A botanist has discovered a new species of flower right in the path of the proposed N2 highway along the Eastern Cape’s Pondoland coast, the Wildlife and Environment Society of SA said on Sunday.
It said David Styles and a group of concerned botanists gathered in January 2002 to explore areas within the approximate three-kilometre corridor of the proposed national road.
Styles said in a statement it was immediately apparent that the area in the vicinity of the corridor was particularly rich in the 120 plants that occur only in Pondoland and nowhere else in the world. The vegetation of Pondoland is recognised as one of the world’s most important, and arguably the world’s smallest, floral kingdoms.
He said one of the plants collected was a species of plectranthus, which is a succulent member of the lavender, basil and sage family. Other species of plectranthus are popular garden plants.
”The species we collected was not recognised. It was brought back to Durban and cultivated. In April this year it began flowering.
”It was examined by Professor Trevor Edwards of the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg’s botany department, an expert on the family. He confirmed that it was a new species, unlike anything seen before.”
Styles’ finding will be published in a scientific journal towards the end of 2003. It was believed that the new plant may have garden potential.
”I believe that there are other species to be found here,” Styles said.
”Most of the Pondoland region is poorly explored. No-one, least of all the people who want to put a road here, really knows what is in these places.”
He said that as recently as 1987 a new tree species, up to 30-metres tall, was discovered.
”Given Pondoland’s unique flora, the environmental impacts of a national road, plus the collateral development that will result, could be huge. It will most certainly wipe out the only known population of this new plectranthus plant. There is a danger that other new species could be lost without even being detected.”
The society’s conservation director Cathy Kay was ecstatic at the discovery of the new plant.
”This is just further evidence as to how important it is that the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism appoint, in consultation with WESSA (the society) and BotSoc, a truly independent overseas consultant with international academic recognition, and no connection to the project, to peer review…”
Plans to mine heavy minerals on the Pondoland coast and re-route the N2 highway through the area have been widely condemned by conservationists.
An Australian-based company, Mineral Resources Ltd, currently holds a licence to prospect in the area, on land which has also been earmarked for inclusion in the proposed Pondoland National Park. – Sapa