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[HAW] S. singularis

Almost 20 years before NE Brown described S. singularis, G. Volkens had
discovered it on his way from the coast to Mt Kilimanjaro, mistaking it
however - on account of the nearly cylindrical cross-section of its leaves
- for S. cylindrica. His accurate description of the locality and of the
plant's appearance are worth recording:

"the scenery here is not attractive ... yet for the botanist the most
interesting locality along the entire route to Kilimanjaro is between
Kihurio and Ndungu. It is a pure succulent-steppe, the most arid and
infertile region imaginable, but just for this reason it has given rise to
a freakish vegetation which I can compare only with that of the driest
desert regions in Egypt. Each plant is really a caricature".

and further

"There rise from the soil hundreds of thousands of sticks, green, smooth,
to 2 m long, as thick as one's arm beneath, slightly bent and tapering to a
hard, sharp tip. No layman would suspect them to be leaves, which in fact
they are, always produced singly at intervals of a hand's breadth, disposed
in rows, sometimes for several metres in a straight line. Quite often four
such rows are arranged in a square or a rectangle, as if planted by man as
palisades to fence in his goats or sheep."

Incidentally, the subterranean, white and non-stringly party of young
leaves of this species is relished by the natives; it tastes somewhat like
our kohlrabi. the capitate inflorescence, rarely seen in cultivation, is
produced at ground-level and has a diameter of about 13 cm.

Tomorrow - S. gracilis, S. suffruticosa (and if I have time) S. cylindrica.
and maybe more!! who knows. Just wait for the next exciting episode.

Frances Verrity
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