BotShop – Books

Author(s): A Burke

Price for BotSoc Members: N$195.00

Price for Non-Members: N$210.00

This book will provide plant lovers with ample more reasons to get excited about Namibia’s flora! Antje Burke has had a passion for plants since her early childhood in Germany’s forests. She has since acquired a sound knowledge of the floras in her home country, the Mediterranean, the Negev Desert and southern Africa. She came to Namibia in 1988 and has, as a researcher, lecturer and environmental consultant, continued to feed her passion and knows the Namibian flora extremely well. This is an introduction to this flora and vegetation and a must-have for anyone interested in Namibia’s nature.

Author(s): G Smith and B van Wyk

Price for BotSoc Members: N$380.00

Price for Non-Members: N$410.00

Aloes are the flagship plants of Africa, vividly defining the landscapes in which they occur. In garden settings, these stately succulent plants capture the allure of the African savanna and serve as excellent focus plants around which other indigenous plants can be successfully grouped. Aloes in Southern Africa explores the character and biology of African aloes, describing their habits, characteristic features and distribution in nature. It also details 58 aloe and related species across several vegetation zones. Aloe cultivation and propagation is discussed too, providing insight into optimum growing conditions, gardening styles and plants that flourish in different regions.

Author(s): Atlas of Namibia Team

Price for BotSoc Members: N$550.00

Price for Non-Members: N$620.00

“If you want to obtain a broad understanding of Namibia and what makes it tick, this new Atlas is the book for you. It is an outstanding and comprehensive compendium about the country that offers a collection of maps, charts and images that illustrate aspects of aridity to zebras in Zambezi; annual averages and long- and short-term variations; and contrasts and convergences. Fresh and interesting topics are tackled, including our historical heritage and the meaning of place names, indigenous plant producs and wildlife migrations, and our happiness. Critically, attention has also been given to Namibia’s marine environment, livelihoods and land, species diversity and habitat loss, resource economics and management human-wildlife conflict, and climate change, and much more.” Roy Miller, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Namibia Nature Foundation

Author(s): E Figueiredo & GF Smith

Price for BotSoc Members: N$475.00

Price for Non-Members: N$515.00

Common Names of Angolan Plants presents an updated and expanded catalogue of several thousand common names recorded for the indigenous and exotic floristic riches of Angola. Separate alphabetical lists of common names and accepted scientific names are provided and reference is made to the synonyms under which they were recorded. Where known, the languages are given throughout.

Author(s): V Roodt

Price for BotSoc Members: N$150.00

Price for Non-Members: N$160.00

The book is 160 pages thick and of A5 size in full colour and printed on good quality, gloss paper. It describes 50 species, each with a colour illustrations and photographs. It also contains many line drawings. Medicinal and food uses are discussed in detail. Other relating facts about soil type, animals that feed on it, nutritional value, etc. are also provided. At the back of the book is a campfire quiz, ideal for the use of students. A detailed index provides easy reference.

Author(s): R Joffe & T Oberholzer

Price for BotSoc Members: N$365.00

Price for Non-Members: N$395.00

Creative gardening with indigenous plants, now in its second edition, is an invaluable handbook for South African gardeners. In this comprehensive guide the authors set out to popularise the use of indigenous South African plants in gardens, parks, on roadsides and anywhere where previously exotic plants were preferred. This book covers more than 300 plants, all illustrated by stunning photographs in full colour showing the whole plant as well as selected features such as flowers, fruit, leaves and bark.

Author(s): P Craven & C Marais

Price for BotSoc Members: N$70.00

Price for Non-Members: N$75.00

Damaraland Flora is the third book by Patricia Craven and Christine Marais that introduces interesting plants to travellers and Namibians in specific regions, like Spitzkoppe, Brandberg and Twyfelfontein.

Author(s): K Kirsten

Price for BotSoc Members: N$215.00

Price for Non-Members: N$235.00

The worldwide trend towards smaller houses and spaces and apartment type homes has inspired and demanded a new approach in gardening. This is due predominantly to the freedom of expression in the styling and use of outdoor spaces, the approach to hard landscaping and the use of plant material most suited to the environment, house or garden design and style.

