October 1, 2009 (Vol. 29, No. 17)
URL:
http://www.plantzafrica.com/index.html
Rating:
Strong Points: Background information in addition to the photos
Weak Points: Nothing major
Summary:
Looking for a resource to learn about the plants of southern Africa? Well here’s a site that has all of your botanical needs from A to Z—or should I say, from Z to A. PlantZAfrica.com, a site by the South African National Biodiversity Institute, offers beautiful photos and educational information about just some of the more than 22,000 species of seed plants indigenous to southern Africa under the Plants of SA tab. If you don’t wish to go scrolling through the index of species, you can get a sense of the plant variety by glancing at the Plant of the week on the homepage. Beyond the individual plant profiles, the Vegetation of SA link directs readers to information regarding floral kingdoms, various biomes, and weeds and invaders. While the web design is nothing fancy, the images on this site speak for themselves. This is a great page for anyone wishing to sample the majesty of southern Africa without the expensive plane ticket.
