacility (GEF) through The World Bank, itunderlines the international significance ofbiodiversity conservation and sustainabledevelopment in South Africa’s “fynbos” ecoregion.

Biodiversity and Conservation 8(4) April 1999w Picking up the pieces: a biosphere reserve

framework for a fragmented landscape B TheCoastal Lowlands of the Western Cape, SouthAfrica (C.E. Heijnis, A.T. Lombard, R.M.Cowling & P.G. Desmet). Pages 471–496.

Biodiversity and Conservation 8(7) July 1999w Central European vascular plants requiringpriority conservation measures — an analysisfrom national Red Lists and distribution maps(M. Schnittler and K.-F. Günther). Pages 891–925.

Biodiversity and Conservation 8(8) August 1999w Plant characteristics determine insect borerassemblages on Protea species in the CapeFynbos, and importance for conservationmanagement (Mark G. Wright and Michael J.Samways). Pages 1089–1100.

Bothalia 29(2) was published in October 1999. Itcontains, amongst others, the following articles:w Two new species of Gladiolus (Iridaceae:Ixioideae) from South Africa and notes onlong-proboscid fly pollination in the genus(J.C. Manning, P. Goldblatt and P.J.D. Winter).Pages 217–223.w Studies on the Sphaerocarpales (Hepaticae)from southern Africa. 1. The genusMonocarpus and its only member, M.sphaerocarpus (S.M. Perold). Pages 225–230.w Three new species of Zygophyllum(Zygophyllaceae) from Namibia and NorthernCape (L. van Zyl and E.M. Marais). Pages 231–237.w FSA contributions 13: Ulmaceae (C.M.Wilmot-Dear). Pages 239–247.w FSA contributions 14: Cannabaceae(C.M. Wilmot-Dear). Pages 249–252.w Notes on African plants: Convolvulaceae.Notes on Dichondra and Xenostegia in southernAfrica (W.G. Welman). Pages 253–254.w Notes on African plants: Crassulaceae.Crassula maputensis: a new record for the FSAregion (P.M. Burgoyne and A.E. van Wyk).Pages 254–255. [See also article by PriscillaBurgoyne in SABONET News 3(1), April 1998,page 25]w Notes on African plants: Bruniaceae. A newspecies Linconia from Western Cape (E.G.H.Oliver and I.M. Oliver). Pages 256–258.w Notes on African plants: Amaryllidaceae:Cyrtantheae. New species and notes on


Cyrtanthus in the southern Cape, South Africa(D.A. Snijman). Pages 258–263.w Notes on African plants: Proteaceae. A newspecies of Serruria from the southern Cape,South Africa (J.P. Rourke). Pages 263–266.w Preliminary list of Xhosa plant names fromEastern Cape, South Africa (A.P. Dold andM.L. Cocks). Pages 267–292.w The floristics of Sand Forest in northernKwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. (D. Kirkwoodand J.J. Midgley) Pages 293–304.w Miscellaneous notes: Poaceae. Chromosomestudies on African plants. 12. The tribes ofsubfamily Pooideae. (J.J. Spies, T.H. Burgerand S.M.C. van Wyk). Pages 335–341. Thisstudy confirms the basic chromosome number ofx = 7 for the tribes Poeae, Hainardieae,Aveneae, Bromeae and Triticeae, as well as thebasic chromosome number of x = 9 for the tribeMeliceae.

British Cactus and Succulent Journal 17(3)September 1999w The reintroduction of Gasteria baylissiana —a check up (Ernst van Jaarsveld). Pages 119–121.w Mesembs in the muthi-market: Lithops leslieias an ethnomedicinal plant (Gideon F. Smithand Neil R. Crouch). Pages 133–137.w The attraction of Dinteranthus (SuzanneMace). Pages 163–166. The six members of thegenus Dinteranthus are discussed.

Edinburgh Journal of Botany 56(3) 1999w Old World Gesneriaceae: VI. Sixmiscellaneous notes (B.L. Burtt). Pages 371–79.Amongst others, a new species of Streptocarpus,Streptocarpus huamboensis from Angola, isdescribed. This species is known only from thetype collection. The type was collected byHuntley, Roberts & Ward from Mt Moco in theHuambo District, Angola, on 18 December 1973at an altitude of 2335 m.

Journal of Biogeography 26(3) May 1999w The influence of climate change on thedistribution of indigenous forest in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Harriet A.C. Eeley,Michael J. Lawes & Steven E. Piper). Pages595–617.

w Changes in woody community structure andcomposition under contrasting landuse systemsin a semi-arid savanna, South Africa (Steven I.Higgins, Charlie M. Shackleton and E. RobbieRobinson). Pages 619–627.

Kirkia 17(1) July 1998 has recently been receivedby the Mary Gunn Library. This number containsthe following articles of relevance to southernAfrican botanists:w Eriocaulaceae of the Flora zambesiaca area(Sylvia M. Phillips). Pages 11–67.w Macrotyloma (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae)in the Flora zambesiaca area (B. Mackinder).Pages 69–84.w A preliminary checklist of macrofungi fromthe North Luangwa National Park, Zambia(D.A. Shah-Smith). Pages 85–107.w Kirkia Index — Volumes 1–16 (1961–1997).Pages 109–125.

Orchids South Africa 30 1999w A new species from southern Zimbabwe —Polystachya phirii (Werner Fibeck). Pages 42–45.Endemic to the Limpopo escarpment in southernZimbabwe. Polystachya phirii, a dwarf (reachingonly 100 mm in height) epiphytic orchid, is thefirst endemic species recorded from the Limpopoescarpment. P. phirii emits a strong chocolate scent.

PLANT TALK Issue 19 (October 1999) containsthe following articles which may be of interest toour readers:w Agulhas Plain: A brave new fynbos nationalpark (Richard Cowling and Barry Heydenrych).Pages 21–25.w The Sehlabathebe Herbarium: Survival ofthe fittest (Gideon Smith and ChristopherWillis). Page 38.

South African Journal of Botany 65(3) waspublished in June 1999. It contains, amongstothers, the following articles:w The effect of fire on two Eastern CapeCyclopia species (Fabaceae) (S.R. du Toit andE.E. Campbell). Pages 203–207. Seedlingrecruitment of the Eastern Cape endemicsCyclopia longifolia and Cyclopia pubescens wasanalysed after fire.


w Studies in Cyperaceae in southern Africa.33: a new monotypic genus, Capeobolus(J. Browning and K.D. Gordon-Gray). Pages218–222. The new monotypic genus CapeobolusJ. Browning is established to accommodate theSouth African endemic sedge previouslyequivocally treated as Costularia brevicaulis orTetraria brevicaulis. The distribution is limited tothe Western Cape, South Africa.w A new species of Diascia (Scrophulariaceae)from the Eastern Cape (South Africa), withnotes on other members of the genus in thatregion (K.E. Steiner). Pages 223–231. A newspecies of Diascia from the Eastern CapeProvince in South Africa is described(D. esterhuyseniae) and two species (D. aliciaeand D. racemulosa) synonymised by Hilliard andBurtt (1984) are re-instated as distinct.D. esterhuyseniae is known only from hilltopsnear Engcobo in the Eastern Cape.w A first record of Agave decipiens naturalisedin southern Africa (G.F. Smith and E.M.A.Steyn). Pages 249–252. Native to the southernparts of Florida, USA, the alien Agave decipiensis reported from South Africa for the first time.

South African Journal of Botany 65(4) waspublished in August 1999. It contains, amongstothers, the following articles:w Vegetation ecology of the southern FreeState: 1. Plant communities of the Zastronarea (P.W. Malan, H.J.T. Venter and P.J. duPreez). Pages 260–269.w Vegetation analysis of Pedlar’s Bush,Mpumalanga, and its conservation(T.L. Morgenthal and S.S. Cilliers). Pages 270–280.w Cineraria lyratiformis (Senecioneae,Asteraceae), a new name for Cineraria lyrata(G.V. Cron, K. Balkwill and E.B. Knox). Pages287–290. Known distribution confined to SouthAfrica and Lesotho.w The rational usage of Drimia robusta Bak. intraditional medicine (R.P. Luyt, A.K. Jäger andJ. van Staden). Pages 291–294.w Seed germination of Opuntia stricta:Implications for management strategies in theKruger National Park (C.F. Reinhardt, L.Rossouw, L. Thatcher and W.D. Lotter). Pages295–298.

w The status of Larryleachia Plowes andadditional synonymy for Lavrania Plowes(P.V. Bruyns). Pages 302–305. The genusLarryleachia is shown to be superfluous and isreduced to synonymy under Lavrania Sect.Cactoidea. Full synonymy for the four speciesplaced by Plowes in Larryleachia is given.w Micropropagation of Scilla nervosa(Hyacinthaceae), a southern African medicinalbulb (N.R. Crouch, M. Brunkhorst and S.A.McCartan). Pages 306–307.

Southern African Forestry Journal No. 185 July1999w Remote sensing from space — present andfuture applications in forestry, natureconservation and landscape management(Christoph Kätsch and Holger Vogt). Pages 14–26.w The charcoal commodity chain in Maputo:access and sustainability (Roland Brouwer andDânia M. Magane). Pages 27–34.

Systematic Botany 24(1) 1999w A critique of some recent developments inplant nomenclature (R.K. Brummitt). Pages108–115.

Taxon 48 August 1999w A comprehensive reference model forbiological collections and surveys (Walter G.Berendsohn, Anastasios Anagnostopoulos,Gregor Hagedorn, Jasmin Jakupovic, Pier L.Nimis, Benito Valdés, Anton Güntsch, Richard J.Pankhurst & Richard J. White). Pages 511–562.

The Botanical Review 65(2)(April-June 1999)w Desert rocks as plant refugia in the NearEast (Avinoam Danin). Pages 93–170. Will be ofinterest to our readers from Namibia and the aridwestern parts of Angola and South Africa.

Dr Jan Wieringa kindly supplied the followinginformation:Monopetalanthus exit. A systematic study ofAphanocalyx, Bikinia, Icuria, Michelsonia andTetraberlinia (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae)— Wageningen Agricultural University Papers99–4: I–XVI & 1–320. J.J. Wieringa, 1999.


Monopetalanthus becomes part of Aphanocalyx,while some of its species are now included inTetraberlinia and Bikinia. Both Bikinia and Icuriaare new genera.

Van Rooyen, G. & Steyn, H. 1999. SouthAfrican Wild Flower Guide 10 : Cederberg,Clanwilliam & BiedouwValley. Botanical Societyof South Africa, CapeTown. ISBN 1 874999 198. 256 pp., 210 x 150 mm.The 10th in the BotanicalSociety’s series of WildFlower Guides, and thefirst to have a plastic cover,this publication is a mustfor anyone visiting theCederberg area in the southwestern part of SouthAfrica. The text was prepared by Gretel vanRooyen and Hester Steyn and the beautifulphotographs taken by Riaan de Villiers, all of theUniversity of Pretoria’s Department of Botany.The Cederberg is renowned for the Clanwilliamcedar (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis), oncecommon in the Cederberg but now on the brinkof extinction. This field guide will certainly go along way towards creating greater awareness ofthe diversity of the indigenous flora and plantconservation needs of this western escarpmentarea amongst both local people and visitors to theCederberg, Clanwilliam and Biedouw Valley.The authors, photographer and all those involvedin the production of this publication must becongratulated on their efforts.

