Nymania capensis white branchlets at the Gariep

This Nymania capensis plant was photographed in June in the Augrabies National Park on the Gariep River (previously known as the Orange River). The species has a large north-westerly distribution reaching well into Namibia, separate from its presence in the Little Karoo and larger than it. The plants growing here already present some differences compared to those of the Little Karoo.

The fascicled leaves are smaller, especially shorter, while the young fruit capsules are more brightly coloured. The flowers of N. capensis trees occurring in the Richtersveld are known to be brighter and redder than their southern counterparts.

The distinctly white upper stems seen here differ from the green to brown branchlets of plants in the southern distribution. The branching angles on this plant appear wider. But there is still only one species of N. capensis in southern Africa (Mannheimer and Curtis, (Ed.), 2009; Coates Palgrave, 2002; iNaturalist; www.plantzafrica.com).