WHAT IS THAT TREE? EXPLORING THE DIVERSITY OF TREES IN URBAN AREAS IN CAPE TOWN

Professor Muthama Muasya, lecturer and keeper of the Bolus Herbarium, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town

Wednesday 22 January 3.00 pm COURSE FEES R110; Staff and students R55

Urban areas host a wide variety of planted trees which bear the signature of human movements, capture landscape features of far-away homelands and frequently juxtapose species bearing distinct ecologies. The 2021 fire on the University of Cape Town campus brought planted trees into focus, especially the palms and pines, with fingers pointed to the role of exotic trees in fanning this catastrophic fire.

This lecture will introduce the diversity of trees commonly grown in the southern suburbs of Cape Town and on the university campus. Flammability properties of dominant species will be presented, informing discussions on the suitability of some species as garden plants.

This lecture is related to the excursion on page 24.

Recommended reading:

Plants of the Cape Peninsula on the iNaturalist.org/check_lists/4441516-Plants-of-the-Cape-Peninsula

Moll, E.G. and Scott, L. 1981. Trees and Shrubs of the Cape Peninsula: A Comprehensive Field Guide to Over 230 Indigenous and Naturalized Species. Rondebosch: University of Cape Town.

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