Smit, Nico. 1999. Guide to the Acacias ofSouth Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria.ISBN 1 875093 15 X.224 pp., 240 x 167mm. Soft cover. Thisbook, written andphotographed by Prof.Nico Smit, attempts togive a complete accountof all 40 recognisedspecies, subspecies andvarieties of the genusAcacia that occur

within the borders of South Africa. Four pagesare devoted to each form, which includenumerous colour photographs, a distributionmap, a graphic illustration of the species’phenology (leaves, flowers and pods) and acomprehensive text. More than 270 colourillustrations are included within the book. Thespecies are divided into five groups, based on theshape and position of the thorns (spines andprickles). The text for each species isincorporated within the following subheadings:• Scientific name• Synonyms• Common names• National Tree Number• Outstanding features• Habitat• General description• Main stem• Shoots• Thorns• Leaves• Inflorescence• Pods and seeds• Similar species• GeneralThe book also includes a key to the identificationof the South African Acacia species (usingcharacters mainly (but not exclusively) of avegetative nature), glossary, an extensivereference list (85 references) and an index to bothscientific and common names. This book is ahigh quality production which is what we havecome to expect from Briza Publications over thepast few years, and will be a useful addition tothe libraries of South African tree (especiallyAcacia) lovers as well as all those with an interestin our natural heritage in general.

Duncan, Graham D. 1999. Grow Clivias.Kirstenbosch Gardening Series. NationalBotanical Institute, Kirstenbosch, South Africa.ISBN 1-919684-25-5. 45 pp., 210 x 148 mm.Soft cover. The latest addition to theKirstenbosch Gardening Series which focuses onthe cultivation and propagation of southernAfrica’s indigenous flora. The publication GrowClivias provides a detailed treatment of thespecies, cultivation and propagation of thepopular genus Clivia. The booklet includes


general information on thegenus, coverage of thespecies, varieties andcultivars, hybrids,cultivation, propagation,pests and diseases as wellas Clivia Club addresses inSouth Africa and Australia.For anyone interested ingrowing clivias (accordingto the author, clivias areamong the most easily cultivated bulbous plants),this is a very worthwhile investment and sourceof interesting and practical information. Othereditions within the Kirstenbosch Gardening Seriesthat have so far been published are as follows:Grow Succulents, Grow South African plants,Grow Restios, Grow Proteas, Grow Cycads andGrow Agapanthus. q

ReferencesRobertson, S.A. 1989. Flowering plants of Seychelles.Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Hugh Glen & Christopher WillisNational HerbariumNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria 0001SOUTH AFRICATel.: (27) 12 804 3200Fax: (27) 12 804 3211E-mail addresses:[email protected] (Hugh)[email protected] (Christopher)

BOOK REVIEWS

The Kalahari and its Plants. Pieter van derWalt & Elias le Riche. 1999. Published by theauthors (Info Naturae, P.O.Box 31899, Totiusdal 0134).ISBN 0620 23416 4English; 0620 23415 6Afrikaans. 148 pp., 64colour photos. Soft cover.210 x 148 mm.Price: R 69.00.

This is no coffee-tablebook. It is a guide, lovinglyand almost lyrically written, to the inner secretsof one of the last refuges on the subcontinent,where nature can still do its thing. It leads us to aworld where the stressed visitor from somefaraway metropolis can quietly observe thisbiome almost as it was before Homo sapiens, so-called, came onto the stage. The cover photoshows a Kalahari savanna (written savannah inthis book), probably taken somewhere along thedry riverbed of the Nossob River, all in shades ofbrown and yellow. Only a rainbow introduces themerest hint of green. This may indicate to thereader that this work is about a region in whichthe struggle for existence is much more obviousthan in a lush green meadow.

Chapter 1, The Kalahari, tells us about itslocation and the origin of its name, its geology,physiography, soils and general ecology. Thesecond chapter, Conservation areas, discussesgeneral geography, origin of place names,climate, water provision, veld fires and gamediseases. Chapter 3, Vegetation, occupies abouttwo-thirds of the book. It is subdivided intoTrees, shrubs, bossies and dwarf shrubs,succulents, grasses, bulbs, creepers, opslag(ephemerals and annuals) and fungi, and dealswith a total of 56 species. Did you know thatelephants shake camelthorn trees (Acaciaerioloba, formerly A. giraffae) to make its large,grey, nutritious pods fall to the ground? Or thatthe bark of Albizia anthelmintica, also calledWorm-bark false-thorn, with its ability to destroy


intestinal worms, may have evolved this qualitytogether with the animal species which have usedthis field pharmacy over the aeons? We read thatthe San hunter-gatherers use the sap in the barkof the black thorn, Acacia mellifera, as a bindingagent for the poison mixture on their arrowpoints, and manufacture thin tubes to suck waterfrom the sand from the bark of twigs of the silvercluster-leaf, Terminalia sericea.

The authors cite only a few references. Most ofthe information is based on their personalknowledge and experience. Much of this, in turn,is derived from the life-skills and traditionalknowledge accumulated by hunter-gatherers ofold, by latter-day hunters, farmers andconservationists, and passed on from generationto generation. Two maps, one of the SouthernKalahari and one of the Kalahari GemsbokNational Park, help to transport the reader to thesandy semidesert where Namibia, Botswana andSouth Africa meet. Four photos, three of themtaken from the air, presumably from a planepiloted by the junior author, help to make theimaginary visit to this world more realistic. Eachof the plants dealt with is shown on a colour slidereproduction, from which many of them can berecognised. I am given to believe that plans areafoot to produce illustrations that will focuscloser on the plants of the region.

As the title indicates, the main emphasis of thisbook falls on plants. However, a wealth ofinformation about the animals, directly orindirectly dependent on them, can also be foundhere. Overall, the authors have succeeded insketching a comprehensive picture of the duneKalahari biome. Even though the picture bookbrowser may be disappointed, the reader with areal interest in the Kalahari, especially its driestparts, will find this book a great source ofinformation and delight.

Otto LeistnerNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria 0001SOUTH AFRICATel.: (27) 12 804 3200Fax: (27) 12 804 3211

Lepidoptera of southern Africa. Host-plants &other associations: a catalogue. D.M. Kroon.1999. Lepidopterists’Society of Africa andD.M. Kroon, South Africa.ISBN 0-620-24916-1;160 pp. Soft cover.292 x 211 mm.

Amateurs have, over thelast few centuries, madesignificant contributions tothe development andunderstanding of biologyin southern Africa. Thispublication by Douglas Kroon, an accomplishedamateur lepidopterist who has been collecting andstudying southern African Lepidoptera (mothsand butterflies) and their food plants for over 25years, is yet another milestone in that long stringof milestones accomplished by amateur biologistsin the subregion. The author is clearly passionateabout his subject, and should be congratulated ona fine piece of work and significant contributionto our understanding of lepidoptera host-plantsand other associations. As Braam van Wyk hasstated in his Foreword, “Compiling a cataloguelike this is not easy. Preparation of the variouslists has meant the scrutiny and assessment ofmany thousands of records on insect-plantinteractions and many systematic treatments onvarious plant and insect taxa.....This cataloguerepresents, in a way, an inventory of the knownoutcome of the co-evolutionary “arms race”between plant defence and lepidopteranresponse.”

The main advantage of the book, as described bythe author, is that it collates “new informationand that found in scattered literature records oftenonly available in specialist libraries. It is acompilation of known host-plants of Lepidopteraand survival strategies of the larvae mostly in theSouthern African Region. The facts wereincorporated into a database which wassubsequently used to generate a series ofqueriesCthe results have been arranged as Listsin this volume.” The geographical area coveredis essentially south of the Cunene and ZambeziRivers, although it is quite likely that much of the


information will also be relevant further north aswell.

The catalogue comprises essentially five Lists,one Annexure which is an overview of thecurrent Higher Classification of the Lepidoptera,and an extensive Reference List, which is dividedinto two separate sections for convenience —Lepidoptera and Botanical. A list of commonlyused abbreviations in scientific publications withexpanded titles is also provided, as well as ashort addendum of additional records recentlyreceived and a single lined page for notes.

List 1 is sorted alphabetically by Lepidopteraspecies name, and includes the Lepidopteragenus, family; the plant genus, species andfamily name; the name of the individual to whomthis particular record is attributed, and a literatureor journal reference.

List 2 is essentially similar to List 1 but includesthree additional fields of information. It dealswith Lepidoptera with known insect, or otherlarval nutritional substrate strategies and use.Many are associated with ants.

List 3 is arranged to meet the needs of botanists.It is arranged alphabetically by genus and speciesof plant and includes the associated plant familyas well as Lepidoptera genus and species.

List 4 has a blocked tabular arrangement whereplant families are listed alphabetically. Beloweach family is an alphabetical listing of generawith the associated lepidopteran family andgenus.

List 5 is an index of Lepidoptera, arrangedalphabetically by genus, species and family.

This catalogue, which consolidates existinginformation on the subject within southernAfrica, is aimed at making the known southernAfrican host-plant information more widelyavailable. Although not illustrated, this cataloguecertainly will be an essential reference book foranyone interested in observing or studying therelationships between plants and lepidopterans.

As botanists, we look forward to DouglasKroon’s next work of art!

Copies of the book can be ordered from:The Honorary SecretaryLepidopterists’ Society of AfricaPO Box 477Jukskei Park, 2153SOUTH AFRICA

Christopher WillisNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria 0001SOUTH AFRICAE-mail: [email protected]

Field Guide to the Acacias of Zimbabwe.Jonathan Timberlake, Christopher Fagg &Richard Barnes. 1999. Illustrations by RosemaryWise. CBC Publishing,PO Box 4611, Harare,Zimbabwe.ISBN 0-7974-1936-5;160 pp. 240 x 155 mm.

Acacias have alwaysappealed to naturelovers in that they forman integral part of theAfrican landscape.Notwithstanding severalworks on southernAfrican acacias having been published over thepast number of years, the authors felt that therestill existed a strong need for an everydayidentification guide to the some 40 species foundin Zimbabwe, more particularly for use by peopleconcerned with land management, whetheragriculturalists, wildlife managers or interestednaturalists. Some of the species covered reflectsoil type and land potential, some are ofsignificant economic value for fuel, browsing,fencing and other products such as gum, whileothers have great potential for improvement ofdegraded land.

This publication emanates from two researchprojects conducted by the Oxford Forestry


Institute and funded by the United KingdomDepartment for International Development for thebenefit of developing countries.

The first part of this useful guide contains theintroduction and deals with various importantsubjects such as Taxonomy, Origin andDistribution, Ecology covering headings such asAcacias in vegetation, Plant succession, Bushencroachment, Rooting habits, Nitrogen fixation,Animals and acacias, and finally Uses includingBrowse, Wood, Edible products and Medicines.

The following part deals with the description ofthe different Acacia species and highlights thevarious characteristics such as life form, trunkand bark, young twigs, thorns, leaves, glands,flowers, pods and seeds. This is followed by adetailed description on ‘how to use this fieldguide’. It incorporates four different methods toidentify a specimen, either by means of theillustrations, distribution maps, descriptive text orone of the three keys provided.

