Cheerfully Pondoland C.R.E.W. met
and headed for Hazel Ridge in the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve. Gail wanted to
see if the Rhoicissus sp. nov that Richard Boon was researching was perhaps flowering. This species is still undescribed and its flower has never been photoraphed. When visiting this area in December 2024 we thought perhaps that this plant had buds but what we discovered was that this healthy and happy creeper was just sending off
new shoots and aiming for the sky.
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| Rhoicissus sp. nov |
One thing to never do is trust
a weather app and always to be prepared. We all looked at each other with
the spittle coming down from the heavens and thought we are going to get
wet! The wind blew. It looked gloomy.
Graham Grieve had kindly given Gail his old camera
as her's had run its course and all the functions where all collapsing faster than Hailey's commet. It was time for it to be put to rest. With Graham's camera the blog could go on!
From the hill on which we
parked we looked down at a field of pink Watsonia densiflorus. How
beautiful it was growing on mass. This is an extremely hardy plant. In a mound of grass that had the shades
of autumn Kniphofia laxiflora grew in vibrant colours. It was certainly
the time for Habenaria dives which could be seen growing all over the
grasslands along with Pachycarpus grandiflorus subsp. grandiflorus That
flower certainly demands one to pay it attention. Eucomis autumnalis was
in flower and had set seed. Flowering in the grassland was was our endemic Searsia pondoesnis.
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| Alf, Uschi and Sarel. |
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| A tiny reed frog in a sitting comfortably in a dry Watsonia bract. |
Watsonia densiflorus |
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| Kniphofia laxiflora |
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| Pachycarpus grandiflorus subsp. grandiflorus |
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| Eucomis autumnalis |
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| Searsia pondoesnis |
Habenaria dives is also known
at the "Death Orchid". It flowers between December and March.
When the tubers are dried, they are used as an evil charm. Above our
heads vultures flew...
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| Habenaria dives |
Indigofera abbottii and
Tephrosia bachmanii were found both are endemic to our area. Tephrosia polystachya var. latifolia was also seen flowering. The flowers so delicate and pretty.
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| Indigofera abbottii |
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| Tephrosia bachmanii |
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| Tephrosia polystachya var. latifolia |
As we descended down to Hazel
Ridge Aeollanthus parvifolius grew prolifically. This plant can easily be
mistaken for a Plectranthus. This is a drought-tolerant succulent that is
essentially a montane and cliff-dwelling species hence why people battle to
grown it in gardens. It is an autumn flowering plant.
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| Aeollanthus parvifolius |
We found our endemic
Plectanthus saccatus subsp. pondoenis growing on the forest margin. If
there were fairies in the forest then all the females would have the most
beautiful slippers to wear.
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| Plectanthus saccatus subsp. pondoenis |
The insect life around
Plectranthus madagascariensis var. madagascariensis was truly
unbelievable. From blue bee's to butterflies, dragon flies and numerous
other species one just stood and observed how important this plant is to these
insects.
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| Plectranthus madagascariensis var. madagascariensis |
Ochna arborea was in flower,
the stem cool to the touch and seed pods simply magnificent. Growing alongside
the Ochna we found Helixanthera woodii covered in flowers. Its common
name is the "Dainty Mistle-toe". The mistletoes are associated
with fertility, vitality and romance and was used in ancient Greece during
Saturnalia and later in marriage ceremonies. In the Roman era, enemies at
war would reconcile their differences under the mistletoe which represented
peace. Celtic Druids valued mistletoes for its healing properties.
Ochna arborea
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| Helixanthera woodii |
Along the forest margin we foundfound Eugenia erythrophylla in fruit. This Large-leaved Myrtle is Near Threatened Blab (iii,v) and is one of endemics.
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Sarel, Anne and Uschi looking at Eugenia erythrophylla.
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Eugenia erythrophylla
We found Apodytes abbottii in seed, this too is one of our endemics and is Near Threatened B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v). One can't help but go past one and snap it's leaf to hear it crack.
Maytenus acuminata var. acuminata was flowering as was Indigofera sylvicola which Kate Grieve has recently described.
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| Apodytes abbottii |
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| Maytenus acuminata var. acuminata |
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| Indigofera sylvicola |
Dalbergia obovata was covered
in seed. This is also known as your "Climbing Flat-bean".
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| Dalbergia obovata |
The forest could be seen full
of Acidocarpus natalitius that was in flower. It can be easily understood
why this is also known at the "Moth Fruit".
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| Acidocarpus natalitius |
As usual our dedicated CREW
members tried to tackle the invasives that had grown prolifically over several
years after an uncontrollable run-away fire which was devastating to this
area. Our sexagenarian's (age between 60-69), septuagenarian's (age between
70-79) and our octogenarian's (age between 80-89) all climbed in to pull out
Chromolaena odorata and Solanum mauritianum. Huge respect to those
dedicated CREW members who took out their saws and tried their best to
eradicate the invasives. As the old proverb asks how one eats an
elephant, its one bite at a time. We need dedicated people here to help restore this little koppie that was a gem.
Solanum giganteum's is our indigenous Bug weed and it's common name is the Healing-leaf-tree. It's leaves have been used in trational medicine to treat wounds and ulcers. The difference between our invasive one and our indigenous is the prickles on the stem.
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| Uschi eradicating Solanum mauritianum. |
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| CREW tackling the invasives growing on the cliff's edge. |
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| Solanum giganteum |
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PONDOLAND CREW
Far left: Uschi Techer, Anne Skelton, Sarel Cilliers, Alf Hayter,
Gail Bowers-Winters, Maggie Abbott and Dorothy McIntyre. |
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| Bauhinia tomentosa exposing its heart for its love for CREW. |
“Be like water.”
― Lao Tzu
