As citizen scientists, our weekly Thursday botanising tells a clear story: spring in Pondoland is not a fixed date on a calendar. It is a slow, creeping dawn that begins in the dead of winter. By documenting these early flower flushes every week on platforms like iNaturalist, we help map how these resilient plants navigate changing climate baselines—proving that nature’s internal clock is far more sophisticated than our rigid four-season model.
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| The glowing rust coloured Vangueria infausta overlooking Manilkara Meander |
We decided to visit Manilkara meander, one of the most incredible areas in the reserve. The fact that we have the privilege of visiting these areas that are not open to the public is a reward in itself. Anne and her passengers were running late due to an unintended early morning scenic tour, mostly because a Jimny's thirst is legendary and local petrol stations were playing a game of fuel hide-and-seek. After two dry pumps and a detour all the way back to Grassmere, it was third time lucky! The golden rule of Thursday prep: feed the Jimny on a Wednesday.
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| Manilkara meander |
As we drove into the reserve, Watsonia inclinata greeted us, bowing to us as we drove past. It was just too much, and Gail stopped so we could jump out and photograph them. What a happy beginning to the day! These gorgeous flowering bulbs, in varying shades of pink, are a rare, vulnerable geophyte endemic to the coastal grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape in South Africa.
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| Watsonia inclinata |
We caught up with Alf, Anne, Hilary, and Uschi for coffee and beskuit. October is a month of in-between when it comes to the weather; one moment it’s chilly, and the next it’s baking hot. The seasons are at odds, it seems. While everyone was drinking coffee and chatting, I skulked off for a brief, solo "botanical expedition" behind a nearby bush. Mother Nature has a habit of calling at the most inconvenient moments! But as it turned out, her timing was impeccable; right there, tucked away in the grass, I spotted Convolvulus natalensis, commonly known as Natal Bindweed. This charming trailing indigenous perennial belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. While many members of this genus worldwide feature white or pink blossoms, this particular species produces cream-coloured or distinctly pale yellow-green flowers.
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| Convolvulus natalensis |
With coffee packed away and our packs on, we discussed which direction we were going to venture. Should we walk along the top of the ridge, walk along the ridge towards the forest, or maybe drop down to the next level? Gail suggested we drop down, as it was a mild day and in the coming months it would be too warm. We set off, leaving Dorothy to happily wander the grassland above.
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| Dropping down |
Standing on the edge and looking down, filled with excitement, we crowded around Vangueria infausta, commonly known as wild medlar. This small, fascinating deciduous tree belongs to the family Rubiaceae. What caught our eye was the gorgeous, glowing rust colour that wrapped around the entire tree structure. While older trees eventually develop a more standard grey bark, this small, resilient specimen was entirely copper-hued from root to tip. Standing out in the open against the massive valley backdrop, it looked like a living sculpture, perfectly matching the wild, rugged beauty of the ledge. A yellow-billed kite flew past as we began to make our way down cautiously, as the terrain was extremely rocky.
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| Vangueria infausta flower |
All around, the bright yellow flowers of a Gazania species wiggled in the wind. This vibrant ground-hugging perennial belongs to the family Asteraceae. To discover exactly which species it was, we needed to have a closer look at the leaves. Gail has explained this to us many times! If the margins of the leaves are finely serrated, then it is Gazania linearis, and if they are smooth, then it is Gazania krebsiana. The conclusion what we saw was Gazania linearis. As we bundu-bashed over the rocks, standing out clearly against the green tangle, were clusters of Hilliardiella aristata, another member of the family Asteraceae, commonly known as silver vernonia. Growing in dense clumps, its upright, annual stems remain completely unbranched as they shoot upward. Its numerous stalkless, spear-shaped leaves wrap tightly around the stems, displaying a uniform, shimmering blanket of silver hairs on both surfaces that perfectly frames the bright purple flowerheads.
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| Gazania linearis |
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| Finely serrated leaf of Gazania linearis |
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| Hilliardiella aristata |
It is Pachycarpus time again, and there were plants full of developing buds all around. These highly specialized, thick-stemmed perennials belong to the family Apocynaceae and are renowned for their highly intricate, complex flower structures, which feature a specialized central column where the stamens and stigma are fused together. Seeing them covered in buds got us all incredibly excited—there is just something so fascinating about this whole family.
