Re: Off post subtropical plant discussions



>To others in the medit-plants group, I apologize if a
>lot of my posts appear off topic, or not reflective of
>truly summer dry mediterannean climate plants.

Actually, I find your posts of interest & quite topical

Summer rainfall conditions mean the species, of which their communities are
composed, must develop the same drought battling mechanisms as Med climate
plants & with a little accomodation are quite adaptable to our conditions.
This is perhaps nowhere more apparent than here in the Cape.  A given
characteristic of Med. climate regions is that they are bracketed by deserts
on their equatorial sides & temperate, 4 season rainfall on their polar
latitudes - or in SA & Australias case, the sea. In the Eastern Cape this
becomes a little more confused & there are areas where the Cape Floral
Kingdom adjoins summer rainfall formations.
As has been pointed out in this forum before, many of the plants which SA
has given to the horticultural world, which are perhaps believed to be true
Med species, actually come from this region.
Plumbago capensis, for instance, begins in the forests around Knysna &
extends right through into thickets up in Natal. It doesn't naturally occur
in the SW Cape at all, yet I have a hedge of it by my carpark which gets
right through the summer on no water at all. Tecomaria capensis is similar &
I've seen it growing right up the Mozambiquan Coast, north of the Tropic of
Capricorn. The real survivor here though is the Leonotis leonurus. Moira
recalls it from Kenya & you'll find it in the highlands running right down
through Malawi, Zimbabwe to the Drakensburg & then into the winter rainfall
regions of the SW Cape & it grows on the back of Table Mountain, above me
here. The same plant, naturalised in two completely different climatic
regimes. Another species, which is a favourite of mine, & hasn't come up in
this forum before, is Brillantasia subulugurica. This is from East Africa &
looks like a giant blue salvia - though I think its in the Acanthaceae - up
to 2m high, flowering from Spring into Autumn, in the shade & getting by on
one good watering a week.
Very few of the true Med. plants are giving such summer colour. Thats why I
think these are quite relevant.

Regards

Glenn Breayley. Ragnarok & Valhalla Research.
POBox 26158, Hout Bay, 7872, Capetown, South Africa
Ph/Fax SA 021 7904253 E-mail valhalla@iafrica.com
Wholesale nurseryman & Tillandsia specialist wholesale & retail grower.
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