 In September, Doug gave our club a program on Part I of a trip to the Northern Cape in South Africa. This follow-up program will focus on that part of the Northern Cape from the coast at Port Nolloth, many Richtersveld locations, over to Pofadder and down to a bit south of Springbok. This is all part of the Succulent Karoo Region which accounts for over 40% of the World's known succulent species.
Doug is a retired mathematics professor at Glendale Community College and now just teaches summer school each year to earn money for his trips. Right now, seed growing seems to be his greatest botanical passion. It yields much needed biodiversity. So often, especially in the succulent area, propagation by cuttings and even seed seems to limit the breadth of biodiversity. Much of what we grow or can even get seed from, comes from sources which have the same small gene pool for decades from a few select plants. It is good to introduce wild-collected seed with data from time to time to prevent a narrowing of genetic material. New sports or cultivars also effervesce when lots of seedlings are observed. With his lithops, it is like being able to go "rock" collecting for prettier, shinier "living" stones without even leaving his greenhouse. Doug is a past president of the Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society in Phoenix and is also a member of the TCSS.
He has done extensive botanical travels in Namibia and South Africa. Doug's program will include Mesembs, Euphorbias, Stapeliads and other succulents, wild flowers and many bulbs. Most of the photos from his talk were taken in August, 2008 (early Spring), with a few from a second trip in April and May of 2009 to show the same plants in blooming season or other conditions.
Please be sure not to miss the second part of Doug's exploration in South Africa. It will be a great way to start the new year!
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