For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Phoa (Afroaster hispida)

Family Asteraceae
Found growing in grasslands. About 40cm in height.




Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Orchidaceae (Disa woodii)

Family Orchidaceae
A small plant of about 35-40cm in height.




Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Wandering Jew (Commelina benghalensis)

Family Commelinaceae
A well known creeper growing in many regions, from coastal to bush.


Friday, April 10, 2015

Steenbokmelkbos (Euphorbia tenax)

Family Euphorbiaceae
A small shrub of about 1.5m growing in the more arid regions.



Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Lowveld Fig (Ficus stuhlmannii)

Family Moraceae
A tree of up to 10m which wraps itself and grows around another.




Saturday, April 4, 2015

(Crassula capitella thyrsiflora)

Family Crassulaceae
A small plant of about 25cm. No information available on it.



Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Saturday, March 28, 2015

White Ironwood (Vepris undulata)

Family Rutaceae
Traditionally the powdered roots are used for influenza and colic and the leaves are burnt to dispel evil spirits. The wood is used to produce wheel spokes, handles, roof beams, furniture, ornaments and turnery.
This lovely plant occurs in dune, riverine and low-lying forest along the coast from the Western Cape, through Eastern Cape to Kwazulu-Natal and the woodland and escarpment forests in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, the northern section of Gauteng and the northeastern section of the North-West Province.


Info: www.plantzafrica.com

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Common Guarri (Euclea undulata)

Family Ebenaceae
 The species is found widespread over southern Africa, especially in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. It favours open rocky slopes, low hills with valleys, open mopane/acacia woodland, watercourses and areas with frequent or scattered termite mounds commonly referred to as heuweltjies' (little hills).
Euclea undulata is undoubtedly pollinated by insects such as bees who visit the scented flowers in abundance. Ants and honeydew-producing scale have also been noticed on the trees but it is suspected that they interact with each other rather than with the flowers. Although not very palatable, the leaves are browsed by a number of wildlife species and the fruit are eaten by birds and other mammals who disperse the seeds over large areas quite successfully.
Almost all parts of Euclea undulata are used by people or animals in one way or the other. It yields excellent firewood that produces long lasting coals.The leaves are useful as fodder for stock, antelope and small herbivorous mammals while the fruits are eaten by birds, antelope and humans although not very tasty. The hard brown heartwood is heavy and close-grained which make it durable and strong and a suitable species for making fencing posts. The bark contains suitable quantities of tannin and is used to ease headaches, while the roots provide a remedy for toothache and heart-related ailments. Alternatively the roots, when used as a powder, can be a drastic purgative. In the Western Cape leaf preparations are taken orally to treat diarrhoea and disorders of the stomach, and as a gargle to relieve throat ailments such as tonsillitis.

Info: www.plantzafrica.com

Sunday, March 22, 2015