SUTHERN AFRICA PICTURES

I was in Africa in January/early February 2002, including the following countries:
South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique

While I can't quite share all the pictures I took, most of the significant plant and tree pictures are on this website.

PALMS

Makalani Palm--Hyphaene petersiana in habitat, Etosha Natl. Park (Northern Namibia)
ONE TWO--Two other pictures of Hyphaene petersiana in habitat (extreme Northern Namibia)
(Note that this area, while typically receiving nearly all of its rain in summer was still dry.)
Senegal Date Palm--Phoenix reclinata in habitat, near Port St. Johns, South Africa
Mix shot--Phoenix reclinata with Strelitzia nicolai (Giant Bird of Paradise) in habitat south of Durban, South Africa
Kosi Palm--Raphia austalis at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town
(Raphia australis is native to a small part of extreme eastern South Africa)
Lala Palm--Hyphaene coriacea at Durban Botanical Gardens (native to that area)
Blue Latan Palm--Latania loddigesii at the Durban Botanical Gardens
(Latan palms are not native to Africa)

PALM-LIKE PLANTS (OR PLANTS WITH UNUSUAL FOLIAGE)

Aloes--in habitat on a hill near Umtata, South Africa
Aloes--growing on a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean near Port St. Johns, South Africa
Large-Leaved Dragon Tree--Dracaena aletriformis, in habitat, in woodlands near Port St. Johns, South Africa
Candelabra Tree--Euphorbia ingens, in habitat, near Pietersburg, South Africa
Giant Bird of Paradises--Strelitzia nicolai, in habitat, covering a coastal hillside near Port St. Johns, South Africa
Wood's Cycad--Encephalarios woodii, a cycad extinct in the wild, in Durban Botanical Gardens
Screw Pine--Pandanus sp. in Durban (a commonly planted tree)

TREES

Fever Tree AcaciaAcacia xanthophloea, along a roadside in extreme SW Mozambique
Baobab--Adansonia digitata, in habitat, near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Zambezi Teak--Brachystegia boehmii, along a roadside in the Caprivi Strip of extreme NE Namibia
(The Caprivi Strip is Namibia's "greenbelt")
Matumi--Breonadia salicina, in habitat, growing from boulders along the Crocodile River in Nelspruit, South Africa
Mopane--Colophospermum mopane (with imbedded leaf close-up shot), in habitat in northern Namibia
Cussonia (sp.)--(probably C. spicata) in habitat, near Port St. Johns, South Africa (there are also Senegal Date Palms here)
Cape Holly--Ilex mitis, in habitat, in dense forest near Storms River, South Africa (Garden Route)
Silvertree--Leucadendron argenteum, in habitat, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town
Cultivated Silvertree--Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Outeniqua Yellowwood--Giant specimen of Podocarpus falcatus, in habitat, in dense forest near Storms River, South Africa
White Stinkwood--Celtis africana, in Pretoria, South Africa (native to that area)--looks similar to the American hackberries
Red Alder--Cunonia capensis, in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (native to nearby areas)
Red Mahogany--Khaya anthotheca, in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (native to Mozambique and Zimbabwe)
Umzimbeet--Millettia grandis, in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (native to extreme E South Africa)
Cape Beech--Rapanea melanophloeos, in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (native to the area)
Water Berry (Umdoni)--Syzygium cordatum, in Durban Botanical Gardens (native to that area)
Purple Glory Tree--Tibouchina granulosa, in Durban Botanical Gardens (native to South America, but commonly planted in Durban)

SHRUBS AND OTHER PLANTS

Red Hot Poker Plants--(Kniphofia sp.) in full bloom, in habitat at 9000 feet in NE Lesotho
Cultivated Red Hot Poker Plants at Oxbow Lodge, Lesotho (8000 feet)
Pride of De Kaap--Bauhinia galpinii, at Nelspruit (S.A) Botanical Gardens (native to that area)
Parkinsonia sp.--probably naturalized Parkinsonia aculeata (from Mexico), common in this part of extreme SW Mozamibique

MISCELLANY

Mix Shot in Durban Botanical Gardens--including a very large Araucaria columnaris
Eucalyptus Plantations--along a highway near Sabie, South Africa (common in this area)
Wooded Country--in the Drakensberge Escarpment, west of Nelspruit, South Africa
People in a Village--in the Mountains of Northern Lesotho
(Note the white poplar, somewhat visible in the background--that was a commonly planted tree in cooler areas)
Mbabane, Swaziland--note the common eucalpytus in the background
VICTORIA FALLS--Zimbabwe/Zambia:VIEW ONE VIEW TWO
(Note in view one, 2 makalani palms are barely visible in the background.)
(The falls are more than a mile wide--so it's impossible to view the whole thing, except by air!)
Elephant!--in forest, along the banks of the Zambezi River, near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
(Note: Above picture was actually taken while hiking, with only trees as potential "protection"!)
Giraffes--in Etosha National Park, Namibia
Rhino!--in acacia scrub, in Etosha National Park, Namibia
Large Termite Chimney--near Okahandja, central Namibia
Skeleton Coast--near Swakopmund, Namibia--there is almost NO vegetation here!
Cape Town--viewed from Table Mountain
Woodlands--of extreme northern Botswana
Storms River Gorge--in Tsitsikamma National Park, South Africa (Garden Route, at the coast)
AFRICAN CLIMATE ZONES--based mostly on climate statistics (created by me)





All of the above pictures on this page were taken by Brandt Maxwell.

Do you like GEOGRAPHY? Then you'll love Largest U.S. Cities Named after a Food...and Other Mind-Boggling Geography Lists Around the World by Brandt Maxwell (available now)! This book even includes some "botanical geography" lists including Ten Surprising Places Where One Can Find Palms Outdoors.