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GENUS EUPHORBIA Milkweed, Spurge The genus is a very large one with close to 2,000 species, among them annuals, herbaceous perennials, shrubs and numerous succulent species that at first sight look remarkably like cacti. This variety of forms has suggested to many botanists that the genus should be divided; but the flowers of all species are almost identical in structure. They are very much reduced, consisting of only a stigma and a stamen, always green, and usually carried in small clusters. Many species have showy bracts, these are the most widely cultivated; examples include Euphorbia cognate and E.”Excalibur”. Mainly tropical and subtropical, the genus also includes many temperate species. All euphorbias have milky sap which is corrosive to sensitive areas of the skin; some can cause temporary blindness if sap contacts the eyes. CULTIVATION: Plant species of Euphorbia in sun or part-shade in moist, well-drained soil. Cold tolerance varies greatly depending on the species; the more highly succulent species are generally frost tender. Propagate from cuttings in spring or summer, allowing succulent species to dry and callus before placing in barely damp sand, by division in early spring or fall (autumn) or from seed on fall or spring. REFERENCE: Botanica – The illustrated A-Z of over 10,000 garden plants and how to cultivate them, by Könemann

Acacia cyclops A. Cunn. ex Don L	F	C	T ________________________________________ El Bosquecillo. Lanzarote Acacia cyclops es una especie de origen australiano introducida en Canarias, donde tiene carácter invasor. Se trata de un árbol cuyas hojas adultas están reducidas a filodios linear-lanceolados, aplanados y alternos, de 4-9 cm de largo y 0,6-1,2 mm de ancho, con 3-5 nervios prominentes y cuyas flores, de color amarillo, se disponen en glomérulos globosos pequeños de 4-6 mm de diámetro, dispuestos en racimos. Los frutos son elipsoidales, comprimidos, recurvados y retorcidos. Se conoce como "acacia majorera".

El Bosquecillo. Lanzarote cyclops: podría proceder del griego kyklops, que significa "Ciclope", un gigante de la mitología griega con un solo ojo, aludiendo al conjunto formado por la semilla y el funículo que la rodea, que recordaría al ojo del Cíclope mitológico.

Hakea salicifolia Commonly known as the willow-leaved hakea H. salicifolia is a fast-growing, upright shrub that can grow up to 5m tall. The flat and elliptical leaves are widest in the middle and can grow up to 12 cm long.[2] Willow-leaved Hakea is an invasive plant species in New Zealand and is listed by the New Zealand Department of Conservation as one of about 300 environmental weedsThey are popular in California also, though are rather frowned on in South Africa where several species have become weeds. There is a great variety in the foliage, from needle-like to broad, though the leaves are always stiff and leathery. The flowers are borne in small clusters, and the bracts are woolly follicles, sometimes quite large. The bushier species are suitable for informal hedges, those with prickly leaves being impenetrable. CULTIVATION: Fast growing but not always long lived, they prefer mild-winter climates, sunshine and well-drained soil and dislike phosphorus-rich fertilizers. Some tend to do poorly in summer-rainfall climates, especially the Western Australian species. Propagation is usually from seed; outstanding forms can be perpetuated from summer cuttings. Watch for root-rot in moist soil

Spekboom’s Origin – Portulacaria Afra From South Africa, where it grows, often in abundance in the drier parts of the Eastern Province — especially on the high plateau Karoo hill slopes or flats (c. 400 to 1,060 meters above sea level) — and is particularly prominent in the Addo bush to the south where there is tremendous summer heat. The Addo Elephant National Park is situated in the Eastern Cape Province 72 km by road from Port Elizabeth. Proclaimed in 1931 to save the last 11 survivors of the once numerous Eastern Cape elephants, the park consists of 12,126 hectares — 30,315 acres — of gently undulating Valley Bushveld dominated mostly by the Spekboom, which covers approximately 80% of the park area. Some 500 species of plants are to be found in the park. Elephants eat P. afra from the top downwards allowing the plant to spread itself vegetatively by spreading horizontal branches at ground level. Outside the park the same plants are eaten by goats who eat the plant from ground level upwards preventing the plant from spreading vegetatively. Consequently these plants must rely solely on seed to proliferate the species which often proves difficult in such a dry climate. As a result it was observed that inside the park where the plant is subjected to browsing by elephants, Portulacaria afra survives and spreads successfully, whereas outside the park the plant is becoming sparse as a result of overgrazing and poor regeneration. The Spekboom Succulent Thicket (aka Spekboomveld) is an area of some 5,011 sq.km., 1.76% of which is conserved in some