Herbarium research

The vlei lily, Pancratium tenuifolium, collected by the Heaths in Moremi

Roger and Alison Heath are passing through Maun, having completed collection and identification of plants for the Selinda Herbarium project in the Linyanti area north of the Okavango Delta. They are finalizing materials about the project for a book that will include local names and uses of the plants, to be published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew at the end of 2008. The team is now working in Moremi Game Reserve to collect specimens of all the plants in the reserve with a view to creating an identification guide for use by the Okavango community. The Heaths are depositing plant specimens with the National Museum of Botswana, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Botswana Ministry of Agriculture College at Sebele and with the Peter Smith Herbarium at HOORC. Tourism companies Linyanti Explorations and Orient Express are providing support to the project. The Heaths are asking for assistance with local plant names and uses: contact them at plantsandpeopleafrica@yahoo.co.uk.