The main key is a dichotomous one based mainlyon vegetative characters and incorporates podsand flowers only where deemed necessary. It alsohelps the identifier to distinguish between Acaciaspecies and similar-looking non-acacias such asspecies of Albizia and Dichrostachys as well asAustralian acacias. The other two keys aredifferent types of character matrices. In thespecies matrix at the end of the book, any of thereadily noted field characters shown, can bechosen. Those species reflecting that particularcharacter are indicated by a dot; a solid dotsignifies that the character is nearly alwayspresent, while an open circle signifies that thecharacter is only occasionally present. The othercharacter matrix lays out a selection of easilynoted vegetative characters along the top axistogether with inflorescence and pod charactersalong the vertical axis. Any species with thatcombination of characters is mentioned where thecolumn and row intersect.

Descriptions of 40 species found in Zimbabweare provided and arranged alphabetically. Theseare concise and to the point, with importantcharacters highlighted in bold, based on

Zimbabwean specimens and field notes. Thecommon names for each species are also given inlanguages used in Zimbabwe. The major fieldcharacters are listed after the main description.This is followed by details on charactersdifferentiating the species from others with whichit might be confused. For each species adistribution map is provided, with distributionalnotes compiled from herbarium specimensavailable from numerous herbaria throughoutZimbabwe, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew,Forest Herbarium at Oxford and the NationalHerbarium in Pretoria, as well as ecological notesprimarily derived from the authors’ own fieldobservations. The final section under eachdescription incorporates notes on the generalbiology, the nomenclature of the species and itsvarious economic uses gained from localliterature and local observations.

Illustrations are provided in the form ofRosemary Wise’s excellent line drawings of thehabit, thorns, leaves, leaflets, glands,inflorescences, fruit and seeds. These illustrationsare so accurate that it is often not necessary torefer to the accompanying descriptive text toidentify an Acacia species. The height of the treescan readily be gained by comparison withdrawings of all kinds of human or animal figuresunder the tree or even by a parked vehicle,rendering a humoristic touch to the illustrations.Furthermore, the illustrations and maps areconveniently placed near the relevant text.

Included in the latter part of the book areillustrations of pods from all indigenous acacias,grouped under spicate and globose floweredspecies. There is also a list of species found invarious geographical regions and vegetation typesin the country, as well as a glossary of botanicalterms used, some of which are illustrated, a listof common names, a comprehensive bibliographyof sources of information used in the preparationof the book and finally an index of all scientificnames.

I can recommend this guide without hesitation toacacia enthusiasts throughout southern Africa,particularly since it covers an area containingspecies not found elsewhere. An added bonus is


its light weight and size, facilitating easy handlingin the field.

Gerrit GermishuizenNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria 0001SOUTH AFRICATel.: (27) 12 804 3200Fax: (27) 12 804 3211

Mistletoes of Africa. Polhill, R. & Wiens, D.1998. The Board of Trustees, Royal BotanicalGardens, Kew;ISBN 1 900347 56 3;370 pp. 302 x 212 mm.

While compiling data ofsouthern African membersof the mistletoes for theSeed plants of southernAfrica: families and genera,a project of the NationalHerbarium, Pretoria, Iconsulted this beautiful andmost useful book on these parasites with theirshowy flowers, and thought I might share it withreaders of SABONET News.

Until the late 1970s, the mistletoes in southernAfrica were classified in one family, theLoranthaceae, comprising two genera, Viscumand Loranthus. Subsequent studies by Wiens andToelken in their revision of the group for Floraof southern Africa, volume 10 (1979), placedViscum in its own family, Viscaceae.Furthermore, in view of the close similarities intheir basic flower structure, all African specieswere originally assigned to the same genus,Loranthus. However, Wiens and Toelkendistinguished 11 genera in southern Africa, alongthe lines suggested by earlier taxonomists. In theupdated Mistletoes of Africa, Polhill and Wiensnow recognise 13 genera occurring in southernAfrica. Today, the family Loranthaceaecomprises some 77 genera and about 950 specieswhile the Viscaceae has seven genera and some450 species, both families widespread worldwide.Apart from the main section of the book devotedto the systematics, there are chapters on The

parasitic habit and Origins and evolutions of thefamilies as well as chapters on Comparativemorphology of haustoria within AfricanLoranthaceae by Clyde Calvin and Carol Wilsonand on Pollination mechanisms in AfricanLoranthaceae by Donald Kirkup.

Keys are provided to genera in both families.These are user-friendly and the terminology issimple. The gross morphology is generally usedto distinguish between the genera. Within eachgenus, keys are provided to the species and,where applicable, to sections and species withineach section.

As introduction to the systematic portion of thisbook, the authors state that “this book serves as aprecursor for the Flora of tropical East Africaand Flora zambesiaca. The citation of literatureis fairly extensive as in those Floras.”Descriptions of families, genera, sections andspecies are concise and comprehensive and aresupplemented with information relating toimportant references, synonyms, type collections,distribution, habitat, host species, flowering timesand interesting notes on distinguishing characters.Descriptions are based on extensive field studiesas well as on specimens examined from severalherbaria worldwide.

Illustrations are provided in the form of high-quality close-up colour photographs ofinflorescences, individual flowers and fruit. Inaddition there are accurate line drawings byChristine Grey-Wilson and Marguerite Scott(reproduced from Flora of southern Africamentioned above) of the habit, inflorescences,flowers and fruit and interesting morphologicalcharacters of the flower are also included.Excellent maps of the distribution in Africa arealso provided for each species. The illustrationsand maps dealing with each species areconveniently placed near the descriptions andparagraphs on distribution thereby avoidingunnecessary paging to and fro searching forthem.

I conclude this review with an excerpt taken fromthe introduction to the book: “Mistletoes rankamong the most fascinating groups of plants.


Popular culture in the Western world is imbuedwith the mystery of Viscum album, fruiting mid-winter in a barren landscape. The species notonly adorns our Christmas festivities as a portentof friendship, but is still a respected palliative forour most feared disease, cancer, with itsconnotations in sympathetic medicine of abnormalgrowth. The sight of brilliantly flowering plantsspringing from leafless trees at the height of thedry season in Africa is no less spectacular. Theburning bush of the Bible may indeed have beenPlicosepalus acaciae (Moldenke, 1952: Plants ofthe Bible), a species common also to the Horn ofAfrica.” Having identified and curated thesefamilies in the National Herbarium for manyyears, I can but only agree with the authors thatthe mistletoes are indeed a fascinating group ofplants. Furthermore, this well-producedpublication, printed on glossy paper, is a must forlibraries and herbaria as a reference work onthese two most interesting families.

Gerrit GermishuizenNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria 0001SOUTH AFRICATel.: (27) 12 804 3200Fax: (27) 12 804 3211

Guide to the common plants of the Cuvelaiwetlands. Nicholas V. Clarke. 1998. SouthernAfrican Botanical Diversity Network, Windhoek,Namibia. ISBN 0-86976-444-6. 43 pp.Soft cover. 209 x 146 mm.

This is a small booklet of 43pages filled with extremelyuseful information on thewetland plants of theoshanas (water courses) andondombes (deeper pools) innorthern Namibia. The outercover which immediatelyattracts one’s attention, is acolourful picture of Oshikuku ondombe. The useof local terminology creates an awareness thatthese wetlands are unique in a country that oneassociates more with sand dunes and desert plants.According to the Honourable Minister, Mr

Helmut Angula, Minister of Agriculture, Waterand Rural Development, before they can applysustainable utilisation of their natural resources,the government needs to know more about thevegetation of the area. The aim of this booklet isto describe the common plants of the Cuvelaidrainage basin and to use this knowledge to helpassess the state of the wetlands.

The introduction gives a clear, concisedescription of the wetland as a whole. It explainsthe difference between oshanas and ondombes.These facts are substantiated with a map of thedrainage basin and profile diagrams of an oshanaand an ondombe. The different wetland habitatsare discussed and some of the distinctive plants ofeach habitat are mentioned. Table 1 lists theplants recorded from the Cuvelai Wetlands and inwhich zones they occur. The genera are arrangedaccording to the National Botanical ResearchInstitute (Craven 1998). Table 2 is a list ofKwanyama common names, while Table 3 is aprovisional list of the characteristic plants thatcould occur in the oshanas and ondombes.Between Tables 2 & 3 there is a discussion as towhich plants occur during the wet season andhow the more common species could be used inmonitoring the wetland. A short Bibliographyoccurs after Table 3. The rest of the bookletconsists of impressionistic illustrations sketchedby the author himself, of some of these wetlandplants.

There is no key, so identification would have tobe made by browsing through the illustrationsand reading the short descriptions. Using thedrawings to get to the genus level is fine, but Iam a bit hesitant about using them to specieslevel. For example:

• The root structure in the Cyperaceae areimportant characters when identifying theseplants. Sadly this significant feature is notmentioned or even illustrated. Although myknowledge of the Cyperaceae is poor, I washowever able to recognise the different generafrom these illustrations.

• The shape of the leaves (pinnae) of theMarsilea spp. depends largely on the age of theplant and the depth of the water, if any. It is


the shape and the position of the sporocarp thatis essential in order to be able to identify theseaquatic ferns. A sketch of a sporocarp wouldhave assisted in identifying the plant as wellemphasising the importance of these structuresin naming these ferns.

• In southern Africa two species of Utriculariaoccur with the flower stem supported by a ringof floats, namely Utricularia inflexa (illustratedon page 39) which according to Taylor (1989)has purple, sometimes yellow flowers, thediagnostic character is that the floats are longand slender while the other species,U. stellaris, has yellow flowers and short, stoutfloats, similar to those illustrated on pg. 39.According to the illustration I would suggestthat it is U. stellaris that occurs in the Cuvelaiwetland and not U. inflexa as the captionimplies.

There is a lot of information in this booklet, someof which may not be noticed because sadly thereis no index to which to refer. Nevertheless, aslong as one realises that as the title implies, it is ahandbook that directs one to a possible name,then this booklet is most certainly a Guide to thecommon plants in the Cuvelai Wetland and DrClarke should be congratulated on producingsuch a useful and informative work. It certainlyfulfils the aim it sets out to achieve. In fact, I feelit is essential that anyone working on wetlands insouthern Africa should possess a copy of this guide.

Apart from Water Plants of Natal (Musil 1973)and Plants of the Okavango Delta (Ellery 1997)no such field guides have been published forsouthern Africa. Not only is this booklet the firstfield guide on wetland plants for Namibia, it isalso the first such guide to be sponsored bySABONET.

Many thanks to SABONET for further enhancingthe knowledge of wetland plants in southern Africa.For further information, please contact theNational Botanical Research Institute, PrivateBag 13184, Windhoek, Namibia.Tel.: (264) 61 202 2020, Fax: (264) 61 258153E-mail: [email protected].

ReferencesCraven, P. (Ed.). 1998. Checklist of Namibian

Plant Species. Unpubl. National BotanicalResearch Institute, Windhoek.

Ellery, K. & W. 1997. Plants of the OkavangoDelta: a field guide. Tsaro Publishers. Durban.

Musil, C.F. 1973. Water plants of Natal.Published by: The Wildlife Protection andConservation Society of South Africa

Taylor, P. 1989. The genus Utricularia ataxonomic monograph. Kew Bulletin AdditionalSeries XIV.

René GlenNational HerbariumNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria 0001SOUTH AFRICATel.: (27) 12 804 3200Fax: (27) 12 804 3211E-mail: [email protected]

Let’s look at seaweeds. Antje Burke, Derick duToit, Teresa Sguazzin. Illustrated by ColeenMannheimer & Asser Karita. 1995. Enviroteach,Desert Research Foundation of Namibia. ISBN99916-43-03-6.Soft cover. 210 x 143 mm.

