Desmond T. Cole and Naureen A. Cole
Born on the 30th October 1922 in
Mafikeng, North West Province, RSA, served almost 6 years in WWII in South
Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Western Desert. Studied at University of the
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, completed B.A. degree in 1948, B.A. Honours 1950,
M.A. cum laude 1952. Field of study: African languages. From 1948 to 1982
Desmond has been lecturer and then Professor and Head of Department, and in 1988
awarded honorary degree of Doctor of Literature for service to the University.
He developed an interest in succulent plants in early youth, and became involved
in Lithops research about 1947. He performed research on Lithops and Stapeliads
and other succulent plants in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Besides his
many publications, Desmond has given many talks on succulent plants in many
countries all over the world.
Desmond is elected member of the IOS (1971), has been Hon. Vice-President of the
National C&SS (UK) from 1971 to 1982, Hon. Vice-President of the Aloe,
C&SS of Zimbabwe (1974), Hon. Vice-President of the African Succulent Plant
Society (UK) from 1974 to 1976 when the society was discontinued, and Hon. Vice-President
of the SSSA, 1976.
On 26th June 1967 he married Naureen Lambert with whom he made all the Lithops
research. Naureen Adele Cole (née Lambert) was born in Johannesburg, Gauteng
Province, RSA, on 9th February 1935. She studied
pharmacy at the Witwatersrand Technical College, and practiced as a pharmacist
for many years until she married Desmond.
Lithops naureniae was named after her in 1980.
Lithops coleorum Hammer & Uijs was named after the Coles in 1994.
Desmond Cole has described and published many new taxa, especially Lithops,
but also Trichocaulon felinum.
Publications
D.T. COLE, (1975): The case against natural hybrids of W(hite) and Y(ellow) Lithops.
Bulletin of the African Succulent Plant Society 10: 42-45.
D.T. COLE (1975): The mystery of Lithops marginata Nel. Aloe 13: 113-116.
D.T. COLE (1975): Variation in Lithops. Excelsa 5: 23-33, 43.
D.T. COLE (1976): Lithops hookeri (Berg.) Schwant. - R.I.P. Excelsa 6: 55-61.
D.T. COLE (1977): Lithops turbiniformis (Haw.) N.E. Br. - a review. Excelsa 7: 20-27.
D.T. COLE (1979): Lithops optica (Marl.) N.E. Br. - gems of the diamond area. Excelsa 8: 2-9, 11.
D.T. COLE (1979): Mimicry in Lithops. Aloe 17: 103-109.
D.T. COLE (1979): Preliminary thoughts on some Trichocaulons. Aloe 17: 67-74.
D.T. COLE (1980): Colour aberrations in Lithops. Excelsa 9: 3-9.
D.T. COLE (1980): A new species of Lithops N.E. Br. National Cactus and Succulent Journal 35: 74-75.
D.T. COLE (1982): Lithops elevata L. Bol. - eliminated. Excelsa 10: 27-32, 35.
D.T. COLE (1984): The enigma of Lithops edithae N.E. Br. Aloe 21: 28-29.
D.T. COLE (1984): Leprechauns among the Lithops. British Cactus and Succulent Journal 2: 71-74.
D.T. COLE (1984): Lithops eberlanzii (Dint. & Schwant.) N.E. Br. - a complex problem. Aloe 21: 60-62.
D.T. COLE (1984): Lithops: facts, fables, fantasies and fabrications. British Cactus and Succulent
Journal 2: 95-99.
D.T. COLE (1984): Trichocaulon - the smooth-stemmed species. Asklepios 31: 73-83.
D.T. COLE & H.F. GLEN (1984): Lithops fulleri var. fulleri. Flowering Plants of Africa 48: t.1895A.
D.T. COLE & H.F. GLEN (1984): Lithops olivacea. Flowering Plants of Africa 48: t.1895B.
D.T. COLE (1985): Lithops localis (N.E. Br.) Schwant. - vindicated. British Cactus and Succulent
Journal 3: 43-46.
D.T. COLE (1985): Some Lithops cultivars. Aloe 22: 58-62.
D.T. COLE (1985): Trichocaulon felinum: a new species from the Richtersveld. Aloe 22: 6-7.
D.T. COLE (1986): Lithops helmutii - and Harry Hall. Cactus and Succulent Journal 58: 259-62, 278.
D.T. COLE (1986): Migrating cranes and Lithops. Excelsa 12: 4-7.
D.T. COLE (1986): The world’s largest Lithops. Aloe 23:63.
D.T. COLE (1987): Lithops of SWA/Namibia. Madoqua Memoir 1: 1-46.
D.T. COLE (1988): Lithops - flowering stones. Acorn Books, Randburg and Russell Friedman Books,
Halfway House. x+254 pp.
D.T. COLE (1989): What is a cultivar in Lithops? Aloe 26: 48-53.
D.T. COLE (1990): Lithops naureeniae Cole and Lithops optica (Marl.) N.E. Br. Flowering Plants
of Africa 51: t.2005.
D.T. COLE (1990): The Richtersveld. Aloe 27: 40-43.
D.T. COLE, G.F. SMITH & B.-E. VAN WYK (1993): Bechuanaland: a misunderstood geographical name;
and the type locality of Haworthia tenuifolia (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae).
Taxon 42: 369-371.
D.T. COLE (1995): Setswana - animals and plants. Botswana Society, Gaborone. xii+337 pp.
D.T. COLE (2000): Lithops deboeri. Cactus & Co Vol IV/Num 3
D.T. COLE (2000): Lithops hermetica. Cactus & Co Vol IV/Num 4
D.T. COLE (2001): Lithops naureeniae. Cactus & Co Vol V/Num 4
D.T. COLE (2002): Lithos Locality Data (C001 - C400)