Author(s): GB Goldman & M Gryzenhout

Price for BotSoc Members: N$375.00

Price for Non-Members: N$405.00

Neither plant nor animal, mushrooms constitute a unique group of organisms. They appear in a staggering variety of shapes, sizes and colours, and identifying them can be difficult. This compact, beautifully illustrated guide is the perfect tool for identification in the field. It features 200 of the most distinctive and conspicuous mushrooms and other fungi found in South Africa.

Author(s): A Moller & R Becker

Price for BotSoc Members: N$400.00

(Was: N$455.00)

Price for Non-Members: N$435.00

(Was: N$495.00)

The Field Guide to the Succulent Euphorbias of southern Africa contains: Introductory chapters containing general information about the species characters, how to identify a euphorbia, growing euphorbias in cultivation, gardening with euphorbias, medicinal and other uses, herbaceous species and invaders.

Author(s): C Mannheimer & B Curtis

Price for BotSoc Members: N$545.00

Price for Non-Members: N$580.00

Namibia is endowed with a vast array of different trees and shrubs that contribute to the botanical richness and panoramic landscapes of the south-western part of Africa. This landmark publication, since first published in 2009, made knowledge of Namibia’s woody plant species, which are important both economically and ecologically, far more accessible, and has been a trusted field companion to botanists and laymen alike. The second edition of this popular guide contains more than 1,000 photographs, of which over 400 are new to this edition.

Author(s): G Smith

Price for BotSoc Members: N$90.00

Price for Non-Members: N$95.00

Sasol First Field Guide to Aloes of Southern Africa provides fascinating insight into the aloes of the region. Full-colour photographs, distribution maps and easy-to-read text will help the budding naturalist to identify the more common aloes found in southern African gardens and landscapes, discover where they occur, and learn about their unique features.

Author(s): M Branch

Price for BotSoc Members: N$115.00

Price for Non-Members: N$125.00

Sasol First Field Guide to Mushrooms of Southern Africa has been redesigned and fully revised to include new photographs and the most recent taxonomic changes. With the help of full-colour photo graphs and easy-to-read text, the young adult and budding naturalist will be able to identify the more common mushroom species found in southern Africa, discover where they grow, learn about their unusual features and determine their edibility.

Author(s): J Manning

Price for BotSoc Members: N$105.00

Price for Non-Members: N$110.00

Southern Africa is the natural home of the richest and most diverse succulent flora in the world. These plants come in all shapes and sizes, from trees such as the baobab at more than 20 m tall, to miniature soil huggers, just a few millimetres high, which mimic their pebble-desert surroundings. This user-friendly, richly illustrated field guide features more than 700 southern African succulents, focusing on the most interesting and commonly encountered species.

Author(s): B-Ek van Wyk & G Smith

Price for BotSoc Members: N$350.00

Price for Non-Members: N$380.00

This scientifically accurate guide is aimed at assisting gardeners and horticulturalists to identify commonly used succulent and rockery species from all over the world. Introductory chapters on waterwise gardening, uses, conservation, cultivation and propagation of succulents, together with a section on gardening with succulents, which gives useful hints.

Author(s): A Leffers

Price for BotSoc Members: N$120.00

Price for Non-Members: N$130.00

This botanical field guide provides concise and easy to read descriptions of the distinctive features 238 interesting plants occurring in the region and highlights their traditional uses. The text is illustrated by some 450 full-colour photographs. The NyaeNyae area in the eastern part of the Tsumkwe Constituency is home to one of the oldest and most fascinating cultures on the African continent the Jul'hoansi. Over thousands of years, their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle aid the need to make do with what nature provides have led them to acquire a wealth of knowledge on their natural surroundings and develop a close relationship with their environment. The NyaeNyae area - one of the most interesting and least visited in Namibia holds an enormous variety of habitats, which is reflected in a rich and diverse flora. Documenting the wisdom and the experience of the indigenous people, it will no doubt contribute to preserving this part of the San people's heritage for future generations. Arno Letters, the author of the book, is a development worker with the German Development Service (DED) that cooperates with the Directorate of Forestry in the implementation of the Community Forestry Programme. He lived in Tsumkwe for three years and became very familiar with the San population in the area.

