The Richtersveld, South Africa, is desert landscape characterised by rugged kloofs and high mountains, with varying scenery from flat, sandy, coastal plains to rich vegetation along banks of the Orange River.

“The collection site is situated in the southern Richtersveld between Eksteenfontein hamlet and the E-W trending Port Nolloth-Steinkopf road (that forms the southern boundary of the Richtersveld). It is a location within our current survey area and sampling was easy. The location is south of both the Richtersveld National Park and the World Heritage site but by most definitions is still within the geographic Richtersveld.” Geologist Dr Paul Macey responded to UNESCO’s call out.