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11 March 2024 Exploring Namibia's Diverse Succulent and Arid-Adapted Flora: Notes from Fieldwork
Marc Fradera-Soler, Rosalia Tshikesho, Leevi Nanyeni, Olwen M. Grace
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Abstract

Namibia is home to a diverse and unique arid-adapted flora that spans various arid biomes, notably the Namib Desert, the Succulent Karoo and the Nama-Karoo. These biomes support a wide array of drought-resistant plants, including drought-avoiding succulents, drought-tolerant xerophytes and drought-escaping annuals. Succulent plants are relatively abundant on inselbergs and ridges along the coastal Namib Desert, where humidity from frequent fog and dew is efficiently intercepted. However, the succulent flora achieves remarkable values of richness and endemism in the geologically and topographically complex Gariep Centre, which encompasses the ecotone between the Namib Desert, the Succulent Karoo and the Nama-Karoo. In this article, we report on the diverse succulent and xerophytic flora observed during a field trip in June 2022 to the central Namib Desert and the Gariep Centre, including Aloidendron dichotomum, Welwitschia mirabilis and numerous mesemb and Crassula species. Despite Namibia's rich arid-adapted plant diversity, knowledge gaps, particularly in remote and inaccessible areas, can hinder conservation efforts. Additional fieldwork and taxonomic research are needed for a more comprehensive understanding of the arid-adapted flora of Namibia and the threats it faces, such as increasing drought severity and illegal poaching.

Marc Fradera-Soler, Rosalia Tshikesho, Leevi Nanyeni, and Olwen M. Grace "Exploring Namibia's Diverse Succulent and Arid-Adapted Flora: Notes from Fieldwork," Cactus and Succulent Journal 96(1), 21-40, (11 March 2024). https://doi.org/10.2985/015.096.0104
Published: 11 March 2024
KEYWORDS
aridity
Gariep Centre
Namib Desert
Namibia
plant diversity
southern Africa
Succulent Karoo
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