Visit to the Manilkara Meander area

Yesterday we decided to tackle an area that none of the present group had walked before, i.e. a little inland from the area we have called Manilkara Meander after the number of Manilkara nicholsonii we have found along the cliff edges there. This is an area which appears to be drier than the rest of the reserve and we noted two bird species, Buff-streaked Chat and Cape Rock-thrush which we have not encountered elsewhere in the reserve.

After a short scramble we reached some baboon trails which made the walking easier in the long grass. However it was not long before we reached a section of fire-break which had been burned and the going became easier.

There were some Ficus ingens growing on rocks and showing their splendid bronze new leaves.

Ficus ingens with new leaves

The grassland is very different in species composition and there were relatively few flowers at this stage although this might be related to when the veld was burned and what rainfall has occurred since then. However there was a good display of Hypoxis: H. argentea, H. acuminata and H. hemerocallidea were all flowering well.

On our return to the vehicle we decided to have a quick walk in the other direction to see whether the eponymous Manilkara nicholsonii were producing any flowers and were lucky to find one tree which had produced buds. Close to this was an Ischnolepis natalensis which was covered in flowers and buds.

Manilkara nicholsonii in bud

Ischnolepis natalensis

Back at Beacon Hill we made a detour to take photographs of the vulnerable endemic Watsonia mtamvunae and found several other interesting plants, including two orchid species, one of which, Eulophia parviflora showed both short- and long-spurred forms. We also saw a number of 1,2m tall Drimia altissma in flower.

Drimia altissima

Eulophia parviflora: short (L) and long-spurred (R) forms

This last floriferous flurry was a good note on which to end the day.

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