Monday, 2 December 2024

Rennies 28 November 2024

It was day where one preferred to stay at home and do other things as the weather was most unpleasant to say the least.  A few day days before the floors were wet with humidity and it was hot.  We hadn’t had a winter and now it was this time of year.  August winds pressed pause and December was upon us and the winds still howled.  Lightening had stuck and the heavens definitely sounded like there was a relocation.  Farmlands in the Umtamvuna were left for days without power.  One set out with phone’s only being charged in the car and battery packs flashed “Change”.


Xysmalobium involucratum
Hongersnoodbossie
APOCYNACEAE



Asclepias albens
Cartwheels
APOCYNACEAE

Bracing the all the elements of the day for the love of plants.

Uschi focused and passionate about plants.  This is a great teacher.

Maggie out there and soldiering on.

Dorothy had suggested we botanize at Rennie’s.  In the winds a forest would be more protected but out we went in slow pace as the area where we botanizing in was near the ocean and can be unsafe.  The grass rolled.  Birds battled to fly.  We battled to walk forward.  Today all plants got the name “inclanta” which means “inclined to lean” The wind made everything including us and plants lean to one side.  How one was going to take a sharp image was going to be interesting.  Perhaps it would be an abstract art day in the flowers.

The Hugh Nicholson's Thursday Group.

In the swamp area Watsonia pillansii flowered in mass.  We were at the end as some were going to seed.  The colour was a coral orange.  Just beautiful as were stems that were about to burst into magic.

Watsonia pillansii 
IRIDACEAE
South African endemic

Intermingled in the Watsonia pillansii were Eulophia angolensis. They like children hadn’t reached their full height but were flowering and still reaching for the sun.  On the outskirts of this wetland an abundant mass of Satyrium sphaerocarpum flowered.   We’d never seen such a mass of  these orchids flowering everywhere. 

Satyrium sphaerocarpum
ORCHIDACEAE


Walking amongst the Satyrium sphaerocarpum


 
Eulophia angolensis




Acrolophia cochlearis
ORCHIDACEAE

On this day the flowers that took charge of the day where Watsonia pillansii, Satyrium sphaerocarpum, and Eriosema dregei.  99 percent of the Eriosma’s had set seed or gone over.  It must have  been quite a picture.

Alf amongst the field of Watsonia pillansii


Eriosema dregei
FABACEAE
Vulnerable A2c; B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(iii)
South African endemic

Uschi looking behind the leaf for bumps.


Delosperma carterae
Bumpy Sheepfig
AIZOACEAE
South African endemic


The name “Delosperma” is derived from the Greek words “delos,” meaning clear, and “sperma,” meaning seed, potentially referencing the plant’s transparent seeds. The species name “carterae” honors a person associated with its discovery or classification, further emphasizing the human connection to the natural world.

The leaves are bumpy and fleshy, often described as looking like small, green pebbles. This unique leaf structure helps the plant retain moisture, a critical adaptation for survival in arid climates. When in bloom, the plant produces an abundance of vibrant yellow or white flowers that resemble lively little stars, creating a stunning visual display that attracts various pollinators.


Selago tarachodes 
SCROPHULARIACEAE
South African endemic

Aspilia natalensis
 Wild Creeping Sunflower 
ASTERACEAE

Bottoms up.  Heads down.  What's this?

Convolvulus natalensis 
CONVOLVULACEAE

Gall's on Rhoicissus tridentata
Bushman's Grape
VITACEAE

In nature one never knows where to go.  It’s like chasing butterflies.  Blink at its gone.  One just has to be at the right time and the right place with a lot of luck.

The Hugh Nicholson's Thursday Group / Pondoland C.R.E.W.
Gail, Dorothy, Maggie, Tracy, Uschi, Alf and Anne.

“He that plants trees loves others besides himself.” – Thomas Fuller


Tuesday, 26 November 2024

Clearwater 21 November 2024

This blog has a plethora of images with flowers observed during the course of the week. It was a week of Pachycarpus species and Dianthus flowered profusely.  Dianthus is part of the carnation family and it is used for magical and medicinal purposes in African tribes and in Chinese medicine.  It is also used by diviners to improve their intuitive sense.  This species is used by herbal doctors and is used in making royal soap for the Swazi King.  In Europe it's used for cut flowers and in landscaping. The fruit is eaten raw or boiled and is makes a sweet drink.  