Author(s): MAN Müller

Price for BotSoc Members: N$60.00

Price for Non-Members: N$65.00

The aim of Grasses of Namibia, by M. A. N. Müller, is to provide much-needed information on the grazeable vegetation of Namibia. Some 115 species were originally selected, supplemented by a further 30 in this revised version, and described.

Author(s): F Smith & NR Crouch

Price for BotSoc Members: N$275.00

Price for Non-Members: N$295.00

Twenty-five per cent of southern African flora is succulent in nature, and a remarkable forty per cent of the world’s succulent plants occur in South Africa. The book will highlight the diversity of succulents that occur in the region with special emphasis on the larger groups -mesems (vygies) and aloes. The book covers approximately 250 individual species, focusing on the most common and most interesting, and each entry features a photograph and distribution map.

Author(s): H Glen & B van Wyk

Price for BotSoc Members: N$375.00

Price for Non-Members: N$405.00

Southern Africa has at least 2,000 alien tree species being cultivated in the region. Such nonnative trees are predominantly associated with home gardens, parks and open spaces, and form a familiar part of our urban landscape. This guide features more than 580 of these species, logically arranged into 43 groups based on easy-to-observe leaf and stem features.

Author(s): B van Wyk & P van Wyk

Price for BotSoc Members: N$270.00

Price for Non-Members: N$285.00

This book unravels the mysteries of identifying the 1,800 species of trees in southern Africa. The authors have categorised trees into 43 groups, using easy-to-observe characteristics such as leaf and berry or fruit size and shape, absence or presence of latex, or the presence or absence of thorns. In a logical series of steps, allied to the liberal use of diagrams, maps and images, the layperson or expert is able to quickly and easily isolate the main characteristics of a particular tree, and from there make a positive identification.

Author(s): V Wirth

Price for BotSoc Members: N$255.00

Price for Non-Members: N$275.00

Lichens play a significant role in the ecosystem of the Namib Desert since they can absorb moisture from the frequent fogs to become physiologically active, a strategy which is unavailable for higher plants. Due to this water source, the desert is therefore less of an environmental problem for lichens, their colourful shrubby, foliose or crustose thalli decorating rocks, boulders, pebbles, twigs of shrubs and soil. In coastal regions, under more favourable conditions, as in the plains north of Swakopmund, they may cover huge areas, where the dense populations form the so-called ‘lichen fields’. Lichens of the Namib Desert provides information on lichens in general and more specifically on the lichen biota of the Namib Desert, with 75 species illustrated in colour, enabling the user to identify most of the lichens occurring there.

Author(s): F Venter & J-A Venter

Price for BotSoc Members: N$380.00

Price for Non-Members: N$415.00

Making the most of Indigenous Trees is undoubtedly the most significant, useful and practical book ever to be published on this subject in South Africa.This third and revised edition contains 22 more tree species. The 163 tree species are alphabetically arranged according to the botanical name, illustrated with more than 850 photographs in full colour and discussed in detail.

Author(s): V Roodt

Price for BotSoc Members: N$225.00

Price for Non-Members: N$240.00

Veronica Roodt’s all-in-one map & guide book covers the north-western region of Botswana, including the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, Tsodilo Hills and Gcwihaba Caves, also known as Drotsky’s Caves. This first edition includes 25 detailed maps with GPS co-ordinates, distances and estimated times of arrival (ETA) for each road, maps, contact details of nearby lodges as well as location of important shops. It features information on geology, ecology, history and people in the areas. It is packed with photos and descriptions of different animals: 53 mammals, 295 birds, 37 reptiles, frogs and fish, 110 insects, 60 trees and 80 flowers and grasses of Botswana.

Author(s): H Denker

Price for BotSoc Members: N$415.00

Price for Non-Members: N$440.00

Namibia’s nature parks feature some of the most epic landscapes, amazing wildlife and wonderful travel experiences on earth. This book will enhance those experiences. Namibia Nature Parks: A personal guide to Namibia’s great wild space is just that – a personal guide by Helge Denker, whose deep knowledge, love and respect for this country and its people, wildlife and wild places shine through on of the book’s 400-odd pages. It’s the first comprehensive guide to the county’s parks in almost 30 years. It showcases 22 state-protected areas and two large private nature reserves, and offers an overview of the community conservation areas that maintain wildlife habitat between the parks.

