Hyenanche globosa Lam. or Toxicodendrum capense of globosum (Cape wolvegift) after 1780

This watercolor and pen artwork depicts the Hyenanche globosa Lam., or Cape wolvegift, and was created by Robert Jacob Gordon in the late 18th century. Gordon, a Dutch explorer and military commander, documented the natural history of the Cape Colony, reflecting the intersection of scientific exploration and colonial expansion. The detailed botanical illustration, while seemingly objective, is embedded in a complex web of power dynamics. Knowledge of local flora was crucial for colonial governance, resource extraction, and control of indigenous populations. The plant itself, known for its toxicity, speaks to the ambivalence of nature—both a resource and a threat. Consider the perspectives absent from this image: the indigenous communities who possessed deep knowledge of this plant, their uses, and its dangers. Their expertise, often appropriated and unacknowledged, formed the foundation of colonial scientific understanding. This botanical study invites us to reflect on the intertwined histories of science, colonialism, and the erasure of indigenous knowledge.