International Scientists Study Rare Parasitic...
Prof. Aleksei Oskolski (UJ) and Alexander Zavialov visited Grootbos to study the parasitic plant Mystropetalon thomii
Cross-Marked Grass Snake and Paterson's Curse at Grootbos
Look closely… Can you see the tiny cross-marked grass snake (also known as a whip snake or sweep slangetjie) nestled among the flowers? This little snake may be mildly venomous, but it’s not dangerous to humans and plays an important role in our ecosystem.
The vibrant purple flower it’s drawn to, however, is another story. Known as Paterson’s curse, this plant may look beautiful, but it’s a highly invasive species that poses a real threat to native vegetation.