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| Pachycarpus species |
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| Danaus chrysippus caterpillar |
As we were making our way down, it was just lovely to see all the Afroaster hispida, commonly known as Baker's wild aster, and Senecio bupleuroides dressing the slope. The Afroaster hispida stands out with its daisy-like, pale purple blossoms that feature brilliant yellow centres. Growing right alongside it, the bright yellow flowerheads of the Senecio bupleuroides create a magnificent colour contrast against the grass, illustrating how beautifully these wild grassland components complement each other. Both of these also belong to the family Asteraceae. Growing in-between the rocks were Thesium pallidum, commonly known as yellow thesium. These dwarf shrubs may appear delicate but are tough, woody perennials belonging to the family Santalaceae. Up close, their tiny, inconspicuous yellow flowers display the unique architecture of their family, completely lacking true petals.
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| Afroaster hispida and Senecio bupleuroides |
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| Thesium pallidum |
I had almost reached the bottom. Looking around, I could hear voices, but I could not see anyone. It is so easy to wander off when you are botanising with your nose to the ground and your head in the flowers! There growing in the thick grass were the most beautiful sunshine-yellow, daisy-like flowers, and unlike Senecio bupleuroides, which always looks like it has had the wildest night, these were perfect. The wind had picked up, and photographing them was a test of patience. I heard a voice, only to discover that Gail was on her way down to me. Gail gave me the name that Uschi had given her from her field notes: Senecio albanensis var. doroniciflorus. What a mouthful! This pristine grassland perennial is another member of the family Asteraceae. As we were admiring them, we noticed some caves along the ledge and made the decision to quickly go and have a look.
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| Senecio albanensis var. doroniciflorus |
The veld had been burnt a few months ago, and so traversing the rocks was easier. In the grass and easily missed, we spotted a very small Dyschoriste burchellii. This delicate, low-growing herb with grey-green leaves and dainty white flowers belongs to the family Acanthaceae. Its slender stems are often decumbent—meaning they trail lazily along the rocky ground before curving upwards at the tips to present their flowers right to the sunshine. Up close, the blossoms reveal a whimsical surprise: the long, protruding stamens carry mauve anthers filled with colorful pollen that look just like little crab eyes peering out from the center of the petals.
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| Dyschoriste burchellii |
The rocky terrain and steep incline were not making it easy to reach the caves, but we were happy to be exploring. We could see the rest of the crew on the far side, their voices carrying with surprising clarity across the open space, and it was a wonderful reminder of how vast the reserve truly is. Gail called me back to have a look at a stunning Polygala fruticosa, commonly known as heart-leaved polygala. This compact, eye-catching shrub belongs to the family Polygalaceae. Its stems are crowded with beautiful cordate, sessile leaves that pack tightly together, serving as a striking backdrop for the large, cerise flowerheads that decorate the branch tips.
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| Polygala fruticosa |
Navigating the ever-increasing steep incline, we had noticed numerous Rhoicissus tridentata. Commonly known as bushman's grape, this resilient climber belongs to the family Vitaceae. Its bright, new growth in various shades of green and burnt salmon popped vividly against the charred rocks, with bright red tendrils holding onto last season's burnt growth. While nearby, Acalypha villicaulis was draped over the boulders. Commonly known as hairy acalypha, this scrambling perennial herb belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. Its heart-shaped leaves are covered in fine hairs. This Acalypha species has both male and female flowers on the same plant, producing both brooms and brushes.
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| Rhoicissus tridentata |
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| Acalypha villicaulis |
Gail was on fire, spotting a small colony of Hesperantha baurii. This delicate perennial bulb belongs to the family Iridaceae. Thriving in the damp horizontal seams of the sandstone outcrops, its slender stems hold striking, pink blossoms that fully expand in the bright warmth of the afternoon sun. It carries the Zulu name Khahla-e-nyenyane, meaning "the small flower which pleases"—an apt name, as that is exactly how we felt: pleased. We also came across quite a few Gymnosporia glaucophylla, where the beautiful fleshy, grey-green leaves gave way to a flush of warm orange-red new leaves at the branch tips. Commonly known as blue spikethorn, this multi-stemmed shrub belongs to the family Celastraceae. It is heavily armed with rigid spines.
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| Hesperantha baurii |
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| Hesperantha baurii |
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| Gymnosporia glaucophylla |
We had reached the caves full of excitement. They were large, sweeping overhangs that countless millennia of natural erosion had masterfully created. Standing beneath the massive roofs, we were looking directly into the deep heart of the reserve's geological history. These grand cliff-faces and shelters were carved into the quartz arenites of the Msikaba Formation. As the river cut into the landscape over millions of years, water and wind slowly undercut the softer horizontal seams near the ledge, leaving these towering, rock canopies standing proud over the valley. It felt so otherworldly standing there looking out over the reserve. We decided that it was not right that we should leave our footprints in the caves, and using branches from the Dalbergia ovata, we swept our footprints away.
