The following announcement is being relayed from a message sent to me via the PBS website. We don't usually make commercial announcements on this forum, but this is a publication of a nonprofit conservation group, so I thought it appropriate to bring it to the attention of our many members who enjoy South African bulbs. >Please could you notify your members and your >website readers about this new book, on >Limestone Fynbos, published by the Duiwenshok >Conservancy. (We’re a non profit organisation!) > >Limestone Fynbos is an intriguing flora that >occurs on our southern coast of South Africa, >wherever there are limestone hills or cliffs. >Most of the plants occur in a broad sweep from >Gansbaai to the Gouritz River, including pockets >at Cape Point and Macassar. This flora can be >divided into three natural units, Agulhas >Limestone, De Hope Limestone and Canca >Limestone. In December 2007 the SA Publication, >Veld and Flora, published an article on the >Agulhas Limestone. The Duiwenhoks Conservancy >has added a new aspect to the literature >available on this rather unknown flora by >publishing a book that describes the Limestone >Fynbos of the Vermaaklikheid area, near >Heildelberg, which falls in the Canca Limestone unit. > >Limestone Fynbos is floristically very different >from other vegetation. The reason for this is >that these plants thrive on a soil type that >would be toxic to most fynbos plants, which are >normally found on acidic or neutral soils. They >grow on limestone soils, which are so alkaline >that if you squeeze lemon juice on them they >will fizz. It is this alkalinity in the soil >that is toxic to most fynbos plants. In a >remarkable adaptation to a hostile soil >environment, Limestone Fynbos has evolved as a >unique flora that shares only a few species in >common with sandstone fynbos and sand fynbos. As >one would expect from a flora that is confined >to such specific soils, many plants are endemic, >meaning that they grow only on such soils or even at only one locality. > >At first glance, this little-known flora appears >as dry woody scrub. On closer inspection a >fascinating array of intriguing and sometimes >tiny flowers emerge. Over the past ten years, >the author Louisa Oberholzer began collecting, >describing and photographing the plants in the >Vermaaklikheid area of the Western Cape . The >Duiwenhoks Conservancy provided financial >support for the identification of the species >and finally for the publication of the book, >Limestone Fynbos of the Vermaaklikheid Area. It >presents a photographic record and description >of 124 species. Of particular interest are the >intriguing Fabaceae, or pea-like flowers and the >pungent buchus, which belong to the Rutacea or citrus family. > >The aim of the publication is to inform the >public and particularly landowners about the >value of Limestone Fynbos and the importance >controlling alien vegetation, which is a major >threat to all the fynbos plant communities. > >The book is priced at R130.00 available from the >Duiwenhoks Conservancy, >info@duiwenhoksconservancy.co.za and also from >the author, louisa.stanford@gmail.com > >Kind regards > >Rob Hill >Treasurer >Duiwenhoks Conservancy