The Bushman Candles

About this book

This fabulous large-format book, on what hobbyists still tend to call Sarcocaulons but taxonomically are now all included in Monsonia and the title “Bushman Candles” neatly sidesteps, is based around the extensive field knowledge of the two authors. For each of the 15 species of this succulent plant, there is a full description and diagnostic features, geographic distribution and habitat preference, history, life history, autecology, conservation status and synonyms. This is supplemented by a distribution map and many colour photos in the habitat.

One of the crowning glories of the book are the paintings by Ellaphie Ward-Hillhorst for the Moffet 1979 Bothalia ion of the Genus Sarcocaulon which are reproduced life-sized. If this wasn’t enough there are chapters on Bushman Candle Art, reminiscences by Moffett, Ellaphie Ward-Hillhorst by Graham Duncan, Homelands by Bowen Boshier who provided his pencil drawings to show the landscape the plants grow in, Gerhard Marx on the botanical art he provided for the book, photographing in habitat by Connall Oosterbroek who provided many of the photos, and finally their culture.

Customer Reviews