Plant Lost for Nearly 200 Years Rediscovered Near Nieuwoudtville
A plant species last recorded in the early 1800s has been rediscovered on the Bokkeveld Plateau near Nieuwoudtville, underscoring the importance of on-the-ground biodiversity conservation. Prismatocarpus fastigiatus was first collected in the 1830s by J.F. Drège but was lost to science following a historical mix-up that placed its locality in the Western Cape’s Overberg region. As a result, botanists searched for the species in the wrong area for decades, nearly 300 km from its true location.
Recent research into Drège’s original travel records pointed to the Bokkeveld Plateau as the most likely locality. Field surveys by JP le Roux (Biodiversity officer with DAERL) in the area subsequently confirmed the species in flower for the first time in almost 200 years. The plant may have remained undetected due to its tendency to flower during the dry summer, when few surveys take place. With no confirmed modern records, the species had been listed as Data Deficient. Its rediscovery now allows for a proper conservation assessment and consideration of protection measures in an area that has experienced significant habitat loss.
The find highlights the value of collaboration between field practitioners, citizen scientists and digital platforms such as iNaturalist and the Biodiversity Heritage Library, as well as the critical role of WWF Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust funding in enabling conservation work in the Northern Cape.
Enquiries: JP le Roux
Biodiversity officer - Stewardship
Northern Cape Dept. Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development, and Land Reform (DAERL)
jpleroux@daerl.co.za