Flora

We visited Namibia in the southern winter. Most of the flowers we saw were in the southern winter rain area, which extends from the Orange northward to the vicinty of Aus, which receives a low rainfall in both seasons. The areas where these were seen all get less than 100 mm. of rain per year and most less than 50 mm. As far as we could find out there had been no recent rains when we were there. Some of the ones seen on the Quiver Tree Nature Trail at Aussenkehr were growing in a damp area in a narrow gorge.

I am not really a very good botanist, my experience is entirely limited to the U.K. and most of that in the south west. Most of my identifications have been done from the photographs shown. Many of the more difficult genera probably cannot be identified from photographs alone.

I have not been able to find a descriptive flora for Namibia. I have used two books by Antje Burke and two by Patricia Craven and Christine Marais, which are listed in the references below. None of these is exhaustive. I have also used the web site of the Namib-Rand herbarium which has good images of material collected by Louise Clapham and some photographs.

Flowers that I have been unable to identify are numbered for reference. If anyone can supply names or corrections to my own shaky efforts please e-mail me.

Trees and Shrubs

Unidentified Flowers

If any can suggest the identities of any of these I should be very grateful indeed. Please e-mail me.

Any corrections to my identifications above are also earnestly sought.

Possibly known to genus

Genus unknown

References

Antje Burke

Wild flowers of the Southern Namib, Namibia Scientific Society, 2006

Wild flowers of the Central Namib, Namibia Scientific Society, 2006

Patricia Craven and Christine Marais

Namib Flora, Gamsberg Macmillan

Damaraland Flora, Gamsberg Macmillan

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