We came across Indigofera abbottii.  The Indigofera abbottii is a new indigo species and with clearance of habitat because of famers and houses being built its future existence is questioned.  This Indigofera was one of Kew's top 10 new species in 2023.  www.kew.org/read-and-watch/top-10-species-2023.  This plant is named after our late Tony Abbott.  Anthony Thomas Dixon Abbott.  He was a pioneering conservationist and amateur plant collector who discovered many new species and Richard Boon who visited us recently is studying some of Tony's plants.  Gail took some photos of the miniscule flowers on the Erythrococca sp. nov down the slippery slopes of a hiking trail where mosquitoes were rife.  The male and female flowers are on separate plants and further observations will be documented as the flowers go to seed.In a dark forest photographing these tiny flowers is a challenge to say the least. 

It is amazing to see how many endemics we found on the day and to name a few that were observed where: Grewia hispida; Brachystelma australe; Aspalathus spinosa; Aspalathus chortophila; Indigofera abbottii; Asclepias praemorsa; Pachycarpus mackenii; Pachycarpus coronarius;  Pachycarpus grandiflorus subsp. grandiflorus; Pachycarpus linearis;  Watsonia densiflora (white); Streptocarpus polyanthus subsp. polyanthus and Plectranthus ernstii which is classified as near threatened.  Bowiea volubilis subsp. volubilis was also seen which is vulnerable.   This plant is under significant threat due to harvesting for medicinal purposes.  It is mainly used to treat skin diseases, sore eyes, bladder problems and procuring abortion.

 

During a hike beautiful white Watsonia densiflora were seen flowering amongst pink in Western Heights and Plectranthus ernstii was found in flower too at Foster's Folly.  Pachycarpus linearis which is data deficient was seen flowering near Beacon Hill down a trail.  This Pachycarpus looks a lot like a Christmas bell.

Pachycarpus linearis

Dianthus zeyheri
CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Eucomis autumnalis 
HYACINTHACEAE
Pineapple Lily 


Raphionacme galpinii
APOCYNACEAE 



Satyrium cristatum
ORCHIDACEAE



Grewia hispida 
MALVACEAE
South African endemic

Thunbergia natalensis 
ACANTHACEAE


Dais cotinifolia 
THYMELAEACEAE



Brachystelma australe
APOCYNACEAE
South African endemic

Dipcadi marlothii 
HYACINTHACEAE


Bowiea volubilis subsp. volubilis
HYACINTHACEAE
Vulnerable A2ad



Rhoicissus tridentata ssp. cuneifolia
VITACEAE 

Aspalathus spinosa 
FABACEAE
South African endemic

Aspalathus chortophila
FABACEAE
Tea Bush
South African endemic

Photo credit:  Graham Grieve


Indigofera abbottii
FABACEAE
South african endemic

Lunch under a tree listening to Ground hornbills call and away from the ants.




Asclepias praemorsa
APOCYNACEAE
South African endemic

Arman and Tracy capturing Pachycarphus concolor.




Pachycarpus concolor subsp. concolor
APOCYNACEAE



Pachycarpus mackenii 
APOCYNACEAE
South African endemic


Pachycarpus coronarius
APOCYNACEAE
South African endemic


Pachycarpus asperifolius
APOCYNACEAE

Pachycarpus grandiflorus subsp. grandiflorus
APOCYNACEAE
South African endemic



Pachycarpus linearis
APOCYNACEAE
South African endemic

Waiting for our respected elders to help idenify an unknown plant which still remains unidentified.

Plunging into the tepid water to escape the heat of the day.
Gail and Tracy Carpe Diem.

The Thursday Group / Pondoland C.R.E.W.
Uschi, Dorothy, Gail, Maggie, Arman, Buyi and Tracy.

With the group divided into two areas, Alf and Anne botanised at Rossmin and Alf photographed these specimens. 
Rotheca sp.


Xysmalobium undulatum var. undulatum
APOCYNACEAE




Brachycorythis pubescens
ORCHIDACEAE

Other observations during the week by Gail.


Watsonia densiflora 
White
IRIDACEAE
South African endemic




Tridactyle tridentata 
ORCHIDACEAE

Streptocarpus polyanthus subsp. polyanthus
GESNERIACEAE
South African endemic

Plectranthus ernstii
LAMIACEAE
Near Threatened D2
South African endemic




Erythrococca sp. nov
EUPHORBIACEAE

For Richard Boon in his on-going research of Tony Abbott's observations of this Erythroccoca species that is found in the Umtamvuna.


"Most young people find botany a dull study. So it is, as taught from the text-books in the schools; but study it yourself in the fields and woods, and you will find it a source of perennial delight." John Burroughs