Author(s): B-E van Wyk & N Gericke

Price for BotSoc Members: N$405.00

Price for Non-Members: N$435.00

People’s Plants is a photographic guide to the useful plants of Southern Africa. Traditional and contemporary uses of more than 650 plants are described and illustrated in 20 chapters, each dealing with a specific category of plant use. More than 530 photographs.

Author(s): B van Wyk, P van Wyk & B-E van Wyk

Price for BotSoc Members: N$320.00

Price for Non-Members: N$343.00

An invaluable identification and reference guide to 300 of the more common tree species in the region, both native and naturalised. Features of the revised edition include: * Descriptive accounts highlighting the most important field identification characters. * Full-color photographs illustrating growth form, flowers, fruit and bark of the various species. * Up-to-date distribution maps showing the range of each species in southern Africa. * Information on habitat preference of each species and uses by man. * Reference to similar and closely related species and how they can be distinguished. * Introductory chapters on biomes and trees; fruit trees; furniture and craftwork; firewood; medicinal and poisonous trees; trees and animals; architecture of trees; identifying trees.

Author(s): M Roberts

Price for BotSoc Members: N$200.00

Price for Non-Members: N$215.00

Die kuns om spesifieke plante naby mekaar te plant sodat hulle mekaar op een of ander manier bevoordeel,word al honderde jare beoefen. Plantmaats is plante wat mekaar help deurdat hulle ‘n reuk of chemikalieë afskei wat peste en plae afweer, of deurdat hulle voordelige insekte aanlok wat die omliggende plante bestuif of jag maak op skadelike insekte. Sommige plante stel weer voedingstowwe in die grond vry wat deur ander plante gebruik kan word.

Author(s): N Esterhuizen, J Breytenbach et al

Price for BotSoc Members: N$295.00

Price for Non-Members: N$315.00

Remarkable Trees of South Africa gives the reader a fascinating glimpse into the world of trees – from the biggest to the tallest to the oldest trees in South Africa. Written in an easy, anecdotal style, the authors relate – in text and photographs – the historical, cultural and economical significance of South Africa’s trees. The book also includes the authors’ selection of the Big Five Trees of South Africa, accounts of the major tree families as well as an overview of trees as monuments and in botanic gardens, parks and arboreta. Anyone with an interest in history and nature – and South African flora in particular – will find this book a compelling read.

Author(s): M Steyn

Price for BotSoc Members: N$95.00

Price for Non-Members: N$105.00

Author(s): M Steyn

Price for BotSoc Members: N$60.00

Price for Non-Members: N$65.00

A manual for the identification of S.A. wild figs by means of colour photographs in tabular form.

Author(s): D Court

Price for BotSoc Members: N$350.00

Price for Non-Members: N$380.00

This highly regarded reference work, a botanical classic, has been fully revised and updated. A fresh new design and beautiful full-color images aid identification. First published in 1981, Succulent Flora has long served as an authoritative guide for academics and lay enthusiasts alike. This third edition takes into account intervening taxonomic advances and the discovery and naming of ever more species. Information has been supplemented in line with the latest thinking and the book has been newly designed for clarity and ease of reference. Given the phenomenal extent of our succulent flora, this fully updated edition is a timely addition to the botanical literature of southern Africa.

Author(s): H Gascoyne Clarke & M Charters

Price for BotSoc Members: N$460.00

Price for Non-Members: N$495.00

For anyone with an interest in botany or wondering what a plant name means, this well-written book will be an indispensable guide. The Illustrated Dictionary of Southern African Plant Names is aimed at keen gardeners, plant collectors, amateur and professional botanists, academics, and many other people who wish to have an answer to the question: ‘What do generic plant names mean?’ Without a reference book to guide you, the generic names are simply unexplained ‘names’ because they are written in botanical Latin which few people understand. This easy-to-use dictionary enables readers to find out how plants have got their names.

Price for BotSoc Members: N$50.00

Price for Non-Members: N$50.00

The Tree Atlas of Namibia presents the distribution and estimated abundance of over 400 species of woody plants in Namibia. It was the culmination of six years of data collection by volunteers with a keen interest in trees, under the auspices of the Namibian Tree Atlas Project. Information content includes distribution maps, height and habitat, and when each species has leaves, flowers or fruit. There are brief descriptions, line drawings of the leaves and flowers or fruit, as well as notes on general biology, uses and conservation concerns. Naturalised alien species are also included.

