SANParks.org Forums

This topic is very general and not only for plants.
If you do have a question about any Insect, Mammal, Reptile, Tree then you could post it here and I will TRY and answer it, if I don’t know what it is I will make sure to get an answer for you.
So anything interesting you have come across in the Kgalagadi and would like to know more about (All the Why’s, When’s and How’s) .......here is your chance.
At the end of the day is to try and supply our guests to the park with helpful information to enhance their stay with us and to know your Park, Fauna and Flora a bit more

Cheers

great topic, Kgalagadi Guru !!!!

So let's start with this tiny little plant:



on the dune (way out from Gharagab) in August

Thank you so much

From the picture it looks like:

Aptosimum elongatum - Snapdragon Family

Flowering in the summer, and they occur in deep, sandy soils, on dunes and along the roads.

Thank you Kgalagadi Guru much appreciated

WoW, Jan, you don't waste any time getting started with this new thread!

This is a similar plant that I had asked about in the Plants forum



I was told that it is probably either Aptosimum marlothii (koffiepit) or Aptosimum albomarginatum (koegab). So I guess that there are a variety of the Aptosimum family in Kgalagadi?

Hi Jannie. It was really nice to meet you recently. On the sighting side, it wasn't as productive as the trips in April and July, but hey, I guess its all about choices and timing. Here is a plant I spotted in the dunes, that I would like you to identify. Thanks

Hi there Arks,

So many questions so little time.......

I know how it feels if you have to wait for answers, not very nice so I will try my best to answer as fast as possible.

You are correct according to the picture it is indeed Aptosimumj albomarginatum - koegab (Also part of the Snapdragon family - Scrophulariaceae)
The leaves of the above are linear-oblanceolate and spinous-pointed. With the 'koffiepit' the leaves are narrowly strap-shaped, grouped in clusters and much shorter than the flower.

Touareg,

According to the picture you have taken it is a:

Amaryllis family - Amaryllidaceae
Boophane disticha
Kopseerblom/gifbol/tumble weet or Bushmans poison bulb

The bulb is poisonous and is used for arrow poison. The bulb is also used for headache, chest pain, abdominal pain and insomnia. Small overdoses can be very fatal.

Wow!. Quite a potent plant. Thanks KG. This is a real interesting thread you started here.

Pleasure Touareg,

This topic is to understand and know the inhabitants (fauna and flora) of our park better.

Thanks for the detail, Jannie. It's really interesting to learn about the small differences amongst plants that look so similar — much like humans within the same family (snapdragon) but with individual differences (shape of leaves).

OK, here's one that hasn't gotten IDed in the Insects etc forum.

I saw this chrysyllis in KTP in September 2007. I think that it was in the tree next to my tent at Grootkolk.

@Arks,

The cocoon belongs to the Lasiocampidae family of moths. They are also known as eggars, snout moths or lappet moths. There are over 2000 species worldwide, and probably not all have been named or studied.

In the western parts of South Africa we find over 150 species, so to be exact on who it is will be difficult, although i would put may head on a block and say it is the Luna Moth.

Bushman’s use to collect the cocoons and then take out the pupa and cook them before eating it, the cocoon was then filled with small stones to make a rattle out of it and worn on their legs when dancing.

I will do my best to see if I can find out exactly which moth the cocoon belongs to.

Thanks for the most interesting details about this cocoon, Jannie! I've seen those rattles that the Bushmen make and thought that this looked similar

And this prehistoric monster is better known as a ????????