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| View from the caves |
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| The beginning of a swallows nest on the cave roof |
We started to head back towards the rest of the crew, cutting across instead of doubling back. This meant negotiating some large rocks—not an easy feat for short legs. Sitting against the side of a rock was an extremely strong-looking Gerbera piloselloides with its characteristic swollen flower stalk covered in dense, velvety golden-brown hairs. The soft yellow rayflorets pointed up like a crown. Commonly known as swartteebossie, this tufted perennial herb belongs to the family Asteraceae. It earns its Afrikaans name, which means "little black tea bush," because the leaves turn the water black when boiled for traditional medicine. Right nearby we spotted a Stachys nigricans, which shares that very same common name swartteebossie despite belonging to the family Lamiaceae. The specific name nigricans literally translates to "becoming black" because while the live plant features light green leaves, the foliage turns a uniform charcoal-black when dried. It is this shared color transformation that gives it the same black-water boiling trait and regional name as the Gerbera we had just admired.
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| Gail Photographing the Gerbera piloselloides |
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| Gerbera piloselloides |
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| Stachys nigricans |
Was there time for one last foray? Of course there was. On a small pointy pinnacle a rugged Syzygium cordatum had started to flower. Commonly known as the water berry, it belongs to the family Myrtaceae. It features thick, leathery, bluish-green leaves with distinctly heart-shaped bases, hence cordatum. The fragrant, creamy-white flowers show off numerous fluffy stamens that give the blossoms a beautiful, feathery appearance. Sitting in this thicket on the edge were some remarkable plants. A Carissa bispinosa, commonly known as the forest num-num, was tucked into the dense shade. It belongs to the family Apocynaceae. I have always wondered how it came to have the name “num-num”. It turns out it is from the Khoisan languages, where it originally referred to a berry or fruit-bearing bush. Its normally glossy, deep green leaves were an apple-green, arranged in opposite pairs and armed with striking, stiff Y-shaped thorns. These prongs are a fantastic diagnostic feature, as they immediately separate this species from Carissa macrocarpa. Its tiny, sweetly scented white flowers sit in tight bunches, which will eventually give way to bright red, oval berries that provide an essential feast for the local birds. The rocks and branches were covered in Bulbophyllum scaberulum. Commonly known as the scabby orchid, this creeping orchid belongs to the family Orchidaceae.
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| Syzygium cordatum |
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| Carissa bispinosa |
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| Bulbophyllum scaberulum |
Growing in the thicket was a Protorhus longifolia. Commonly known as the red beech, it belongs to the family Anacardiaceae. Nestled between the leaves at the end of the branches were clusters of its young fruits. The smooth, asymmetric green drupes display fine vertical ridges running down their glossy skins. They will eventually ripen into a soft mauve-purple color, offering a highly anticipated autumn harvest for the local birds and monkeys. In this small thicket was a day's worth of botanising and an indication of the diversity in Umtamvuna Nature Reserve.
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| Protorhus longifolia drupes |
An Ochna species was full of warm yellow flowers, the backward-facing petals accentuated the protruding central cluster of bright yellow stamens. It belongs to the family Ochnaceae, a group famous for species like Ochna arborea, commonly known as the coldbark ochna, whose smooth wood always feels astonishingly cold to human touch. It was already after two and so we found some shade and ate lunch. Growing in the rocky grassland nearby, we spotted two specimens of Asclepias praemorsa. Our second member of the family Apocynaceae. It grows a solitary, unbranched annual stem containing milky sap, while its specific name, praemorsa, translates from Latin to mean "appearing as if it has been bitten off"—a direct nod to the blunt, abruptly ending tips of its leaves. Its semi-pendulous flower clusters bear intricate blossoms with five reflexed corolla lobes flaring backward to expose a complex central column.
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| Ochna species |
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| Asclepias praemorsa |
We skirted around the rocky ridge where the rest of the crew had been botanising, hoping to make our way around, but it became too steep and so we clambered up the rocks. Once on top we realised that Alf, Anne, Hilary and Uschi were already making their way up. We quickly looked for Huernia hystrix. I always chuckle remembering how years back Graham amused himself over my favorite mispronunciation: “hernia.” Commonly known as the porcupine huernia, this low-growing succulent perennial also belongs to the family Apocynaceae. It features thick, 5-angled, fleshy stems armed with prominent, sharp teeth. There were one or two buds and so we would definitely be returning to catch its spectacular, star-shaped flowers that look just like tiny porcupine quills.
