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