The Cape Water Lily has made an iconic homecoming after decades in which it was considered locally extinct!
False Bay Nature Reserve, South Africa (14 November 2024) — It was a big day at the False Bay Nature Reserve’s Rondevlei section last week as a flower considered locally extinct made a triumphant return. The Cape Water Lily is back at long last and for many people in the Cape, it’s an occasion that marries biodiversity and heritage.
Ever wondered where Lotus River’s name comes from? The Cape Water Lily (Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea) was once found in abundance in parts of the Cape and across the Cape Flats on the lowland wetlands. This was until the mid-20th century when habitat loss, pollution and augmentation, amongst other reasons, caused it to become locally extinct for nearly 100 years.
But during Earthshot Week, the Cape Water Lily became the star of the Cape once again.
In a proud moment for the whole City, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis reintroduced the flower to the False Bay Nature Reserve’s Rondevlei portion—a Ramsar site of wetland significance on the Cape Flats.
“This lily is in many ways a symbol of the legacy Earthshot leaves in our city—giving recognition to local climate and conservation heroes and helping them scale their work so that it can make a big impact. We can now affectionately refer to it as the Earthshot Lily,” the Mayor added.
Cllr Alex Lasdowne, Deputy Chairperson of the Advisory Committee: Water Quality in Wetlands, Waterways and the Coastal Environment explains that returning the lily to the Cape Flats is also significant for wetland conservation.
“Future generations will now be able to see the Cape Water Lily in its natural habitat. This species will enhance the wetland ecosystem where it occurs and will support many other important species,” Cllr Lansdowne said.
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