First record of the North African Launaea arborescens in southern Africa

Abstract

The first record of the non-native, naturalised Launaea arborescens (Batt.) Murb. in the Namib Desert raised questions of its origin and whether or not it could pose a threat to the indigenous vegetation. The North African plant was introduced in a forestry nursery in the Kuiseb Delta and some individuals were also planted outside the nursery in the early 1970s. They have maintained a likely viable population for nearly 50 years, but have so far not been observed elsewhere and thus appear not to be spreading.