This is a stimulatingbooklet of 98 pages of theseaweeds along theNamibian coast. Theintroduction covers a lotof general informationsuch as what seaweedsare, where they occur,how they are adapted tolife in the ocean, theimportance of seaweed totheir natural habitat aswell as their economic importance. After thegeneral information, the Namibian marineenvironment, the importance of these marineplants to Namibia, seaweed farming especially atLüderitz where seaweeds are cultivated


commercially, the traditional uses and theproducts of seaweed are discussed.There are 20 line drawings, each with a scalebar, of the commonest seaweeds that occur alongthe Namibian coast. On the facing page is thescientific name, common name, brief descriptionof the habit, colour, texture, size, habitat,distribution as well as interesting facts. Frompersonal experience this information is more thanexplicit to enable one to identify the algae.Following this is a brief discussion onmicroscopic diatoms and dinoflagellates, some ofwhich can cause Red tide. Then there is a sectionon “cooking with seaweed” which I foundentertaining. The booklet ends with suggestionsfor further reading and a glossary in case therewas some term used that could cause someconfusion.

This is an inexpensive, captivating booklet thatheightens our awareness of the importance ofalgae in any aquatic environment. Although theinformation may only be of interest to those thathave access to a coastline, especially those on theWest Coast of southern Africa, it is,nevertheless, a booklet that all aquatic scientistsand naturalists should acquire.

The Namibian environmentalists should becongratulated on setting standards for producingsimple but informative booklets on the aquaticplants, such as this booklet and the Guide to thecommon plants of the Cuvelai wetlands, of theircountry.q

René GlenNational HerbariumNational Botanical InstitutePrivate Bag X101Pretoria 0001Tel.: (27) 12 804 3200Fax: (27) 12 804 3211E-mail: [email protected]

NEW BOOK IN THESTRELITZIA SERIES OF THE

NATIONAL BOTANICALINSTITUTE

Strelitzia 8: Bulbinella in South Africa, byformer NBI staff member Pauline L. Perry.A4 size, soft cover,78 pages, with 14colour plates byJeanette Loedolff.

This systematictreatment of the 17species of Bulbinella,a genus of deciduousgeophytes belongingto the familyAsphodelaceae orLiliaceae sensu lato,also contains mostuseful information on cultivation andpropagation. Species of Bulbinella occur in theNorthern, Western and Eastern Cape Provincesof South Africa, and on the main islands of NewZealand.

The data sources for the book include a detailedmorphological study based on living material,seedling development, leaf anatomy, geographicaldistribution and ecology. Previous work onbreeding biology is reviewed. For the taxonomictreatment, existing type material as well asherbarium material from the main collections inSouth Africa and Europe was examined. Of the21 names originally attached to the genus, asenumerated in Index kewensis, seven hadpreviously been transferred to other genera, sixhave been placed in synonymy, and eight havebeen upheld. One variety was raised to specificrank. Eight new species and two new varietieswere described by the present author in 1987. InStrelitzia 8, one new species and two newsubspecies are described and four varieties areraised to subspecies.


Price: SADC countries R85,00; other countriesUS$30,00.

Postage & packaging: RSA and SADC countriesR15,00 on first book, R5,00 on every subsequentbook; other countries US$6,00 on first book,US$2,00 on every subsequent book.

Available from: NBI Bookshop, Private BagX101, Pretoria, 0001 South AfricaTel.: (27) 12 804-3200Fax: (27) 12 904-3211E-mail: [email protected] q

Information supplied by Emsie du Plessis.

LATEST issue ofBothalia

now availableBOTHALIA 29,2

October 1999

This issue contains much information that is ofinterest to southern African taxonomists and plantdiversity specialists. Some nine species new tothe Flora of southern Africa are treated. Theseinclude two new species of Cyrtanthus describedby D.A. Snijman, two species of Gladiolus byJ.C. Manning, P. Goldblatt and P.J.D. Winter,three species of Zygophyllum by L. van Zyl, anda single species each of the genera Serruria andLinconia described by J.P. Rourke and E.G.H.Oliver respectively. All are illustrated withphotographs and accurate black and whitedrawings. A full colour plate of the new speciesof Gladiolus rhodanthus by the botanical artistAuriol Batten is provided.

See The Paper Chase in this issue for furtherdetails on contributions contained in this numberof Bothalia, the house journal of the NationalBotanical Institute, Pretoria.

Towards the end of this issue is a complete list ofthe administration and research staff of theNational Botanical Institute, South Africa, 31March 1999, as well as a list of their publicationsfrom April 1998 to March 1999. An updatedguide for authors to Bothalia is also included.For the first time acknowledgements to refereesfrom 1983 to 1999 compiled by B.A. Mombergand O.A. Leistner, is provided.

Subscription price: SADC countries R160,00 fora year/other countries US$ 5,00 for a year. Backissues available from R10,00 (SADC)/US$ 5,00other countries.

Available from: NBI Bookshop, Private BagX101, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.E-mail: [email protected] q

Information supplied by Gerrit Germishuizen.

New FSA volumeHepatophyta. Part 1: Marchantiopsida. Fasc. 1:Marchantiidae, by S.M. Perold. 1999. Flora ofsouthern Africa. 252 pp; 31 spore plates;73 figures and 34 maps. ISBN 1-919795-44-8.Soft cover price: SADC countries R185.00; othercountries US$ 35.00. Postage & packaging,surface mail: SADC: R15.00 on first book,R5.00 on every subsequent book; other countries:US$6.00 on first book, US$2.00 on everysubsequent book. Obtainable from NBIBookshop, Private Bag X101 Pretoria 0001.Tel.: (27) 12 804 3200; Fax: (27) 12 804 3211.E-mail: [email protected].

Taxonomic treatment by the leading authority ofthallose liverworts in South Africa, with keys;detailed descriptions; SEM photographs ofspores; line drawings by artists, G. Condy, J.Kimpton, A. Pienaar and M. Steyn; distributionin the FSA area; and notes on collection,preservation, study and identification. q

Information supplied by Maretha Joubert,National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, SouthAfrica


Southern African Botanists’

E-MAIL ADDRESSES

The following is a list of the e-mail addresses forstaff working in some of the national/universityherbaria, botany departments, botanical gardensand biodiversity programmes of southern Africa.Thanks to all those who sent their e-mailaddresses to the editors for inclusion in this list.

PLEASE NOTE that this list gets updated everyissue of our newsletter. In order to avoidfrustration and possible disappointment, ourreaders are advised to please use the most recentlist available. Some of the addresses listed inprevious editions of the newsletter may no longerbe relevant.

SPECIAL APPEAL: Should you be aware of anychanges to one or more of the addresses listedbelow, or would like to be added to the list,please notify Christopher Willis, [email protected] so that the list can beupdated on a regular basis.

ANGOLAAgostinho Neto UniversityDr Esperança Costa - [email protected]

OR [email protected] [email protected]

Dr Elissaveta Loutchanska - [email protected] Liz Matos - [email protected]

BOTSWANANational Herbarium (GAB)E-mail not yet available

Peter Smith Herbarium (PSUB)Dr Elmar Veenendaal -

[email protected] address - [email protected]

University of Botswana Herbarium (UCBG)Dr Moffat Setshogo - [email protected]

LESOTHOHerbarium - National University of LesothoROML)Mr Paseka Mafa - [email protected]

(currently studying for a BSc (Hons) at theUniversity of Cape Town)

Ms Annah Moteetee - [email protected](currently studying for a PhD at the RandAfrikaans University)

Prof. CR Nagendran - [email protected]

University Botanic GardenMr Moretloa Polaki - [email protected]

MALAWINational Herbarium (MAL) and BotanicGardensMr Aubrey Banda - [email protected] Augustine Chikuni -

[email protected] [email protected]

Mr Dickson Kamundi [email protected]

Mr Bintony Kutsaira [email protected]

Mr MacLean Machinjili [email protected]

Mr Zacharia Magombo [email protected]

Ms Cecilia Maliwichi [email protected]

Ms Elizabeth Mayaka [email protected]

Mr Montfort Mwanyambo [email protected]

General NHBG address: [email protected] plants: [email protected]

National Botanic Gardens of MalawiMr Mphamba Kumwenda -

[email protected]

MOZAMBIQUELMA HerbariumMr Mario da Silva - [email protected] Samira Izidine - [email protected]

OR [email protected] Marta Manjate - [email protected]

OR [email protected]


LMU Herbarium - Eduardo Mondlane UniversityMr Salomão Bandeira - [email protected] Filomena Barbosa - [email protected] Carlota Quilambo - [email protected]

Department of Biological Sciences - EduardoMondlane UniversityJohn Hatton - [email protected]

NAMIBIANational Botanical Research InstituteMs Patricia Craven - [email protected] Gillian Maggs-Kölling - [email protected] NBRI address - [email protected]

National Herbarium (WIND)Ms Esmerialda Klaassen - [email protected] Coleen Mannheimer - [email protected]

National Botanic GardenMr Henk Dauth - [email protected]

Vegetation SurveyMr Ben Strohbach - [email protected]

National Plant Genetic Resources CentreMs Herta Kolberg - [email protected]

Namibian Tree Atlas ProjectMs Barbara Curtis/Coleen Mannheimer -

[email protected]

SOUTH AFRICABolus Herbarium (BOL) — University of CapeTown (includes Associated Staff)Mrs Anne Bean - [email protected] Peter Bruyns - [email protected]. Tony Hall - [email protected] Cornelia Klak - [email protected]. Peter Linder - [email protected] Pat Lorber - [email protected] Sioban Munro - [email protected] Trinder-Smith - [email protected] George Verboom - [email protected] library - [email protected]

Buffeslkloof Private Nature Reserve & HerbariumMr John Burrows - [email protected]

C.E. Moss Herbarium (J) - University of theWitwatersrandProf. Kevin Balkwill -

[email protected] Mandy-Jane Balkwill -

[email protected] Glynis Cron - [email protected] Donald McCallum -

[email protected] Reneé A Reddy -

[email protected] Ramagwai J. Sebola -

[email protected]

Coastal & Environmental ServicesDr Ted Avis - [email protected] Kate Johnson - [email protected]

Compton Herbarium (NBG & SAM)Ms Jo Beyers - [email protected] Pascale Chesselet - [email protected] Christopher Cupido [email protected] Peter Goldblatt - [email protected] Hubert Kurzweil - [email protected] John Manning - [email protected] Ted Oliver - [email protected] John Rourke - [email protected] Koos Roux - [email protected] Dee Snijman - [email protected] Kim Steiner - [email protected]

Donald Killick Herbarium, KwaZulu-NatalNature Conservation ServiceMr Rob Scott-Shaw - [email protected]

Free State National Botanical GardenMr Martin Lumley - [email protected] Amadeus Mogale (Curator) -

[email protected] sending mail to a staff member at theFree State National Botanical Garden, insert thename of the person in the subject line

Garden Route Botanical GardenMs Claire Wallace - [email protected]

Harold Porter National Botanical GardenMs Karin Behr (Curator) - [email protected]

Herbarium SoutpansbergensisMr Norbert Hahn - [email protected]


Jonkershoek HerbariumMs Melanie Simpson -

[email protected]

Karoo National Botanical GardenMr Ian Oliver (Curator) - [email protected]


Kimberley McGregor (KMG) Museum HerbariumMs Tania Anderson (Curator) -

[email protected] Annemarie van Heerden (assistant curator) -

[email protected]

