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Prioniaceae
''Prionium serratum'', the palmiet, is a robust, evergreen, semiaquatic, rhizomatous flowering plant growing to in height. It is the only species in the genus ''Prionium'', and is endemic to South Africa (Cape Province and KwaZulu-Natal). Some authors have separated ''Prionium'' from the Thurniaceae, putting it instead in its own family, the Prioniaceae. Description The stem of ''P. serratum'' is up to in diameter and covered with the black, fibrous bases of old spirally arranged leaves, four-ranked or tristichous, as in the closely related family Juncaceae, a family in which it was previously placed - it also has close affinities with the bergpalmiet (''Tetraria thermalis'') in the Cyperaceae. The strap-like lanceolate leaves are rigid, with a high silica content, narrow, leathery, grey-green, and with toothed margins. The small, brown flowers are on a branched inflorescence about 1 m in length. Plants are hermaphroditic and pollination is anemophilous. The fruit is a dry ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thurniaceae
The Thurniaceae are a family of flowering plants composed of two genera with four species. The botanical name has been recognized by most taxonomists. The APG II system, of 2003, also recognizes such a family, and assigns it to the order Poales in the clade commelinids, in the monocots. The family consists of two genera, totalling only a few species, perennial plants of wet habitats in South America and South Africa. This represents a slight change from the APG system, 1998, which treated the two genera as each constituting their own family ( Prioniaceae and Thurniaceae), both placed in the order Poales. The Cronquist system of 1981 also recognized such a family and placed it in the order Juncales in the subclass Commelinidae in class Liliopsida in division Magnoliophyta. The Wettstein system A system of plant taxonomy, the Wettstein system recognised the following main groups, according to Richard Wettstein's ''Handbuch der Systematischen Botanik'' (1901–1924). 3rd ed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ernst Heinrich Friedrich Meyer
Ernst Heinrich Friedrich Meyer (1 January 1791 – 7 August 1858) was a German botanist and botanical historian. Born in Hanover, he lectured in Göttingen and in 1826 became a professor of botany at the University of Königsberg, as well as Director of the Botanical Garden. His botanical specialty was the Juncaceae, or family of rushes. His major work was the four-volume ''Geschichte der Botanik'' (“History of Botany,” 1854–57). His history covered ancient authorities such as Aristotle and Theophrastus, explored the beginnings of modern botany in the context of 15th- and 16th-century intellectual practice, and offered a wealth of biographical data on early modern botanists. Julius von Sachs pronounced him “no great botanist” but admitted that he “possessed a clever and cultivated intellect.” He died in Königsberg, East Prussia. In 1828, he was honoured by Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle who named a genus of plants from tropical South America after h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Disjunct Distribution
In biology, a taxon with a disjunct distribution is one that has two or more groups that are related but considerably separated from each other geographically. The causes are varied and might demonstrate either the expansion or contraction of a species' range. Range fragmentation Also called range fragmentation, disjunct distributions may be caused by changes in the environment, such as mountain building and continental drift or rising sea levels; it may also be due to an organism expanding its range into new areas, by such means as rafting, or other animals transporting an organism to a new location (plant seeds consumed by birds and animals can be moved to new locations during bird or animal migrations, and those seeds can be deposited in new locations in fecal matter). Other conditions that can produce disjunct distributions include: flooding, or changes in wind, stream, and current flows, plus others such as anthropogenic introduction of alien introduced species either accid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Keurbooms River
The Keurbooms River ( af, Keurboomsrivier) is a river in the Western Cape Province in South Africa. The river has its sources south of Uniondale in the Langkloof and flows in a roughly southeastern direction. It passes De Vlugt and the Prince Alfred Pass, flowing along the northern side of the R340 road then it turns south. After crossing the N2 road, it flows into the Indian Ocean through the Keurbooms Estuary, located close to the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay. The Keurbooms River is approximately 85 km long with a catchment area of 1,080 km2. Its main tributary is the Bitou (Bietou). Ecology The Keurbooms River marks the eastern limit of the area inhabited by the Cape galaxias ''(Galaxias zebratus)'', a South African fish species endemic to the Cape Floristic Region. It shares the same habitat as imported trouts and lives in an area between the Keurbooms and the Olifants River. Although in South Africa this relatively delicate fish is only classified as near thr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Formosa Peak
Formosa Peak or Peak Formosa is the highest point of the Tsitsikamma Mountains, a coastal range located along the Garden Route in South Africa, and forming part of the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve. Background The peak was first mapped in 1576 during a voyage by the Portuguese navigator and cartographer, Manuel de Mesquita Perestrelo, when his ship put in at Plettenberg Bay, which he named ''Bahia Formosa'' or "beautiful bay". The peak, which is visible from the bay, had been named ''Formosa'' by the earlier Portuguese explorer, Bartolomeu Dias, in 1488. This was corrupted to ''Moses'', a name still used for the region north of the mountain. Perestrelo, a survivor of the 1554 wrecking of the Portuguese carrack, the '' São Bento'' off Msikaba on the Wild Coast, wrote an account of the disaster. Because of its elevation and sweeping views, Formosa Peak is a popular hiking destination, the normal road approach being from the north via Langkloof The Langkloof is a 160 km lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kleinmond
