Namaqualand is justifiably famous for the floral wonderland it becomes in spring, when seas of bright flowers carpet the land. Astonishingly, the carpet comprises some 3,800 species, of which 28% are endemic. This book introduces nearly 600 species, highlighting those most commonly found, most conspicuous, spectacular or interesting, as well as endemics. An introduction touches on the species selection for the book, the climatic and topographical subregions within Namaqualand, plant names and uses, and conservation issues. The concise species descriptions also give seed and fruit details, uses, local growing conditions and flowering times, along with beautiful full-colour photographs. This is a must-have guide for visitors to Namaqualand, or for anyone interested in the wild flowers of southern Africa.

This is a tribute to the late Gerhard Dreyer who spent years photographing the wild flowers of South Africa and these are some of his best images selected from several thousand. This is a tribute not only to Gerhard's photography but also the amazing floral abundance and diversity of South Africa which will appeal to both locals and overseas tourists -- there is a short introduction by Ernst van Jaarsveld, an expert on flowers, based at the Kirstenbosh Botanical Gardens, with extended captions on each flower. South Africa has the highest biodiversity for a temperate region, and world-wide is second only to Brazil and Indonesia, both tropical countries. The Fynbos biome alone has more plant species than the whole of Europe -- so a publication of this scope can only hope to give a representation of the unbelievable variety available, but anyone who has a fondness for flowers will want this book.

A lavishly illustrated book on the unique botany of Namaqualand, including the Southern Namib between Luderitzbucht and the Orange River.

The Cape is one of the botanical world's richest treasure houses. After an overview, All about flowers, the guide examines the indigenous plants of eight different regions. The text is supplemented by many special-interest panels, and the text is highly visual, with plenty to draw the eye on each spread. Each chapter ends with a picture gallery of the more common, interesting and beautiful plants in each area. Besides the floral wealth of the region, the focus is on matters of general tourist interest regarding what to see and do.

with photographs by Lex Hes South Africa is a land of hauntingly beautiful and diverse landscapes. Its wild places encompass rugged mountain ranges, sweeping sand beaches, indigenous coastal forest, and sun-blistered arid plains, with each environment supporting its own distinctive plant and animal life. The beauty and diversity of South Africa's unspoiled and untamed places are celebrated in this latest addition to the Wild Places of the World series. South Africa's topography is characterized by a great interior plateau fringed on three sides by an irregular chain of mountains and hills that descend to a narrow coastal strip. The chapters focus on each ecological region in turn, from the Maputaland, a wetland area of great natural diversity, to the mountains of the Cape and Natal, the desert lands of the Karoo and the Kalahari, the coastal zone, the highveld grasslands, and the bushveld. The main focus is on wilderness areas and national parks, each chosen for its wild, unspoiled character, and the book emphasizes the need to preserve the country's natural heritage in a time of increasing demands for human development. Wild South Africacontains 350 stunning full-color photographs that illustrate all aspects of Nature's cycles in each region. The book features the uniqueness of each region's fauna, flora, and geography, from tiny insects, birds, and larger mammals to fruits, flowers, and sweeping landscapes.