Kirstenbosch National Botanical GardenMr Graham Duncan - [email protected] Philip le Roux (Curator) -

[email protected] Fiona Powrie - [email protected] Ernst van Jaarsveld -

[email protected] [email protected] (home)

Mr John Winter - [email protected]

Kirstenbosch Research CentreDr Neville Brown - [email protected] George Davis - [email protected] J de Wet Bosenberg -

[email protected] John Donaldson - [email protected] Timm Hoffman - [email protected] Boniswa Madikane -

[email protected] Dave McDonald - [email protected] Guy Midgley - [email protected] Charles Musil - [email protected] Ingrid Nänni - [email protected] Mike O’Callaghan - [email protected] Les Powrie - [email protected] Tony Rebelo - [email protected] Mike Rutherford - [email protected] Stephanie Wand - [email protected]

Lowveld National Botanical GardenMr Rudi Britz (Curator) - [email protected] Johan Hurter - [email protected] Willem Froneman - [email protected] sending mail to a staff member at theLowveld National Botanical Garden, insert thename of the person in the subject line

Mpumalanga Parks Board - LydenburgMs Sonnette Krynauw - [email protected] Mervyn Lotter - [email protected]

Natal Herbarium (NH)Ms Nikaya Arumugam -

[email protected] Neil Crouch - [email protected] Jeff Govender - [email protected] Smiso Ngcobo - [email protected] Alfred Ngwenya - [email protected] Yashica Singh - [email protected] Rosemary Williams (Curator) -

[email protected]

Natal National Botanical GardenMr Brian Tarr (Curator) - [email protected]

National Botanical InstituteDr Daan Botha - [email protected]. Brian Huntley - [email protected]

National Herbarium (PRE)Dr Heidi Anderson - [email protected] John Anderson - [email protected] Clare Archer - [email protected] Robert Archer - [email protected] Trevor Arnold - [email protected] Antoinette Botha - [email protected] Christien Bredenkamp - [email protected] Priscilla Burgoyne - [email protected] Maud Cloete - [email protected] Carole de Wet - [email protected] Bernard de Winter - [email protected] Emsie du Plessis - [email protected] Lyn Fish - [email protected] Gerrit Germishuizen - [email protected] Hugh Glen - [email protected] René Glen - [email protected] Beverley Harris - [email protected] Loraine Hawker - [email protected] Lesley Henderson - [email protected] Paul Herman - [email protected] Millissa Heymann - [email protected] Marie Jordaan - [email protected] Marinda Koekemoer (Curator) -

[email protected] Louisa Liebenberg - [email protected] Cuthbert Makgakga - [email protected]


Mr Mactavish Makwarela [email protected]

Ms Alice Masombuka - [email protected] David Mbedzi - [email protected] Jean Meyer - [email protected] Nicole Meyer - [email protected] Caroline Netnou - [email protected] Solomon Nkoana - [email protected] Sarie Perold - [email protected] Cathy Prentice - [email protected] Julie Ready - [email protected] Elizabeth Retief - [email protected] Lionel Riddles - [email protected] Paulus Sebothoma - [email protected]. Gideon Smith - [email protected] Shirley Smithies - [email protected] Hannelie Snyman - [email protected] Christina Steyn - [email protected] Elsie Steyn - [email protected] Jacques van Rooy - [email protected] Helen van Rooyen - [email protected] Janine Victor - [email protected] Mienkie Welman - [email protected] Maureen Wolfson - [email protected]

NBI Libraries:Mary Gunn Library - [email protected]: Mary Gunn Library (Ms Estelle

Potgieter), National Herbarium [email protected]

NBI Librarian (Kirstenbosch):Ms Yvonne Reynolds - [email protected]

Peninsula Technikon - Department of BiologicalSciencesMr JC Coetzee - [email protected]

Percy FitzPatrick Institute of AfricanOrnithology - Tierberg Karoo Research Centrefield stationDr Sue J. Milton - [email protected]

Plant Genetic Resources Unit, AgriculturalResearch CouncilDr Roger Ellis - [email protected]

Potchefstroom UniversityDr Matt H. Buys - [email protected] Sarel S. Cilliers - [email protected]. Braam Pieterse - [email protected]

[email protected]

Pretoria National Botanical GardenMr Hans Heilgendorff (Curator) -

[email protected]: [email protected]

Qwa Qwa Herbarium - University of the North(Qwa Qwa campus)Prof. Rodney Moffett - [email protected]

Rand Afrikaans University - Botany DepartmentDr Patricia Tilney - [email protected]. Herman van der Bank -

[email protected]. Ben-Erik van Wyk - [email protected]

Range and Forage Institute, AgriculturalResearch CouncilDr Kathy Immelman - [email protected]

Rhodes University - Botany DepartmentDr Nigel Barker - [email protected]. CEJ Botha - [email protected]. Roy Lubke - [email protected] Pete Phillipson - [email protected]

(presently at the following address in Tanzania:[email protected] until December 1999)

Mr BS Ripley - [email protected]

Rondevlei Scientific Services Herbarium,Wilderness National Park, SedgefieldDr Nick Hanekom - [email protected] Francine Rubin - [email protected] Ian Russell - [email protected] Beate Sachse - [email protected]

Saasveld Herbarium (SAAS) - Port ElizabethTechnikonMr Mike Cameron - [email protected] Peet Peens (Curator) - [email protected]

H.G.W.J Schweickerdt Herbarium (PRU) -University of PretoriaMs Martie Dednam - [email protected]. Braam van Wyk -

[email protected]


Scientific Services Herbarium, Department ofWater Affairs and Forestry, KnysnaMr Johan Baard (Curator) -

[email protected] Rynhard Kok - kokr@dwaf-

wcp.wcape.gov.za

Selmar Schonland Herbarium, GrahamstownMs Estelle Brink - [email protected] Tony Dold - [email protected]

Skukuza Herbarium (KNP), Kruger NationalParkMs Guin Zambatis (Curator) -

[email protected] Nick Zambatis - [email protected]

Southern Cape HerbariumYvette van Wijk - [email protected]


Technikon Pretoria HerbariumDawid du Plessis (Curator) - [email protected]

Umtamvuna Herbarium, Umtamvuna NatureReserveMr Tony Abbott - [email protected]

University of Cape Town - Botany DepartmentProf. John Bolton - [email protected]. William Bond - [email protected] Jill Farrant - [email protected] Jeremy Midgley - [email protected]. Willie Stock - [email protected]

University of Cape Town - Institute for PlantConservationProf. Richard Cowling - [email protected] Dave Richardson - [email protected]

University of Durban-Westville - BotanyDepartmentProf. Snowy Baijnath - [email protected] Ashley Nicholas - [email protected] Pravin Poorun - [email protected]

University of Natal-Durban - Biological SciencesDepartmentProf. Alan Amory - [email protected]

Prof. Patricia Berjak - [email protected] Glen Campbell - [email protected]. John Cooke - [email protected] Bruce Page - [email protected]. Norman Pammenter -

[email protected] Herbert M. Sibiya - [email protected] Dehn von Ahlefeldt -

[email protected] Paula Watt - [email protected]

University of Natal-Durban - ElectronMicroscope Unit, George Campbell BuildingMr James Wesley-Smith (plant scientist) -

[email protected]

University of Natal-Pietermaritzburg - BotanyDepartmentMs Angela Beaumont -

[email protected] RP Beckett - [email protected] Clinton Carbutt - [email protected] WA Cress - [email protected] TJ Edwards - [email protected] CW Fennell - [email protected] JF Finnie - [email protected] JE Granger - [email protected]. EF Hennessy - [email protected] Steven D Johnson [email protected] NP Makunga - [email protected] MT Smith - [email protected]. J van Staden - [email protected]

University of the North - Botany DepartmentMr Martin J Potgieter [email protected] Pieter Winter - [email protected]

University of the Orange Free State -Department of Botany and GeneticsDr Andor Venter - [email protected]. Johan Venter - [email protected]. RL Verhoeven [email protected]

University of Port Elizabeth - Botany DepartmentDr JB Adams - [email protected]

(Estuarine vegetation)Prof. Guy C Bate - [email protected]

(Estuarine micro-algae)


Dr EE Campbell - [email protected](Terrestrial vegetation)

Dr DR du Preez - [email protected](Surf zone algae)

Mr PT Gama - [email protected](Microalgae)

University of Pretoria - Botany DepartmentProf. George Bredenkamp -

[email protected]. Albert Eicker - [email protected] Veldie van Greuning -

[email protected]

University of Stellenbosch - Botany DepartmentProf. Frikkie Botha - [email protected] Charlie Boucher - [email protected] Leanne Dreyer - [email protected] Karen Esler - [email protected] Lynn Hoffmann - [email protected] Bettie Marais - [email protected]. Valdon Smith - [email protected] Piet Vorster - [email protected]

University of Stellenbosch - Botanic gardenPiet van der Merwe - [email protected]

University of the Transkei - Botany DepartmentProf. R Bhat - [email protected] Sizwe Cawe - [email protected] Nikolova - [email protected]

University of North-West - Biological SciencesDepartmentMr S David Phalatse -

[email protected]

University of Venda - Botany DepartmentMr Maanda Ligavha -

ligavham/[email protected] Colleen Todd -

todd_colleen/[email protected] Robert Tshivhandekano -

robie/[email protected]. Pablo Weisser -

pablo/[email protected]

University of the Western Cape - BotanyDepartmentDr Derek Keats - [email protected] Richard Knight - [email protected]

Lincoln M Raitt - [email protected] Frans M Weitz - [email protected]

University of the Witwatersrand - BotanyDepartmentProf. Ed Witkowski - [email protected]

Witwatersrand National Botanical GardenMr Peter Chaplin (Curator) -

[email protected] Andrew Hankey - [email protected] Sharon Turner - [email protected] sending mail to a staff member at theWitwatersrand National Botanical Garden,insert the name of the person in the subjectline

NOTE: Additional South African botanists’e-mail addresses can be accessed on the internetat the following address:http://www.ru.ac.za/departments/herbarium/SAHWG/address.html

The web page entitled “Southern AfricanBotanists’ addresses” was prepared by PeterPhillipson, Rhodes University and the SelmarSchonland Herbarium, Grahamstown, withthanks to Nigel Barker and Les Powrie.

SWAZILANDNational Herbarium (SDNH)Malkerns Research Station (general) -

[email protected] address can be used to contact GideonDlamini, Titus Dlamini or Bongani Dlamini atthe National Herbarium. Insert the name of theperson in the subject line.

