African Wildlife & Environment Issue 82

GOOD READS

Book reviews by Dr John Ledger GOOD READS

of brunsvigias, haemanthus or nerines, where, just a week earlier, the ground seemed barren and lifeless. This superb field guide will be treasured for years to come.” Indeed! This quote from the outside back cover should make the reader think that this is a very special book. A look inside will confirm that to be so. I don’t think I have ever seen a book with the variety of colour and the breadth of content as this one. It is an incredible piece of work, setting a high standard in the already remarkable genre of quality natural history books and field guides produced in South Africa. While classified as a ’soft cover’ book, the covers are actually quite stiff and durable with flaps front and back, containing biographical information about the authors. There is even an old-fashioned custom ribbon bookmark sewn into the spine to help you find your place! Design, production and scanning were done in South Africa, and the book was printed in Malaysia. Lead author Graham Duncan has been the Curator of the indigenous bulb collections at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden for the past 41 years. He is the author of numerous scientific papers, books and popular articles. In 2001 he was awarded the International Bulb Society’s Herbert Medal. “His horticultural skills are unparalleled, his knowledge of plants is unsurpassed. A reliable researcher, Graham is undaunted by the most challenging of obstacles, and has described more than 40 plant taxa.” The late Barbara Jeppe (1921-1999) first conceived the idea of a comprehensive book on the Amaryllis family in 1971, and through the ensuing 28 years until her death, she and her eager team of collectors, enthusiasts, botanists, scientists, farmers, friends and family, all contributed in their own way to the book that has now been published for the numerous readers who will get unrivalled pleasure, inspiration and information from its pages. Numerous examples of Barbara’s watercolour paintings are used in the species descriptions. Leigh Voigt is a talented South African artist who has published her work as natural history prints, illustrations in books and magazines, her subjects ranging from Nguni cattle to trees, birds and portraits. She has provided the watercolour artwork for the species descriptions where there were gaps in the coverage by Barbara Jeppe. Leigh also marshalled the large army of 162 individual

An Exquisite BotanicalWork Duncan, Graham, Barbara Jeppe & Leigh Voigt (2020). Field Guide to the Amaryllis Family of Southern Africa and Surrounding Territories. The Galley Press, Nelspruit, South Africa. Soft cover, 15 x 22 cm, 548 pp, illustrated in colour throughout with photographs, paintings and maps. ISBN 978-0-62088 -591-1. Marketed by Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. RRP R480. “Bulbs have within them the hidden reserves to remain out of sight during adversity, and emerge swiftly when conditions are favourable. Triggered by initial rains, or sudden fires, the flowerheads emerge with all their character and allure. Enticing a pollinator and liberating the seeds, the bulbs retire to slumber and re-energise, primed for an upcoming season, a cycle so intricate as to match that of the universe itself. We can only marvel at their complexity as we behold a field

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