Boscia

Observed by qgroblerqgrobler's reputation in Plantsqgrobler's reputation in Plantsqgrobler's reputation in Plantsqgrobler's reputation in Plants on 28th January 2012
(Added to iSpot on 2nd February 2012)
Boscia oleoides
Location: R345, Alice
Identifications
Species interactions

No interactions present.

Other observations of Boscia oleoides

Comments

Karoo Shepherdtree

2 February 2012 - 10:59pm — tony rebelo
iSpot TeamBotanical Society of South Africa A-teamCape Bird ClubEntomological Society of Southern AfricaFriends of Tokai ParkProtea Atlas ProjectSenior Scout AdventureSouth African National Biodiversity InstituteSouth African National Parks Honorary RangersToyota Enviro Outreach
Plants expert

Karoo Shepherdtree

ID

2 February 2012 - 11:02pm — tony rebelo
iSpot TeamBotanical Society of South Africa A-teamCape Bird ClubEntomological Society of Southern AfricaFriends of Tokai ParkProtea Atlas ProjectSenior Scout AdventureSouth African National Biodiversity InstituteSouth African National Parks Honorary RangersToyota Enviro Outreach
Plants expert

I have difficulty telling the different Shepherdtrees apart at a distance. (although in this case the distribution helps considerably).
Does anyone have any tips for easy ID at 120km/h through the karoo? (not to mention other lookalikes - esp. Pappea Jacketplum)

Tip for easy ID

3 February 2012 - 4:13pm — Riaan Stals
Entomological Society of Southern AfricaLepidopterists' Society of Africa
Riaan Stals's reputation in PlantsRiaan Stals's reputation in PlantsRiaan Stals's reputation in PlantsRiaan Stals's reputation in Plants

1. Drive more slowly.

-- Beetledude

I thought about your question

4 February 2012 - 9:21am — Chris HobsonChris Hobson's reputation in PlantsChris Hobson's reputation in PlantsChris Hobson's reputation in Plants

I thought about your question yesterday on the way home (plenty of subjects to test my theory on). Pappea has extremely hard wood and generally has a single stem that is straight. The canopy generally is untidy because the branches don't break easily.

Boscia has softer wood and beacause it is so palatable only survive if it germinates inside a thicket or another treeclump. Thus Boscia often has contorted stem fairly often two stems. The canopy is often pruned by kudu and so the canopy of Boscia is often "tidy".

The most stiking feature is the white bark but lichen often obscures the trunk or makes Pappea look white.

Thus Boscia brilliant white bark stem(s) often two and contorted. Canopy tidy and rounded.

Pappea stem's bark not brilliant white, stem mostly single and canopy slightly "untidy"

... and always exceptions to the rule.

Ta.

4 February 2012 - 11:05am — tony rebelo
iSpot TeamBotanical Society of South Africa A-teamCape Bird ClubEntomological Society of Southern AfricaFriends of Tokai ParkProtea Atlas ProjectSenior Scout AdventureSouth African National Biodiversity InstituteSouth African National Parks Honorary RangersToyota Enviro Outreach
Plants expert

Many thanks. Now that's useful (drive slowly indeed!).

Now how much of the above would one ever find in a field guide? Its these little tips that one picks up from field rangers, farmers and odd bods that make identification an entirely different ball game to that propagated by conventional biologists, and in field guides authored by most herbarium and museum specialists.

During the Protea Atlas Project I was continuously frustrated working from specimens sent in by atlassers, that are inscrutable in the herbarium, but can easily be identified from 50m away in the field.

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