ZAMBIAForestry Herbarium (NDO)Mrs E.N. Chupa - [email protected] Zimba - [email protected]

Herbarium (UZL) - University of ZambiaMs Tasila Banda-Sakala (presently studying at

the Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA)[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]


Mr David Chuba - [email protected](currently studying for a BSc (Hons) at theUniversity of Cape Town)

Ms Florence Nyirenda - [email protected] Patrick Phiri - [email protected]


IndependentMr Mike Bingham - [email protected]

ZIMBABWEBiodiversity Foundation for AfricaMr Jonathan R. Timberlake -

[email protected] (small messages only)OR [email protected]

National Herbarium (SRGH) & Botanic GardenMr Ezekeil Kwembeya -

[email protected] (currentlystudying for a MSc at the University ofCape Town)

Mr Claid Mujaju - [email protected](currently studying for a MSc at the Universityof Cape Town)

National Herbarium (SRGH) - [email protected] Nozipo Nobanda (Curator) - [email protected] Ratidzayi (Rattie) Takawira -

[email protected] (also availablethrough SRGH)

University of Zimbabwe - Department ofBiological SciencesDr Shakkie Kativu - [email protected] I Mapaure - [email protected] Clemence Zimudzi - [email protected]

University of Zimbabwe - Institute ofEnvironmental StudiesProf. Bruce Campbell - [email protected]

OR [email protected]. Peter Frost - [email protected]

IndependentMr Michael Kimberley - [email protected]

(cycads, orchids and succulents)Ms Meg Coates Palgrave - [email protected] Darrel C.H. Plowes - [email protected] Mary Wilkins/Ellert -

[email protected]

Botanists working onsouthern African plant taxaThis section lists e-mail addresses of a few of thebotanists living outside southern Africa that areworking with southern African plant taxa. If youwould like to be included in this list, please notifyone of the editors together with the names of thefamilies/taxa you are working on.

AUSTRALIAQueensland Herbarium, Toowong, QueenslandBryan Simon -

[email protected] (work)[email protected] (home)(Tropical grasses)

ENGLANDIUCN - World Conservation UnionCraig Hilton-Taylor - [email protected]

Royal Botanic Gardens, KewDiane Bridson - [email protected]

(Rubiaceae; Vahliaceae)Dr Thomas Cope - [email protected]

(Poaceae)Dr Phillip Cribb - [email protected]

(Orchidaceae)Dr David Goyder - [email protected]

(Asclepiadaceae; Fabaceae)Ms Yvette Harvey - [email protected]

(Capparaceae; Lamiaceae; Sapotaceae)Dr Michael Lock - [email protected]

(Fabaceae; Xyridaceae; Zingiberaceae)Dr Alan Paton - [email protected]

(Lamiaceae; Verbenaceae)Dr Sylvia Phillips - [email protected]

(Eriocaulaceae; Poaceae)Dr Gerald Pope - [email protected]

(Asteraceae)Dr Brian Schrire - [email protected]

(Fabaceae; Rhamnaceae)Dr Kaj Vollesen - [email protected]

(Acanthaceae: Blepharis, Duosperma)

GERMANYFriedrich-Schiller University, JenaDr Norbert Zimmermann -


[email protected](Euphorbiaceae; Mesembryanthemaceae)

University of BayreuthProf. Sigrid Liede - [email protected]

(Asclepiadaceae; Mesembryanthemaceae)Dr Ulrich Meve - [email protected]

(Asclepiadaceae)

University of Cologne - Botanical InstituteDr Joachim Thiede -

[email protected](Aizoaceae; Crassulaceae)

University of Hamburg - Institut fuerAllgemeine BotanikProf. Dr HEK Hartmann -

[email protected](Aizoaceae; Mesembryanthema)

Dr Pia Parolin [email protected](Desert ecology; ecophysiology)

NETHERLANDSAgricultural University, WageningenIr Ben Groen - [email protected]

(Asphodelaceae; Mesembryanthemaceae)Prof. Dr LJG van der Maesen -

[email protected](Fabaceae; Mesembryanthemaceae)

Dr Ir Jan J Wieringa - Herbarium Vadense(WAG) - [email protected](Fabaceae (Leguminosae): Aphanocalyx,Bikinia, Icuria, Monopetalanthus andTetraberlinia)

NEW ZEALANDVictoria University, WellingtonMr Fanie Venter - [email protected]

NORWAYAgricultural University of Norway - Departmentof Biology and Nature ConservationProf. Kåre Lye - [email protected]

(Cyperaceae)Dr Brita Stedje - [email protected]

(Anthericaceae; Asphodelaceae; Hyacinthaceae)

Botanical Institute, The Norwegian Arboretum,University of Bergen, HjellestadDr Cornelis Berg - [email protected]

(Moraceae; Ulmaceae)

SWEDENSwedish Museum of Natural HistoryDr Mari Kallersjo - [email protected]

(Asteraceae; Myrsinaceae; Primulaceae)Prof. Dr Bertil Nordenstam -

[email protected](Compositae, especially Senecioneae andCalenduleae: Syncarpha; Colchicaceae:Anticharis)

Uppsala UniversityProf. Kåre Bremer - [email protected]

(Asteraceae)Mr Mattias Iwarsson [email protected]

(Lamiaceae: Leonotis)

SWITZERLANDInstitute for Systematic Botany, University ofZürichProf. Christopher Cook - [email protected]

OR [email protected](Hydrocharitaceae; Limnocharitaceae;Lythraceae; Podostemaceae; Pontederiaceae)

USAUniversity of California - Jepson HerbariumBruce Baldwin -

[email protected](Asteraceae: Blepharispermum, Welwitschiella)

University of Missouri-Columbia - Dunn-PalmerHerbarium (UMO)Dr P Leszek D Vincent - [email protected]

(Asteraceae: Senecio; Iridaceae: Aristea)

WALESNational Botanic Garden of WalesDr Charles Stirton - [email protected]

(Fabaceae; Hyacinthaceae; Rosaceae;Verbenaceae)

13 December 1999 q


Regional NewsUpdate

News from BotswanaA Report of the Botswana NationalConservation Strategy Agency (NCSA)/UNDP Environment ProgrammeEvaluation Follow-up Workshop, 5-6October 1999, Gaborone, Botswana

by Moffat Setshogo (National Coordinator,SABONET-Botswana) and Kagiso Keatimilwe(UNDP-Botswana)

BackgroundThe current UNDP support to the Government ofBotswana is taking place in the context of theCountry Cooperation Framework agreed for theperiod 1997–2003. The overall objective ofcooperation is to reduce poverty and improveimplementation capacity by working in fourthematic areas, including the environment. In thisregard, UNDP support is aimed at ensuringsustainable use of natural resources to improvelivelihoods, building capacity so that governmentand NGOs can implement programmes,supporting priorities identified in the NationalConservation Strategy, which was developed in1990, and other policy documents, as well ashelping to ensure effective participation ininternational and regional agreements.

Most of the support is being provided through theNational Conservation Strategy Agency (NCSA),which is the principal government institutionresponsible for coordination of environmentalissues. Apart from the NCSA, environmentalissues are handled by other institutions such asthe Department of Wildlife and National Parks,Ministry of Agriculture, and the Department ofMeteorological Services, making effectivecoordination difficult.

The problem of effective coordination alsospecifically affects UNDP-supportedenvironmental programmes and projects. Inaddition to the NCSA-UNDP environmentprogramme, the UNDP is also supportingactivities on the Global Environment FacilitySmall Grants Programme, the Drought andDesertification Convention, and implementationFramework Convention on Climate Change. Inaddition to these, there are regional initiatives inwhich both UNDP and Government of Botswanaare involved. These are the Management of theOkavango basin, the Regional BiodiversitySupport Programme and Southern AfricanBotanical Diversity Network (SABONET).

During May this year, an independent team ofconsultants evaluated the NCSA/UNDPenvironment programme. Some of the importantfindings and recommended actions included, theneed for refocusing UNDP support, buildingmore effective operational and programmelinkages between the various activities of theUNDP/Botswana programme and otherprogrammes implemented by the Government ofBotswana.

As a result of the May evaluation, a workshopwas held to identify and agree on concrete stepsto implement key recommendations. Operationalmanagers and project coordinators presented keyelements of their respective programmes, keysuccesses and constraints, as a way of getting allprogramme partners familiar with each otherswork. This process identified synergies andcommon grounds for collaboration and forrefocusing the programme, to maximise impact.

A Summary of the Workshop Proceedings

Nine presentations on ongoing programmes andprojects were made, seven of which were onbiodiversity or biodiversity-related issues. Thesewere:

(a) Environment Programme SupportSix areas have been identified for support underthe Botswana Government/UNDP environmentprogramme. These are: support to theinstitutional review of the NCSA; accelerating


community natural resource management; supportto the maintenance of the integrity of wetlands;supporting Botswana’s efforts to meet its goalsunder global environment agreements; supportfor preparation of national environmentmonitoring system; and support for thepreparation of Botswana’s contribution to theSouthern African Development CommunityWater Sector Round Table.

Achievements include the preparation of awetlands inventory, the institutional review of theNCSA, and the development of a wetlands policywhich is ongoing.

(b) Global Environment Facility Small GrantsProgrammeThe GEF Small Grants Programme supportseligible projects addressing biological diversity,climate change, and international watersimplemented by communities and NGOs. Landdegradation projects, where they relate to theother focal areas, are also eligible for funding.26 projects have been approved, largely in thearea of biodiversity, since 1992. 21 of theseprojects are still ongoing.

(c) Support to the Convention to CombatDrought and DesertificationProject implementation started in January 1997with funding from DANIDA. The project willend during the last quarter of 1999. Followingcompletion of the project, the government willtake over funding of activities from its ownresources. The project objectives are: to identify

priority programmes for communityimplementation; provide institutionalstrengthening of the government focal point forthe Convention; capacity building for NGOs sothat they can participate effectively in theNational Action Programme; and support thework of a task force to elaborate proposals forNational Desertification Fund. Several awarenessseminars have been undertaken, media materialshave been produced and four projects forcommunity implementation have been approved.

(d) Enabling Botswana to fulfil commitmentsunder the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate ChangeThe objectives of the project, which is beingimplemented through the Department ofMeteorological Services, are to improveBotswana’s capacity to comply with reportingobligations under the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change; increase publicand political awareness; and strengthen nationalcapacity to develop climate change projects. Theobjectives will be achieved through seminars,study tours, and expanded access to information.The project can also support professional andpolicy dialogue with other countries. Theexpected date of completion is 2000.

Work aimed at providing input into thepreparation of a National Communication inaccordance with the first objective is ongoing. Itincludes studies on mitigation analysis for thenon-energy sector, updating of greenhouse gasesinventories, review of climate change policies inBotswana, vulnerability of the forestry sector toclimate change, and vulnerability of the heathsector to climate change.

In addition, some training has been provided tovarious institutions to help them develop climatechange projects. Public awareness is being raisedthrough workshops. The project is expected to becompleted in 2000.

(e) Management of the Okavango River BasinThe GEF is funding a preparatory assistanceproject to support Angola, Botswana, andNamibia, as riparian countries of the Okavango,in their efforts to assure the sustainable

“Any teaching or practice of conserva-tion biology that neglects history isincomplete....In the next century ofconservation, we must provide moreopportunities for students, employees,and citizens to know this history, notmerely the index of dates and names,but the changing currents of assump-tions, ideas, knowledge, and applica-tions that have carried us to thepresent” (Curt Meine, ConservationBiology 13(1): 1, February 1999)


development and management of the basin’s landand water resources, including the protection ofits unique wetland environment and associatedbiodiversity. The riparian countries haveestablished the Okavango River BasinCommission (OKACOM) to coordinate and directinternational support for the basin’s naturalresources. OKACOM’s primary objective is theimplementation of a basin-wide environmentalassessment and an integrated management plan toensure sustainable development of the basin’swater and land resources and to conserve theintegrity and diversity of its ecosystems. Thepreparatory assistance has produced a diagnosticassessment of the basin, as well as a GEFproposal, under the international waters programme,which will among others lead to the developmentof a strategic management plan for the basin.

