Toe die burgers vir die eerste keer fynbos in die Kaap teëkom was hulle verbaas dat enige plante die droeë, warm somers hier kon oorleef (siende dat hulle gewoond was aan Holland se klimaat). Die Kaapse struike, met hul harde blare en dun stamme, het 'n unieke aanpassingsvermoeë vir wanneer daar veldbrande ontstaan, en toon 'min, of geen, tekens van verwelking in die somerdroogte'.
Die Kaapse floraryk (Cape floral kingdom of Capensis) vorm deel van die ses groot plantkoninkryke oor die wêreld. Afgelei van die plaaslike woord ‘fynbos’, word die term nou internasionaal erken.
Die Sweedse botanis Carl Linnaeus, die vader van modern taksonomie, het die grondslag gelê vir die klassifisering van plante met sy Latynse binomiale sisteem, die gebruik van twee name (genus + spesie) om plante en diere te klassifiseer. Sover ek weet was hy nooit self in Suid-Afrika nie, maar sy waardering vir die Kaapse fynbos blyk uit ‘n korrespondensie tussen hom en die destydse goewerneur van die kaap, Ryk Tulbagh, deur wie hy plante, bolle en sade ontvang het vir sy navorsing. Linnaeus skryf aan Tulbagh:
Mag u ten volle bewus wees van u gelukkige lot, […] om te kan regeer oor daardie paradys op aarde, Kaap die Goeie Hoop, wat die weldadige Skepper met die keur van sy wondere verryk het. Sekerlik, as dit vir my vrygestaan het om my lot te verruil vir die van Alexander die Grote, of Salomo, Croesus of Tulbagh, sou ek sonder aarseling laasgenoemde verkies. – Carl Linnaeus (Uit Latyns vertaal in Drie Eeue, effe aangepas)
In Fynbos sien ons hoedat die geskiedenis van Kultuur en Natuur mekaar op 'n aangrypende manier ontmoet. Baie van die fynbosplante het pittige volksname wat met verloop van tyd onder die boere en ander inwoners van die Kaap ontstaan het. Latynse name word vandag gebruik, maar in baie populêre bronne word hul noemnaam steeds behou. Die Suid-Afrikaanse 'Brandblaar' is 'n goeie voorbeeld hiervan:
Knowltonia capensis (L.) Huth Family: Ranunculaceae Common names: blistering leaves (Eng.); brandblare, katjiedrieblaar (Afr.)
Capensis dui daarop dat die plant van die Kaap bioom afkomstig is (een van die 6 plantkoninkryke). Die (L.) verwys na Linneas Huth verwys na die botanis Ernst Huth (1845–1897) wat die plant klassifiseer het. Die volksnaam is ‘brandblaar’, want wanneer die plant se blare gekneus word kan dit die vel brand.
In meeste gevalle word die latynse naam gekies deur die persoon wie dit ontdek het, hetsy na hulself of na 'n ander bekende individu in die botaniewêreld. Alternatiewelik word 'n beskrywende Latynse term gebruik om iets van die karakter van die plant te beskryf, soos Gracilis, flammosis of textilis. Die naam Knowltonia is vernoem na T. Knowlton, ‘n Britse botanis.
Hier is nog 'n paar botaniese name wat deur historiese figure inspireer is:
- Eucomis vandermerwei - ontdek in 1937 deur die amateurbotanis Dr Frederick Ziervogel van der Merwe (1894–1968)
- Tulbaghia violacea - venoem na die goewerneur van die Kaap v Goeie Hoop, Ryk Tulbagh (oorlede 1771)
- Kniphofia gracilis - vernoem na 'n Duitse professor J.H Kniphof, wat die eerste keer botaniese illustrasie met natuur-drukke gepubliseer het. (In hierdie tegniek word ink direk op die plant gesit en dan op 'n papier afgedruk).
