Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: Polhillia ignota

Family: Fabaceae (Pea)

Distribution: West Coast, between Vredenburg and Porteville

Habitat: South facing clay slopes with granitic loam layer on top

National red list: Critically Endangered

Life form: Shrub / sub-shrub

Comments: Previously thought extinct until its rediscovery in 2016, P. ignota has literally been named for its rarity, with ignota meaning ‘unknown’ in Latin. Over 90% of the species’ habitat has been lost already and only thirteen individuals are known to still be alive today.