(f) Southern African Botanical DiversityNetwork (SABONET)A presentation on SABONET was mainly on theorganisational structure, activities, implementingstrategy, and reporting strategy. The project isabout four years old now. From 1995 to 1998 theproject was run on USAID/IUCN ROSAfunding, and has since April 1998 been funded byGEF. Major achievements so far include:operational National Working Groups; a numberof regional and national training courses, whichwere according to identified needs ofparticipating institutions, have been offered;computerisation of herbaria; at least five staff areon postgraduate training (BSc(Hons) and MSc);and a significant number of publications are being‘churned’ out from the SABONET machine!Plant collection activities have been limited inmost countries because of the lack of transport,but arrangements are underway to buy a vehiclefor each participating country. All in all, theproject has taken off reasonably smoothly.

(g) Regional Biodiversity Support ProgrammeThe Southern Africa Biodiversity Programmewas approved by the GEF in December 1997.The UNDP Malawi office is the focal pointwithin the region. The objectives of theprogramme are: to improve accessibility tobiodiversity information and its application inconservation; achieve cross-sectoral national and

regional cooperation in biodiversityconservation; develop national and regionalcapacity to coordinate and implementsustainable use activities; integrate effectivepractises of sustainable natural resource useinto national and regional conservation andother sectoral planning and programmes; anddevelop financial mechanisms to ensure thesustainability of the regional supportframework.

The outputs of the project are expected toinclude an information system and network, aregional strategy and monitoring forbiodiversity conservation and sustainable use,and training of personnel from participatingcountries. The project will be implemented overfive years. A series of national workshops havebeen held to: brief the relevant stakeholdersabout the project; identify biological issues oftransboundary nature; discuss implementationarrangements; and to get an indication ofnational contributions. NCSA is coordinatingthis project in Botswana.

Possible linkages between theprogrammes/projectsThere was a definite realisation that there is alot of overlap between the different projectsthat could provide possible linkages. Forinstance, SABONET could easily link with theRegional Biodiversity Support Programmebecause it is already addressing a fraction of theprogramme. A meeting was therefore plannedto take place sometime in November 1999, inwhich all the project coordinators would meet,compare notes and find out where and how itwas possible to establish these links.

Thanks, Ulf!Mr Ulf Nermark, Senior Curator of NaturalHistory, left the services of the NationalMuseum, Monuments and Art Gallery, underwhich the National Herbarium falls, at the endof October 1999. Mr Nermark was instrumentalin getting SABONET started in Botswana. Hisunderstanding of often protracted governmentprocedures enabled the paper work to gothrough the system reasonably quickly. TheSABONET-Botswana National Working Group


wishes to express its appreciation of MrNermark’s contribution and hopes he continuesconnected to the network he helped to start. Wewish him the best in whatever opportunities comehis way.

Information supplied by Moffat Setshogo,SABONET-Botswana National Coordinator

Herbarium Assistants for GABThe National Herbarium of Botswana (GAB) hasfor a long time been without an assistant. InFebruary this year, interviews were conductedfor a Herbarium Technical Officer, a candidatewas identified but unfortunately he got anotherpost before he could be officially notified.However, the post was re-advertised, and I ampleased to report that the position has now beenfilled. The new Herbarium Assistant is Mr JacobMonyeki who graduated with a Diploma inAgriculture at Botswana College of Agriculturelast year (1998).

Also assisting in the Herbarium is Miss MonicahKabelo, a general Museum Assistant who hassome experience in general HerbariumManagement, collecting, pressing and mounting,the experience she gained from being in the fieldwith me a few times. She has been of great helpin identification, using vernacular names andreceiving visitors at the National Herbarium whenI am not in. Both Ms Kabelo and Mr Monyekiare presently undergoing computerisation trainingfrom the Curator of the National Herbarium.

Information supplied by Queen Turner,National Herbarium (GAB), Botswana

News from LesothoSABONET AppointmentsOn 20 July 1999 SABONET-Lesotho appointedHerbarium Research Officers for each of thethree Lesotho herbaria, namely ROML, MASEand Sehlabathebe (now with the official acronym,

SNPH). The Sehlabathebe Herbarium was for along time hidden and unknown due to theunavailability of a Curator, after its pioneers,Beverly, Hoener and Rutledge, left in 1976.

Mr Khotso Sepamo is responsible for ROML,Mr Khotso Kobisi for MASE and Mr LekhooaFokhoti for SNPH. Mr Motebang Molise hasbeen appointed as the Herbarium Managerresponsible for the overall supervision of thethree herbaria in the country. They are allcontinuing the process of computerising theherbaria collections. They say they are excitedabout their work and progressing well especiallyafter attending the Herbarium Managementcourse and Database Management course at theNational Herbarium in Pretoria earlier this year.

The appointment of the Herbarium Officersfollows the appointment of the new SABONET-Lesotho National Coordinator, Mr ThuloQhotsokoane, and the Alternate Coordinator,Mr Moretloa Polaki earlier this year. Mr Polakiis also the Curator of the National University ofLesotho Botanical Garden, also based at Roma.

Field TripsThe SABONET-Lesotho National WorkingGroup has decided on a collection expeditionaround the Katse area where there is a largeproject of the Lesotho Highlands WaterAuthority. This area was chosen on the basis thatit is not botanically well documented and has ahigh botanical diversity especially associated withthe mires or bogs. This will be the first field tripafter engagement of the new staff.

Other Activities• In August 1999 the Roma Herbarium (ROML)

was relocated to a much larger and spaciousroom.

• The SABONET-Lesotho National WorkingGroup holds its meetings once every month.

Information supplied by Ms Lerato Kose,Sehlabathebe Herbarium, ConservationDivision, LesothoTel.: (266) 323600/855068


News from MalawiDr Augustine Chikuni has been appointed ActingGeneral Manager for the National Herbarium andBotanic Gardens of Malawi (NHBG) with effectfrom 14 October 1999.

In view of the above appointment, Dr Chikuni isthe interim Head of this institution until Prof.James Seyani assumes his duties as GeneralManager. Dr Chikuni will now represent theNHBG in all the SABONET SteeringCommittee’s business and Mr Dickson Kamundiremains as Malawi’s alternate representative.

Dr Chikuni, 35, joined the NHBG in April 1989as Assistant Scientific Officer. He obtained hisMSc degree in Pure and Applied Plant andFungal Taxonomy in 1991 from the University ofReading, UK. He recently completed his PhDstudy, specialising in the genus Brachystegia, atWolfson College, Oxford, UK. Thus he becameprobably the only specialist in the systematics ofBrachystegia in the whole of southern Africa! Itis my hope that the knowledge Dr Chikuni gainedwill be of importance to Malawi and the entiremiombo region.

Information supplied by Dickson Kamundi,National Herbarium and Botanic Gardens,Zomba, Malawi

News from NamibiaAlthough the last quarter has been a productiveone for WIND, we have had some sad times,with three staff members losing close relatives ina short period during September/October. We arealso sad to report that Sabine Austaller, a veryactive staff researcher has left us to get marriedand move to Johannesburg. Our loss is their gain.

Another loss to us is our top data capturer, ElaineHammerslacht, who has obtained morepermanent employment at a local bank. It ispartly thanks to her that we are able to report that

data capture is going well, with over 45 000specimens done so far. We hope to finish by theend of 2000. A highlight for us was the arrival ofall the WIND data from PRE, so we would liketo thank those involved in the transfer of thisvaluable resource.

Of course the handover of the fabulous newSABONET vehicle on 11.11.99 was also a majormilestone. This major addition to our facilitieswill make it much easier to coordinate fieldwork,especially in goo seasons when everyone wants tobe out at once. Our sincere thanks to theSABONET team who organised this.

The Botanic garden is a busy spot these days,with Henk Dauth gearing up to finish plantingour newly completed glasshouse by the end ofDecember. Maybe we will see a SABONETter ortwo here for the official opening next year.

Patricia Craven is relieved to be able to announcethe difficult but successful birth of the newspecies list of Namibia. This magnum opus hastaken four years to produce, and it has beeneagerly awaited by all of us here at WIND, aswell as by many colleagues in other centres. Thislist is unique in that it highlights discrepanciesand queries so that these may be addressed toobtain clarification of possible.

Silke Bartsch, Coleen Mannheimer, Henk Dauthand Sonja Loots (a staff member of the GeneBank) were the envy of several other staffmembers when they undertook a field trip toDiamond Area No. 1 in September. The main

Staff members from WIND on a field trip to DiamondArea No. 1, Namibia (photo: NBRI, Namibia).



purpose of the trip was to look at the newDaberas mine site and continue the monitoring atthe Scorpion site, but several good collections ofmesembs and euphorbs were taken, as well assome live specimens for the glasshouse.

We were fortunate recently to obtain some state-of-the-art RAPDS equipment from an unexpectedsource. Although the equipment is not complete,we hope to be able to obtain the missing links byvarious means (eg. begging), and then to talkSABONET into a training course for staffmembers.

We wish all our colleagues, wherever they are, ablessed holiday season, and to all the SABONETorganisers a good rest and plenty of energy fornext year.

Information supplied by Coleen Mannheimer,WIND, Namibia

News from South AfricaThank you SABONET!The South African National Herbarium (PRE) inPretoria owes a big THANK YOU to SABONETfor two large gifts that we recently received.

Firstly there weredesperately neededherbariumcupboards for themain as well as forthe bryophytecollections. Thesecupboards providedrelief in many areasin the herbariumwhere storage ofthe collection wasbecomingimpossible.

Secondly, we also became the proud owners of aToyota Raider Double Cab 4x4 collectingvehicle. This long-awaited vehicle will enable usto expand our plant collecting efforts intopreviously inaccessible areas. Our first trip, inDecember 1999, is to Rhodes in the Eastern CapeProvince, but before then, we need to go forsome off-road driving lessons! Long liveSABONET!

Marinda KoekemoerCurator, National Herbarium, South Africa


s Miss Mienkie Welman selecting specimens from oneof the new cabinets in the Pretoria National Herbarium(photo: Adela Romanowski).

PhD for Ashley NicholasAshley Nicholas, from the Botany Department,University of Durban-Westville (UDW), receivedhis PhD, from UDW, in May 1999. His thesiswas entitled “A taxonomic reassessment of thesubtribe Asclepiadinae (Asclepiadaceae) insouthern Africa.” This thesis covered thesystematics of 182 species in 23 genera.

s The new collecting vehicle of the PretoriaNational Herbarium (photo: Adela Romanowski).

s Dr Ashley Nicholas(photo: Adela Romanowski).


News from SwazilandThrough SDNH’s active participation in theProgramme for Management and Use of theBiodiversity in Swaziland and as custodians of thebotanical data in Swaziland we have been invitedto participate in the establishment of the NationalBiodiversity Data Unit (NBDU). The need for acentre to store information on the country’sbiological diversity was raised in the SwazilandEnvironmental Action Plan, published in August1997. The purpose of the NBDU is to compileand coordinate (electronic and hard copy)information on biodiversity in Swaziland rangingfrom fauna and flora to land use, socio-culturaland population dynamics. The NBDU will behoused in the Biology Department of theUniversity of Swaziland (UNISWA) and managedby three members of staff—Dr Ara Monajam,Dr Cebsile Magagula and Mr Themba Mahlaba.The staff at UNISWA will keep the zoologicaldatabase and refer inquiries on the floral issues toSDNH as custodians of the botanical data inSwaziland. The botanical data currently compiledunder SABONET will undoubtedly boost thiseffort massively.