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| Huernia hystrix with bud |
We turned to start the climb up and there in the grass was a gorgeous Boophone disticha. It belongs to the family Amaryllidaceae. It features an impressive, large bulb mostly exposed above the soil, while its prominent, brush-like spherical inflorescence displays dozens of sweetly scented, bright pink-to-red flowers. As we climbed higher, we noticed Eulophia parviflora and Argyrolobium rotundifolium blooming along the slope. The Eulophia parviflora, carrying the Zulu common name imfeyamasele, is a terrestrial orchid belonging to the family Orchidaceae. It grows slender stems that bear flowers with erect, purple-brown veined sepals and bright yellow petals. The Argyrolobium rotundifolium, commonly called a round silverpod, is a perennial herb belonging to the family Fabaceae. It features distinct trifoliate leaves with roundish leaflets and small, pea-like yellow flowers that often flush with reddish tones on the outside as they age.
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| Boophone disticha |
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| Eulophia parviflora |
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| Argyrolobium rotundifolium |
We swiftly climbed up wanting to catch up with the rest of the crew. Alf and Uschi were in the shade of a large boulder and Anne and Hilary well we could hear them but not see them. They had chosen another route. At the top we chatted away about what we had seen. Dorothy had had an amazing time on her solo botanising, capturing a wonderful Callilepis laureola and a small butterfly belonging to the genus Cigaritis. The Callilepis laureola, commonly known as the wildemargriet, is a resilient perennial herb belonging to the family Asteraceae. It is unfortunately under heavy harvesting pressure for traditional medicine. The small Cigaritis butterfly, a member of the silverline family Lycaenidae, fluttered its wings. These butterflies are renowned for their highly intricate underwing bars and delicate, hair-like tails on their hindwings that mimic antennae to fool predators. Dorothy’s next photo captured the details at the back of the flower of Scabiosa columbaria perfectly. Commonly known as jongmansknoop, this hardy perennial herb belongs to the family Caprifoliaceae. Looking directly at the underside of the flowerhead, the photo reveals a protective ring of narrow, leaf-like bracts curved backward, anchoring a dense calyx armed with five dark, bristle-like projections. Her digital field list also included Berkheya umbellata, commonly known as the geelklossiedissel, which belongs to the family Asteraceae. It features subumbellate clusters of yellow flowerheads rising above spiny stem wings and bristly, pinnatifid foliage. Dorothy recorded a lovely white variant of Senecio variabilis, which belongs to the family Asteraceae. Dorothy also photographed a striking Gazania krebsiana on her trek, which made a fabulous comparative discussion since we had seen Gazania linearis earlier in the day
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| Callilepis laureola and a small butterfly belonging to the genus Cigaritis |
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| Scabiosa columbaria |
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| Berkheya umbellata |
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| Senecio variabilis |
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| Gazania krebsiana |
Nearby, she had also spotted Pelargonium luridum and Psychotria capensis adding to her impressive morning list. The Pelargonium luridum, is a geophytic perennial belonging to the family Geraniaceae, characterized by its long-stalked clusters of pink flowers. It is a crowd pleaser. The Psychotria capensis, commonly known as the black bird-berry, is a glossy-leaved shrub or small tree belonging to the family Rubiaceae, famous for its clusters of creamy-yellow flowers that eventually mature into striking, shiny black berries that birds love.
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| Pelargonium luridum |
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| Psychotria capensis |
Then Dorothy found Euphorbia gueinzii, this perennial herb belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. Looking closely at Dorothy's snapshot, the image highlights the distinct visual features of this species beautifully. The narrow, pale-veined leaves display dense, fuzzy white hairs along their margins, framing the fascinating central flowering cyathium where the dark purple-black stamens contrast cleanly against the surrounding glandular lobes. Finally Dorothy saw another completely different member of the Euphorbiaceae family, an Acalypha species that presented her with a botanical puzzle. It had small leaves that were sticky to the touch and had an unpleasant smell. Dorothy was stumped. A revisit is needed.
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| Euphorbia gueinzii |
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| Acalypha species |
Uschi spotted a Commelina species that she identified as Commelina africana var. krebsiana. This spreading perennial herb belongs to the family Commelinaceae. While her keen eyes had undoubtedly tracked many other treasures along the path, this was the beautiful discovery she chose to share with the rest of us. This variety is densely hairy and it grows trailing or prostrate stems, producing bright, canary-yellow flowers that emerge from unique, boat-shaped spathes and typically last only through the morning before dissolving.
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| Commelina africana var. krebsiana |
This is botany Thursdays, where if you think you know everything, you actually know nothing. We learn, we forget, and we make mistakes—but we keep going simply because we love botany and we love this crew.
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Anne trying out a Harley-Davidson, but unfortunately,
it had a sidecar, so she didn't buy it.
Photo credit Uschi |
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Pondoland CREW
Gail Bowers-Winter, Hilary Henderson, Uschi Teicher, Anne Skelton, Alf Hayter,
Tracy Taylor, Dorothy McIntyre
Photo credit Gail |