Author(s): K & M Coates Palgrave

Price for BotSoc Members: N$555.00

Price for Non-Members: N$600.00

Palgrave’s Trees of Southern Africa features new simplified keys based on leaf characteristics, and incorporates updated names, reclassifications and new species. All known indigenous trees and many naturalised aliens occurring in southern Africa, south of the Zambezi-Cunene rivers, are included. Accompanying the descriptions are comprehensively revised maps reflecting up-to-date distribution, and drawings of a characteristic leaf and / or fruit. Other features incllude English and Afrikaans common names, notes on medicinal or magical properties and an illustrated glossary.

Author(s): C Hugo

Price for BotSoc Members: N$415.00

Price for Non-Members: N$450.00

South Africa is considered a critical centre of cycad diversity. Of the 37 cycad species occurring in South Arica, 29 species are endemic to the country, i.e. they occur nowhere else in the world. Five of South Africa’s cycad species are already extinct in the wild, almost 65% are likely to become extinct in the wild due to the collection of plants from the wild. This guide is a practical easy-to-use guide using cones for the identification of indigenous cycad species of the genus Encephalartos. The guide was developed with the layman in mind for practical use in the field or garden. It is not intended as a scientific taxonomic publication on the indigenous cycad species.

Author(s): A Burke

Price for BotSoc Members: N$125.00

Price for Non-Members: N$140.00

This colourful book covers wild flowers of the southern Namib, which occur in the area of Lüderitz, Aus, Rosh Pinah, Oranjemund, i.e. Sperrgebiet and surroundings and the Namib sand sea, northwards to Sossusvlei. Focussing on the most commonly seen plant species, descriptions are organised according to main growth forms. These cover a selection of common shrubs, stem succulents, succulents, herbs, bulbs and grasses. The text is illustrated with 2 colour maps and line drawings. Well over 100 colour photographs illustrate the described plant species, providing overall appearance, flowers and close-ups.

Author(s): V Roodt

Price for BotSoc Members: N$155.00

Price for Non-Members: N$165.00

This handy, easy-to-use guide book for tour guides, tourists and students details 322 plant species – all the common herbaceous (non-woody) plants of the Okavango Delta, Chobe, Makgadikgadi pans and the Kalahari. English, Setswana and Afrikaans common names are provided where available. The book details medicinal, food and other uses; also included are plant-related superstitions, toxicity, associated insects and other interesting facts. The uses are listed alphabetically at the back, serving as a kind of ‘survival guide’ in the bush.

Author(s): C Mannheimer

Price for BotSoc Members: N$355.00

Price for Non-Members: N$385.00

This full colour photographic guide to wildflowers, written by a Namibian botanist, covers the central highlands of Namibia. The area concerned is scenically, geologically and topographically very diverse, providing many habitats and niches for plants and animals. It harbours a high plant diversity, including many endemic species. Over four hundred and fifty species are covered in Wildflowers of the Central Highlands of Namibia. The emphasis is on wildflowers, but a few of the most common ferns, grasses and shrubs have also been described. Wherever possible, photographs of the whole plant as well as close-ups of the flower and fruit have been included. A simple description of each plant and a brief overview of distribution, habitat and uses are provided, as well as some common names. Hints on how to tell confusing species apart are also offered. Wildflowers of the Central Highlands of Namibia is a must for anyone with an interest in the indigenous flora of Namibia.

Author(s): C Mannheimer, G Maggs-Kölling, H Kolberg, S Rügheimer

Price for BotSoc Members: N$185.00

Price for Non-Members: N$200.00

This full-colour photographic guide, written by four Namibian botanists, covers the south-western corner or Namibia, mainly the southern Namib Desert (Sperrgebiet), although a number of common plant species that occur as far east as the Fish River have also been included. The area concerned is largely a relatively pristine wilderness that is geologically and topographically very diverse, providing many habitats and niches where unique organisms have evolved mechanisms that enable to survive in this inhospitable part of the subregion. It harbours a unique plant species composition that includes approximately 25% of the Namibian flora as a whole (over 1000 species), and encompasses numerous endemic and near-endemic species.