Rhoicissus sekhukhuniensis

The De Hoop Dam area lies within the Sekhukhuneland centre of plant endemism. This denotes an area in which the ranges of restricted-range species overlap, or in other words, an area rich in species that don’t grow in nature anywhere else.

South Africa has about nineteen recognized centres of endemism. All of them are considered of vital importance with relation to nature and especially vegetation conservation (Wikipedia).

Rhoicissus sekhukhuniensis, the Sekhukhune grape is such a species, endemic to this area. Its introduction into the literature occurred quite late; a phenomenon shared with small habitat plants from remote areas. This does not, however, detract from the plant’s appeal.

An area offering such botanical riches cannot see all its spectacular species become famous simultaneously. And such fame does not always contribute to a plants survival (www.ajol.info).