Red Desert Nature Reserve after heavy rain

We had the pleasure of having heavy rain over the weekend - some places had over 300 mm and so we were looking forward to seeing whether there had been any impact on the flowers. We elected to revisit the burned patches at the Red Desert Nature Reserve for our walk and on this occasion were joined by Gail.

The degree of flowering in the burned area was patchy - probably as a result of being burned at different times. However, now that we have had some rain - albeit fairly recently - things seem to be starting to follow the normal flowering schedule. We worked our way westwards until we were overlooking the Umtamvuna River and then headed towards the coast along the cliff edges and across a stream. Here Mervyn removed a snare he found on a game path.

Eugenia albanensis

Chamaechrista plumosa

Once back at the cliffs we noticed a large, dark patterned python lying draped along a Strelitzia nicolai stalk - the second one seen this month and this one was also estimated to be about 4 metres long. We left it warming itself in the afternoon sun.

Python #2

After turning back and heading eastwards across the hill we found a few (yet unpublished)  Indigofera herrstreyi and then many Eriosema dregei with yellow flowers and a few Orthochilus foliosus with their greeny-yellow flowers. Then we came to the first of the wetlands and started seeing one of our more attractive orchids, Disa similis. Nearby was the flowering head of one of our Cyperus species, Cyperus obtusiflorus which seemed to be irresistible to some small green beetles.

Indigofera herrstreyi

Eriosema dregei

Orthochilus foliosus

Disa similis

Cyperus obtusiflorus with visitors

After emulating the python by sitting in the sun while having our lunch we set off over the next wetland to see more Disa similis and a few Wurmbea krausii.

Wurmbea kraussii

Heading back, we had to cross a small stream - one which we have all crossed without difficulty in the past, but this time the water level was a little higher. One mis-step and one of our party took an early bath - fortunately the group photo had already been taken! 

Other flowers seen as we crossed the rather rank grass were Ornithogalum paludosum, Xysmalobium involucratum and some bright orange-flowered Aloe maculata peeking out above the grass.

Ornithogalum paludosum

Xysmalobium involucratum

Aloe maculata

Participants: Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Mervyn T, Uschi T.

Journal article on Umtamvuna flowers

The August 2016 edition of Country Life has a good article on the flowers of the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve. This can be read at http://www.countrylife.co.za/flowers/wild-about-flowers.

Bulolo Slopes, Western Heights

In view of the many flowers seen recently at the Western Heights, we decided to walk on another section of the arson burn overlooking the Bulolo Gorge. From the outset it was evident that there was a new flush of different species in flower where others had already finished flowering. As we got out of the car we found several clusters of Leobordea pulchra, and a few Helichrysum griseum with open florets. Close by we saw the first of the season's Eriosema untamvunense, and a short distance down the slope Anne found the first of the delicate and frilly-lipped Disa baurii.
 

Leobordea pulchra

Helichrysum griseum

Eriosema umtamvunense

Disa baurii

At the bottom of the slope we reached the edge of the forest where we found a Canthium vanwykii in flower, and draped over this shrub was a Diospyros villosus with ripening fruits. A bit further along the kranz edge we could see the bright red flowers of Alberta magna.

Alberta magna

Canthium vanwykii

Diospyros villosus fruits

Just above the forest edge we found the unusual Senecio citriceps which looks very much like a Berkheya umbellata.

Senecio citriceps

Pelargonium luridum is a common plant in our grasslands, but occasionally one comes across one with unusual coloration like this deep pink one.

Pelargonium luridum

We found a number of our less common endemic species at our lunch spot in a fairly dry stream bed with a dramatic view over the gorge. There were a few Struthiola pondoensis with some remnant flowers at the edge of the stream, as well as some fronds of the attractive fern, Lycopodiella cernua.

Struthiola pondoensis

Lycopodiella cernua

Sharing our lunch spot were several Crassula streyi - unfortunately these had only old flower stalks. At the edge of this riverine forest patch we found a few Manilkara nicholsonii with new fruits.  We were very annoyed at once again missing this species in flower! Alongside these were some shiny leafed Mimusops obovata with their pendant flowers.

Crassula streyi

Manilkara nicholsonii

Mimusops obovata

Also in the forest we spotted the odd looking larvae of Flatid Bugs on their host plant, Salacia gerrardii, some of which had flowers.

Salacia gerrardii

Flatid bug larva close to Salacia gerrardii

Another member of this small forest patch was Bersama swinnyi - we found an open woody seed capsule on the ground below the tree.

 

Outer surface of Bersama swinnyi seed capsule

Heading back up the slope after lunch took us back into the grasslands and here we saw a few delicate Dianthus mooiensis. Even more spindly was an orange-flowered Argyrolobium tuberosum. Near some rocks was a single Schizoglossum atropurpureum subsp. virens, and nearby was an old inflorescence of a Ursinia tenuiloba with pappus scales which look distinctly flower-like.

Dianthus mooiensis

Argyrolobium tuberosum

Schizoglossum atropurpureum subsp. virens

Receptacle of Ursinia tenuiloba with white pappus scales

Also showing off their unusual seed heads were several Othonna natalensis.

Othonna natalensis

Reaching the rocky top of the slope we came across a Burchellia bubalina showing off its bright orange cluster of flowers, and in a nearby crack was a diminutive Carissa bispinosa in flower. On another rocky patch a Delosperma lineare shyly showed its bud, and tucked underneath the rock was a Cineraria albicans.

Burchellia bubalina

Carissa bispinosa

Delosperma lineare

Cineraria albicans

Much more in your face was a cluster of scarlet Erythrina lysistemon flowers on bare branches. On this same rock was a single Haemanthus albiflos in flower. 
 

Erythrina lysistemon

Haemanthus albiflos

Back at the offices at Beacon Hill we noticed a Bonatea porrecta hiding under a shrub.
 

Bonatea porrecta

Admiring the view up the Bulolo River gorge

Participants: Anne S, Dorothy M, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Uschi T.

Aloe Ridge - Aloe ferox on steroids

We last visited Aloe Ridge in 2012, and as the flowers on that occasion were poor we had been put off making the rather arduous trip, particularly in view of the relative dry conditions we have experienced since then. However, along the coast, the planted Aloe ferox seemed to be flowering well so we decided to go and see how the population was doing in the area above the Umtamvuna River that Tony Abbott had called Aloe Ridge. We were accompanied by Audrey and Chris Woodley as it is always good security to have a second vehicle when heading cross-country for the last kilometre or so when descending to the ridge. After bumping our way across an old ploughed land we found the track and made our way slowly down the steep slope. From a distance it looked like we had the timing right and so it proved when we stopped and got out of the vehicles.

The Aloe ferox in this area for some reason produce their inflorescenses in the most spectacular range of colours. There seems to be no logic in the colours the plants produce as two adjacent plants can have completely different colours. The photos below - all Aloe ferox - illustrate this but cannot do justice to what one sees in this special place. The ground is stony and dry, and clearly little rain had fallen in recent months. A cold front had passed over during the night and the day started off overcast but by the time we got to Aloe Ridge the sky was clear and it was a pleasantly warm day.

We saw a number of species of Asparagus, some of which had fruit. Hugging the ground like blue gems were Blepharis integrifolia and straggling above them were a few flowers on Plumbago auriculata. We also found one Maerua rosmarinoides in flower. Otherwise almost everything else was shrivelled up waiting for the first spring rains.

Blepharis integrifolia

Maerua rosmarinoides

Participants: Anne S, Audrey W, Chris W, Debbie K, Dorothy M, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Mervyn T, Uschi T.