Silver Tree Leaf taken from Table Mountain, South Africa

Leaf, long and narrow with a pointed tip and bronze colouration. Believed to be taken from a Silver Tree (Leucadendron argenteum), an evergreen tree native to South Africa with grey bark and striking silver leaves. These were gathered from Table Mountain in South Africa while on a short stopover in Cape Town en route to the Antarctic by members of the National Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904.
Edward Wilson, Junior Surgeon and Zoologist on the expedition, describes the visit to Table Mountain in his diary entry for Friday 4th October:
We started off up Table Mountain and fairly revelled in the flowers which were just wonderful. Every five yards some new and glorious flower, tree or shrub or orchid, all most lovely thingssuch a paradise I have never seen before in respect of beautiful flowers.
Part of a collection of archives relating to the National Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904.