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After turning back and heading eastwards across the hill we found a few (yet unpublished)  Indigofera herrstreyi and then many Eriosema dregei with yellow flowers and a few Orthochilus foliosus with their greeny-yellow flowers.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.