Daar is wel 'n paar gevalle waarin latynse name afgelei is van die volksname wat reeds bestaan. Die genus babiana is geskep rondom die Bobbejaantjie plant, wat so genoem is omdat die knolle van hierdie soort plante ‘n gewilde eetding is vir hierdie ape (baviaan in Hollands). Lees volgende keer vir meer hieroor.
Onthou om nooit wilde plante in Suid-Afrika te pluk of weg te neem sonder 'n permit nie. Beskerm ons fynbos!
------------leef Stellenbosch---------------
Bronne:
M de Vos, Stellenbosch drie Eeue, gedenkuitgawe.
CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1703126
http://www.plantzafrica.com/frames/plantsfram.htm
English article
When the burghers first arrived in the Cape, they were surprised to find that fynbos could survive during the dry, warm summers (being used to Holland's climate). The strange shrubs they encountered, with their robust leaves and thin trunks, had a unique ability to adapt after a veld fire and furthermore showed little of no signs of wilting during the dry summer.
The Cape floral Kingdom (or Capensis) forms part of 6 large plant kingdoms across the world. Drawn from a local word fynbos, (literally intricate or fine schrubs) the term is now recognised internationally.
plant kingdoms with Capensis being the smallest (wikicommons)The famous Swedish botanis Carl Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy, lay the foundation for the classification of plants with his Latin binomial system - using two names (genus and species) to classify plants and animals. As far as I know he never visited South Africa, but his fascination with Cape fynbos is revealed in his correspondence with the then governor of the Cape, Ryk Tulbagh, who sent him plants, bulbs and seeds for research. Linnaeus writes to Tulbagh:
May you be thoroughly aware of your lucky fate [...] to reign in that paradise on earth that is the Cape of Good Hope, which the blessed Creator decorated from the bounty of his riches. Surely, if it was my choice to exchange my fate for that of Alexander the Great, or Solomon, or Croesus or Tulbagh, I would without doubt choose the latter. – Carl Linnaeus (Own rough translation from Afrikaans in Drie Eeue)
The history of Culture and Nature comes together poignantly in the names given to some of the fynbos plants. With the passing of time, many of them acquired unique folk names from the boers and other local people living here, and although today we rely mostly on their Latin names, many of the common names still appear in popular sources. The South African plant 'Blistering Leaf' (Brandblaar in Afrikaans) is a good example of this:
Knowltonia capensis (L.) Huth Family: Ranunculaceae Common names: blistering leaves (Eng.); brandblare, katjiedrieblaar (Afr.)
Capensis indicates that the plant comes from the Cape biome (one of the 6 plant kingdoms) The (L.) signifies Linneaus Huth refers to the botanist Ernst Huth (1845–1897) who classified the plant. The common name, Blistering leaves, draws from the fact that the plant can burn the skin when the leaves are bruised.
In most cases Latin botanical names are chosen by the individual who discovered a certain species, naming it after him/herself or to another individual in the botany community. Alternatively a Latin term describing the character of the plant is used, like Gracilis, flammosis or textilis. The plant name Knowltonia honours the Enlish botanist T. Knowlton.
More names coming from historic figures include:
- Eucomis vandermerwei - discovered in 1937 by the amateur botanist Dr Frederick Ziervogel van der Merwe (1894–1968)
- Tulbaghia violacea - named after the governor of the Cape of Good Hope, Ryk Tulbagh (died 1771)
- Kniphofia gracilis - named after the German professor J.H Kniphof, who first used the technique of nature-prints to make botanical illustrations (ink is applied to the plant specimens and a print made thereof on paper).
There are a few instances where the latin names are drawn from cultural names that already existed before their classification. The genus babiana, for example, was drawn from the local plant name 'Bobbejaantjie', so called because their roots are a popular snack for apes (bobbejaan in Afriaans, baviaan in Dutch). Read next time to find out more about this.
Remember never to gather or transport wild plants in South Africa. Protect our fynbos!
---------live Stellenbosch-----------
Sources:
M de Vos, Stellenbosch drie Eeue, gedenkuitgawe.
http://www.plantzafrica.com/frames/plantsfram.htm
CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1703126