reserves such as at Graaff Reinet and on higher altitude slopes. The steep mountain slopes in the Eastern Cape and the eastern parts of the Western Cape receive perhaps 250 to 300 mm of rainfall per year, mainly in the autumn and spring. Temperatures are moderate, although extremes may be experienced for short periods. The thicket occurs on sandstone, quartzitic and shale substrata, which gives rise to shallow soils. Spekboom can form pure stands, but usually dominates a dense scrub which includes woody shrubs, succulent herbs and grasses. Very common in some places, though much more so in days past before overgrazing almost exterminated it in some areas. It occurs on the eastern areas of the country from the Eastern Cape northwards into KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga and the Northern Province in rocky areas of dry succulent karoo scrub, thicket and bushveld. It also occurs in dry hot river valleys of the eastern Transvaal, through Swaziland and north into Mozambique an uncertain distance. The Spekboom River, in the Lydenburg district, is named for the plant and not vice versa.When was the plant first discovered by Europeans and given its common names? When was it first brought to Europe and North America? It is not known what the nearest fossil relative was. It is not known if there have been any botanical “cousins” which have become extinct contemporary to neighboring indigenous human populations. It is not known what the largest pre-historical dispersion of P. afra was. It is not known what any of the local myths are regarding the origin of this plant. (The truly native human population of the area is a Stone-Age culture dating back some 20,000 years.) It is not known how old the current most senior specimen of this plant is or where that is located. The evolution of the valuable characteristics of Spekboom: Drought resistance Do you like plants? Have you ever told yourself that you don’t have green fingers? Spekboom is designed for you! The plant has unique characteristics that it acquired over many millions of years of evolution. Spekboom grows very well under conditions of uncertain water supply. How does it manage this? Amongst other characteristics, Spekboom has a unique physiology: it can switch between radically different metabolic pathways depending on the availability of water. In one situation where water is abundant, it can produce energy for the plant’s growth in a way that is highly efficient (in terms of fueling the growth of the plant). However, it has another pathway that is turned on under drought conditions, that is highly efficient in the use of water. What this means is that the plant hardly ever needs to stop growing, even if there isn’t a lot of water around. For you and me, it means that Spekboom is likely to survive situations of extreme hardship, as exemplified by being a potted plant in the household run by a sanguine, or bachelor. Easy progagation Ask anyone who has been to Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape. It is abundantly clear that Spekboom is the favourite food of Elephants. There isn’t really very much in the line of defence you can develop against a strong and large herbivore such as an Elephant, so Spekboom has evolved to adapt to the situation and turn it into a comparative strength. Due to the messy eating habits of Elephants, many uneaten pieces of Spekboom fall on the ground. These can survive for weeks, during which time they sucker, and grow roots. Many of these Spekboom plants survive and start a new tree in this way. This characteristic makes Spekboom the easiest plant in the world to propagate. Simply cut off a piece, leave it lying around for a day or two, and then stick it in the ground. Water it every couple of days, and you have created a new Spekboom tree! There are a couple of things to watch out for – Spekboom didn’t evolve in swampy conditions, so don’t stick the cutting in water, otherwise it will rot. In addition, Spekboom responds very well to being trimmed. A couple of branches from an older tree can be the source of enough cuttings to create a beautiful hedge of Spekboom, if you ensure they are planted in a frost-free area, and by regularly trimming the growing plants, you not only create pleasing shapes, but you stimulate the plant’s growth. Some thoughts on Spekboom …and the price of fuel Many people who are concerned about the environment probably have mixed feelings about the latest spike in the price of fuel. On the one hand, it means that the growth in carbon emissions from cars will slow, but at the same time it is hitting everyone’s pocket in all kinds of ways as a consequence of a world that is heavily dependent on fossil fuel. Apart from reminding our team of the importance of our work in promoting carbon sequestration measures, such as planting Spekboom, we thought we would share a few ideas on saving money by changing a few habits. We appreciate that it is not pleasant to change things that you are comfortable with. Wouldn’t it be worth adopting a few new habits, if this