Bolusafra bituminosa

Bolusafra bituminosa, commonly known as the tar pea, is a scrambling and twining climber that reaches 1 m in height. The glandular plant is woody at its base, resinous and tar-scented, hence the common name. The specific epithet, bituminosa, confirms the bituminous smell. Only one species of Bolusafra exists.

The species distribution is dichotomous, the bigger part in the southwest of the Western Cape from Tulbagh to the Cape Peninsula and eastwards to Caledon, the second, smaller distribution is coastal in the west of the Eastern Cape and slightly westwards. The photo was taken at Nature’s Valley.

The habitat is sandy fynbos slopes and streambanks. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Privett and Lutzeyer, 2010; Manning, 2007; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; www.fernkloof.org.za; http://redlist.sanbi.org).