The Richtersvelt, Namaqualand, the Knersvlecte, Nieuwoudtville, and the Cederburg are deserts strung in a north to south line along the West coast of South Africa. Each is distinct from the others with its own weather, geology, geography and  flora. There is some overlap in the plants but the differences far outweigh the similarities and they add up to tens of thousands of species. Some are familiar to growers but the majority have never made it into horticulture. In the talk we will sample the flora of all five deserts and discuss the conditions that make each one unique.

Presenter Ron Long had a thirty six year career as the sciences photographer at Simon Fraser University. He has had a decades long interest in photographing wildflowers and since retiring he spends his time traveling to plant hotspots around the world. These trips have taken him to Africa six times, South and Central America eight times, Australia once and the deserts of the American Southwest many many times.