African daisies in Namaqualand

 

 Namaqualand area is located northwest of South Africa, characterized by a semi-arid climate and a high biodiversity of plant species ~ 3500 species. The area is famous for its colourful blooms of wildflowers which makes it a tourist attraction site. The prominent plant specie in the area is the Dimorphotheca sinuate, also referred to as the “African daisies”, is known for its adaptability towards heat stress. There is limited research on the impacts of local climate change on the African daisies, but few studies have indicated phenological changes of the plant specie with increasing temperatures recorded in the area.