Information supplied by Titus S. Dlamini,Swaziland National Herbarium

News from ZambiaArrival of SABONET twinsDuring the second week of November 1999Edwin and Florence Nyirenda were blessed witha set of twins. The new “SABONET” babies areboth boys. Mrs Florence Nyirenda is theHerbarium Research Officer at the University ofZambia Herbarium (UZL). At the time of goingto press the Nyirendas had not as yet decided toname their sons. This family has had a set of twogirls, the eldest being a school-going active girlwhile the youngest daughter specialises innarrating events of the day to exhausted parentsas soon as they arrive from their respective workplaces. In order to consolidate democracy in this

family, the birth of two sons can only beinterpreted as a sweet revenge for Mr Nyirenda.When it comes to voting at a mini localgovernment level, the outcome of the vote couldnow go either way. SABONET-Zambia wouldlike to congratulate them on the birth of theirtwin sons.

Inventory of local plants withpesticidal, repellant and medicinal

properties in the Muswishiand Lusiti areas

by C.K.M. Kaposhi† and P.S.M. Phiri‡

This is a summary of a report on a small projectconducted jointly by the National Institute forScientific and Industrial Research and theUniversity of Zambia during the periodNovember 1998 to January 1999. A study of theTraditional Botanical Knowledge (TBK) wascarried out in Lusitu and Muswishi farmingcommunity areas in Siavonga and Chibombodistricts in Southern and Central provinces ofZambia. The information on the local plants withpesticidal, repellant and medicinal properties atthe two sites was collected through aquestionnaire. Samples of the plants reportedwere collected and scientifically identified.

An inventory of local plants with pesticidal,repellant and medicinal properties at Muswishiand Lusitu has, therefore, been produced. A totalof 64 species were recorded at Lusitu while 62species of plants were documented at Muswishi.The study has also revealed that there were moreplants used for medical and veterinary remediesthan those used as pesticides and repellants. Tenspecies at Muswishi and ten at Lusitu weredocumented as being used for the control ofinsect pests by the farmers at the two sites. Thedatabase of the plants at the two sites includesinformation on the scientific (Latin) names of theplants, vernacular names, uses or remedies, plantparts used and the collection locality. In addition,a list of respondents, their sex, age and length ofresidence in the area has also been included. Thedocumentation of two species used astermiticides, two as mosquito repellents and twoas pesticides is significant. It is envisaged that

‡


this inventory of local plants with pesticidal,repellant, veterinary and medicinal properties willbe utilised by farmers at the two sites, as well asregionally, with scientific backing from researchinstitutions. It is anticipated that this short studywill lay a firm foundation for extending similaractivities to the rest of the country when adequatefunding becomes available.

† C.K.M. KaposhiLivestock and Pest Research CentreNational Institute for Scientific and IndustrialResearchPrivate Bag 350049ChilangaZAMBIA

‡ P.S.M. PhiriDepartment of Biological SciencesThe University of ZambiaP.O. Box 32379LusakaZAMBIA

Biological activity of two Zambianplants

by C. Katongo

Zambia has abundant medicinal plants whichhave been used by contemporary traditionalpractitioners for the treatment of various diseaseson an empirical basis. Unfortunately, very littlework has been done to scientifically investigatethe therapeutical potential of these plant materialsthrough bioassays, pharmacological evaluationand chemical identification before the useful plantspecies become extinct. Diseases like diarrhoea,sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) andtuberculosis can successfully be cured throughthe use of traditional herbs. The high frequencyof diarrhoea and STDs suggests that importeddrugs cannot, alone, suffice to combat them.Therefore, traditional drugs can be used toofficially complement modern drugs.

The selected herbs are used traditionally asmedicine to treat bacterial-type infections. Thetreatment is done empirically without any

scientific basis. In this brief study the use ofCassia abbreviata (Fabaceae) and Terminaliamollis (Combretaceae) as traditional medicineswas investigated. Cassia abbreviata is apopularly used plant in the treatment of diarrhoeain most parts of Zambia. It is locally known asmuleza and munsokansoka in Nyanja and Bembalanguages respectively. Its stem, leaves and fruitshave been found to contain a compound withpurgative properties but fatal if taken in largedoses. It is important to identify locally availableplants that could be useful to the national list ofdrugs or some plants that could even replacesome imported pharmaceutical preparations. InZimbabwe, Cassia abbreviata is used to cureabdominal pains, diarrhoea, gonorrhoea, heavymensuration and backache. Its also used toprevent abortion and as an aphrodisiac. The rootof Terminalia mollis, locally known as chibobo(Tonga) and mubobo or kabesha (Bemba), is usedas a traditional cure for diarrhoea in Zambia. Inneighbouring Zimbabwe, this species is also usedas a cure for bile emisis. The aim of this studywas, therefore, to provide scientific evidence forthe efficacy of these plants.

The results of a scientific experiment showed thatTerminalia mollis, which is used traditionally totreat STDs, has high antibacterial activity. Theantibacterial activity was also positive for Cassiaabbreviata, which is used in the treatment ofdiarrhoea. Thus this preliminary study providedsome scientific evidence of the antimicrobialactivity of the plant extracts obtained fromTerminalia mollis and Cassia abbreviata, both ofwhich are used in Zambia as traditional plantmedicines against infectious diseases caused bybacteria. Further work can be done to isolate theactive ingredients from the herbal extracts and totest them against a number of pathogenic bacteriawith the view of establishing which pathogenicbacteria are susceptible. Such results could forma basis for developing new drugs for the localand world pharmaceutical markets.

Details of the experiment conducted and a list ofthe references referred to in the compilation ofthis article can be obtained directly from theauthor.


C. KatongoDepartment of Biological SciencesSchool of Natural SciencesThe University of ZambiaP.O. Box 32379LusakaZAMBIA

Entrance FeesWe would like to say THANK YOU to everybodywho contributed towards the fencing project ofthe National Botanic Garden in Harare.

The National Herbarium and Botanic Garden cannow be accessed from only three entry points.Two gates along Fifth Street Extension leading tothe Botanic Garden Carpark and the Herbariumrespectively and the one gate on SandringhamDrive leads to the National Parks Offices.

With effect from 1 January 2000 we will chargenominal fees for entry and parking. The exactfees to be charged will be advertised in the nextissue of SABONET News. This is in line with ourgovernment policy of restructuring and we hopethat the new measures will not only improve ourbalance of payment but also our service delivery.

Study Visit by Students fromDartmouth College, USAA group of 20 Environmental Studies studentsfrom Dartmouth College in the USA spent fivedays with the staff of the National Herbarium andBotanic Garden between 23 September and 15October 1999. They were briefed on how theNational Herbarium and Botanic Gardenfunctions and the major vegetation types ofZimbabwe. Two of the days were spentsurveying the vegetation of the outstation whichlies some 32 km outside Harare - Mazoe BotanicReserve.

Protea Atlas ProjectSRGH was happy to be introduced to the ProteaAtlas Project on 5 and 6 November 1999. Val

News from Zimbabwe

Charlton presented a lecture to staff on how theactual atlassing is done and this lecture wasfurther consolidated by Saturday fieldwork whichwas coordinated by Tony Rebelo at some location50 km outside Harare. Among the team was GailReeves from Kew who also presented a talk onthe use of DNA analysis techniques in thetaxonomy of proteas.

Information supplied by Nozipo Nobanda,National Coordinator, SABONET-Zimbabwe q

Each edition of SABONET News is the result of ateam effort, and the editors would like to sincerelythank the following people and organisations thathave contributed to, and helped in preparing, the11th issue of SABONET News:

Tony Abbott Hassina AboobakerJohn Anderson AntworksTrevor Arnold Nikaya ArumugamSalomão Bandeira Nigel BarkerHugo Bezuidenhout Daan BothaPriscilla Burgoyne John BurrowsFerozah Conrad Neil CrouchMario AC da Silva Henk DauthEmsie du Plessis Suzanne EnslinAnne-Lise Fourie Gerrit GermishuizenHugh Glen René GlenJanice Golding Michelle HarckHans Heilgendorff Timm HoffmanBrian Huntley Samira IzidineSteve Johnson Maretha JoubertMarinda Koekemoer Esmerialda KlaassenHerta Kolberg Chris KosoloskySonnette Krynauw Otto LeistnerProf. J. Léonard Peter LinderGillian Maggs-Kölling Coleen MannheimerAnthony Mapaura Mark MattsonCR Nagendran Ashley NicholasNozipo Nobanda Ted OliverPatrick Phiri Estelle PotgieterAdela Romanowski Nyasha Rukazhanga-NokoMike Rutherford Moffat SetshogoYashica Singh Gideon SmithHannelie Snyman Hugh SyngeSandra Turck Ernst van JaarsveldElmar Veenendaal Janine VictorMienkie Welman John WinterMaureen Wolfson


For further information related to the SABONET project or contributions toSABONET News,please contact:

Christopher Willis or Marthina MössmerThe Editors

SABONET NewsNational Botanical Institute

Private Bag X101Pretoria 0001

SOUTH AFRICATel: (27) 12 804 3200Fax: (27) 12 804 3211

E-mail: [email protected]@yebo.co.za

In the April 2000 edition ofSABONET News…

If you are not already on the SABONETNews mailing list, or your contact detailshave changed, please complete this formand post or fax it to the SABONET Coor-dinator at (27) 12 804 3211.

Name: ..........................................Position: .......................................Organisation: ..........................................................................................Address: ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................Country: .......................................Tel. (include international dialling code):...................................................Fax: ............................................E-mail (where available):.........................................................

v Profile: Chamarajanagar R Nagendranv Red Data List Workshop, November 1999v SABONET-Nyika Expedition 2000v XVIth IBC Congress, 1999v Computerisation of herbariav SABONET Report Seriesv The Paper Chasev Regional News Update


SABONET News is published in April, Augustand December and distributed free-of-charge tointerested persons. Manuscripts submitted forpublication should preferably be in English.Submissions for the next issue should reach theeditors before 15 March 2000. The editors wouldbe grateful for material submitted on diskette(preferably using WordPerfect or MS Word) aswell as an accompanying hard copy. Articles canalso be submitted via e-mail. If possible, pleaseinclude black and white photographs, slides orline drawings to illustrate your material. Pleasecaption all tables, figures and photographsclearly on a separate sheet. Each photograph orslide should be labelled with a photographercredit. Each author should provide name,affiliation, postal address, telephone and faxnumbers as well as an e-mail address (ifavailable). Contributors should study the mostrecent issues of SABONET News for stylisticconventions.

All photographs by ChristopherWillis except where otherwise noted.

SABONET News IS PRINTED ONRECYCLED PAPER.

Printing:Business Print Centre

Typesetting:Antworks Layout & Design

This newsletter was made possible throughsupport provided by the GEF/UNDP(SABONET is a GEF Project implemented bythe UNDP) and the Regional Centre forSouthern Africa, Gaborone, Botswana, USAgency for International Development (Plotno. 14818 Lebatlane Road, Gaborone West,Extension 6, Gaborone), under the terms ofthe Grant No. 690-0283-A-00-5950. Theopinions expressed herein are those of theauthors and do not necessarily reflect theviews of the US Agency for InternationalDevelopment, the GEF/UNDP, the SABONETSteering Committee or the National WorkingGroups.


SABONETNews wishes

all its readers avery happyand safe

festive seasonand a

productiveyear 2000!

volume 4 no. 3 issn 1027–4286 december 1999 - sanbi.org · volume 4 no. 3 issn 1027–4286...

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