Kleinmond is a small coastal town in the Overberg region of the Western Cape province, South Africa. It is situated inside a UNESCO-declared biosphere about 90 km east of Cape Town between Betty's Bay and Hermanus. The town's name, meaning "small mouth" in Afrikaans, refers to its location at the mouth of the Bot River lagoon. Stone ax heads found in the area indicate that people already lived in the vicinity of nearby Hangklip 20,000 years ago. Information about the area has existed in writing since the seventeenth century. Tourism Tourism plays a large role in the town's economy due to its popularity with holiday makers from across the Western Cape and Cape Town in particular. Environment From June to November, southern right whales can be seen from the coastline, where they come to mate and calf. A herd of wild horses is known to roam free in the marshlands at the Bot River lagoon area, next to Rooisands Nature Reserve. They are believed to be South Africa's only h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Betty's Bay
Betty's Bay is a small holiday town situated on the Overberg coast of South Africa's Western Cape province. It is located 100 km from Cape Town beneath the Kogelberg Mountains on the scenic R44 ocean drive between Pringle Bay and Kleinmond. This village stretches over 13 km along the coast. Tourism plays a large role in the town's economy due to its popularity with holiday makers from across the Western Cape and Cape Town in particular. During colonial times Betty's Bay was allegedly a favourite place for runaway slaves, and in 1912 Betty's Bay became a formal whaling station running up until the 1930s. Remains of the whaling station can still be seen at Stony Point. Bettys Bay is named after Betty Youlden, daughter of the first developer of the area Arthur Youlden. Betty's Bay contains the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden as well as an African penguin colony in the Betty's Bay Marine Protected Area, which is one of the two Penguin colonies in the area of the Weste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Palmiet River
Palmiet River ( af, Palmietrivier) is a river located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The Palmiet River is a typical Western Cape river, experiencing winter rainfall and it is important for the Western Cape Water Supply System. It has a small catchment area of 500 km2, flows through the expanse of the Elgin Valley, and reaches the ocean through an estuary. This river has five irrigation and hydro-power dams along its length, and provides water for agricultural and industrial uses, as well as to the city of Cape Town. It is unclear why there has been an apparent increase in flow over the last 30 years. This river is named after the plant known as Palmiet ''( Prionium serratum)'' and should not be confused with the Palmiet River near Durban, or the Palmiet River which is a tributary of the Keurbooms River. Dams in this River * Arieskraal Dam * Eikenhof Dam * Kogelberg Dam *Rockview Dam * Transpalmiet Dam See also * Elgin, Western Cape * Breede Water Management Are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carl Peter Thunberg
Carl Peter Thunberg, also known as Karl Peter von Thunberg, Carl Pehr Thunberg, or Carl Per Thunberg (11 November 1743 – 8 August 1828), was a Swedish naturalist and an "apostle" of Carl Linnaeus. After studying under Linnaeus at Uppsala University, he spent seven years travelling in southern Africa and Asia, collecting and describing many plants and animals new to European science, and observing local cultures. He has been called "the father of South African botany", "pioneer of Occidental Medicine in Japan", and the "Japanese Linnaeus". Early life Thunberg was born and grew up in Jönköping, Sweden. At the age of 18, he entered Uppsala University where he was taught by Carl Linnaeus, regarded as the "father of modern taxonomy". Thunberg graduated in 1767 after 6 years of studying. To deepen his knowledge in botany, medicine and natural history, he was encouraged by Linnaeus in 1770 to travel to Paris and Amsterdam. In Amsterdam and Leiden Thunberg met the Dutch bota ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sabal
''Sabal'' is a genus of palms (or fan-palms) endemic to the New World. Currently, there are 17 recognized species of ''Sabal'', including one hybrid species. The species are native to the subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas, from the Gulf Coast/South Atlantic states in the Southeastern United States, south through the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America to Colombia and Venezuela. Members of this genus are typically identified by the leaves which originate from a bare, unarmed petiole in a fan-like structure. All members of this genus have a costa (or midrib) that extends into the leaf blade. This midrib can vary in length; and it is due to this variation that leaf blades of certain species of ''Sabal'' are strongly curved or strongly costapalmate (as in ''Sabal palmetto'' and ''Sabal etonia'') or weakly curved (almost flattened), weakly costapalmate, (as in ''Sabal minor''). Like many other palms, the fruit of ''Sabal'' are drupe, that typically change from green ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chamaerops Humilis
''Chamaerops'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Arecaceae. The only currently fully accepted species is ''Chamaerops humilis'', variously called European fan palm or the Mediterranean dwarf palm. It is one of the most cold-hardy palms and is used in landscaping in temperate climates. Taxonomy Apart from the fully accepted ''Chamaerops humilis,'' there are a few taxa of unresolved status plus numerous species synonymised under ''Chamaerops humilis''. The species ''Chamaerops humilis'' itself has three accepted varieties as follows: *''Chamaerops humilis'' var. ''argentea'' André (syn. ''C. h.'' var. ''cerifera'') – "Atlas mountain palm" of Northwest Africa. Leaves glaucous. *''Chamaerops humilis'' var. ''epondraes'' – Northwest Africa. Leaves glaucous. *''Chamaerops humilis'' var. ''humilis'' – Southwest Europe. Leaves green. There also are at least three cultivars (''C. humilis'' var. ''humilis'' 'Nana', ''C. humilis'' 'Vulcano', ''C. humilis'' 'Stella') ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jan Van Riebeeck
Johan Anthoniszoon "Jan" van Riebeeck (21 April 1619 – 18 January 1677) was a Dutch navigator and colonial administrator of the Dutch East India Company. Life Early life Jan van Riebeeck was born in Culemborg, as the son of a surgeon. He grew up in Schiedam, where he married 19-year-old Maria de la Queillerie on 28 March 1649. She died in Malacca, now part of Malaysia, on 2 November 1664, at the age of 35. The couple had eight or nine children, most of whom did not survive infancy. Their son Abraham van Riebeeck, born at the Cape, later became Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. Employment in the VOC Joining the ''Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie'' (VOC) (Dutch East India Company) in 1639, he served in a number of posts, including that of an assistant surgeon in the Batavia in the East Indies. He was head of the VOC trading post in Tonkin, Indochina. After being dismissed from that position in 1645 due to conducting trade for his own personal accou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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