could help you to knock 30% off your fuel bill? Firstly, use your car less often (postpone that trip!), walk if you can, use a bicycle or share lifts. Not only is this good for your pocket, it is also good for your general health and well-being. Secondly, use public transport. In many South African cities this is a perfectly good option. Do not rely on the opinion of someone who has never used public transport (i.e. a journalist, your neighbour, brother-in-law, or boss), or someone who last used it 20 years ago. You don’t rely on the opinion of your friends when it come to the person you want to marry, right? So find out for yourself what your options are with regards to public transport. Or better, speak to people who actually use public transport on a regular basis. If you must drive, here are a few principles to consider: Drive more slowly – your fuel consumption goes up dramatically, as your speed increases Accelerate more evenly – it dramatically improves the efficiency of the process of converting the energy in your tank to the momentum of your car Consider that every time you brake, you are wasting YOUR money: you are paying for wasted momentum Get rid of that gas-guzzler. Use fuel consumption as the primary attribute when selecting a car Remember, the overall trend of the fuel price will only be to keep on increasing into the future. So any time invested investigating options like this will have a compounding effect on future savings of money, and more importantly, carbon emissions. The same principle applies to the carbon stored in the tissues and leaves of Spekboom (or any other tree). Plant a Spekboom today, and the carbon storage is compounded into the future for the life of the tree as it keeps on growing bigger! Value of Spekboom in SA Driving through Eastern Cape, you'll notice a bushlike plant with a thick stem and small, fleshy green leaves that clump together in threes, like a succulent version of clover. It seems rather unassuming for a plant with a growing reputation for saving the planet. Spekboom is native to Eastern Cape. It grows particularly in the Addo Elephant Park area, outside Port Elizabeth, but it once covered hundreds of thousands of hectares in that area. Now the humble tree is being replanted hectares at a time because of its ability to capture carbon, restore natural ecosystems and alleviate poverty.From government restoration programmes to schoolyard educational projects, spekboom has become a symbol for carbon emission reduction and climate change awareness. It even has its own Facebook page. Dr Anthony Mills from the Research Restoration Group has been investigating how the plant manages to store more than four tons of carbon per hectare, creating what is known as a carbon sink in large plantations. In other words, 10 hectares of spekboom is equivalent to taking 26 cars off the road for a year. This ability to mop up carbon from the atmosphere and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions could allow South African farmers to tap into controversial carbon trading markets worth tens of billions of dollars. R3G scientists are excited about the implications for South Africa to generate carbon credits. The carbon market allows businesses to trade and sell carbon allowances to attain compliance with their emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol. The Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency announced that its income had surged by 300% within nine months of having started the implementation of a spekboom rehabilitation strategy in the province's reserves. While carbon trading is criticised as "green cover" for corporations to continue polluting while creating the appearance of progress, Sybert Liebenberg, acting head of authority at the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, said: "We can use our parks and infrastructure to deliver ecological services. Payment for these services can lead to a huge economic injection in the province. In South Africa, this has not been done before on this scale." Pilot plots have been planted in eastern Baviaanskloof, in the Cambria Region at Goedehoop, Rooihoek, and in the western kloofs of Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve. These projects are essentially building a business model for thicket rehabilitation and carbon farming as an alternative land use in Eastern Cape. Also known as igwanishe, olifantskos or by its latin name, Porticularia afra, spekboom has other beneficial qualities. It improves soil quality, reduces erosion and stimulates a return of biodiversity in the area because of its soil-binding and shading nature. The replanting of spekboom is labour-intensive and can create tens of thousands of jobs and a new source of income for rural communities. Spekboom's unique ability is that it is able to switch its photosynthetic mechanism from that of a rainforest plant in wet conditions to that of a desert cactus in semi-arid conditions, making it highly efficient for its environment. At 2.5m high, it can survive on 250-350mm of rain per year.