Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: Kamdeboo boekenhout, Kamdeboo beechwood

Family: Proteaceae (Protea)

Distribution: Single location in Kamdeboo Mountains north of Aberdeen

Habitat: South-eastern slopes in dense mountain fynbos, especially Drakensberg-Amathole Afromontane Fynbos forest margins.

National red list: Critically Rare

Life form: Shrub / sub-shrub

Comments: This is a highly localised and rare species in the Protea family that has only recently been discovered. The species was described in 2013. Faurea species are forest or woodland species from Africa and Madagascar, and it is the only member of the Protea family in South Africa that is not centered in the fynbos biome. Faurea recondita is a lignotuberous shrub, which means it has a woody swelling in its roots. F. recondita most likely flowers well in the first few years after a fire, after which it enters a mostly vegetative phase. Another fire is then necessary to stimulate re-growth in the lignotuber and consequently stimulate flowering on the new shoots. Due to this species' isolated location, it most likely doesn't face any direct threats due to human activity. However, only one population is currently known and so stochastic environmental factors may still have an impact on this species' survival.