X-Nico

8 unusual facts about Molteno


Aloe striatula

The unique Caesia variety of this species - found only around Molteno in the Eastern Cape - has milky-green leaves and bright yellow flowers.

Elytropappus rhinocerotis

Although the Renosterveld Vegetation Type is confined to the South-Western Cape of South Africa, the Renosterbos plant is much more widespread - occurring throughout the Cape Floristic Region and further, as far east as Molteno in the Eastern Cape, and as far north as Namibia.

Klaas Smits River

It originates south of Molteno and flows through Sterkstroom, first southwards and then southeastwards before joining up with the Black Kei River.

Molteno

Molteno traditionally fell within the political orbit of Milan and as such was controlled by families like the Della Torres, the Visconti and the Sforza.

With the prosperity of the Renaissance, the republican city states ("Communi") of Italy came to be increasingly dominated by powerful families ("Signorie").

Molteno, Eastern Cape

The rocks preserve a record of gradual desertification over millions of years, starting from the Upper Triassic when the area was a warm swampland, and continuing into the late Jurassic when the region had become a desert.

Molteno is located on the Stormberg Series of the Karoo System where some of the only workable coal seams in the Cape are to be found (the Molteno Formation, the youngest in the Karoo System, is named after the town).

Ouma Rusks

The "Ouma Rusks" brand were developed in the 1939s in the Eastern Cape town of Molteno, where the effects of the Great Depression were causing hardship amongst the rural community.


David Keilin

Keilin became research assistant to George Nuttall, first Quick Professor of Biology at the University of Cambridge, in 1915, and spent the rest of his career there, succeeding Nuttall as Quick Professor and director of the Molteno Institute in 1931.

John Charles Molteno, Jr.

Molteno went on to become one of the most outspoken denouncers of Rhodes and other statesmen perceived at the time as strongly pro-imperialist, such as Chamberlain and Milner.


see also