Apparently, in the early days of botanical exploration, Hugh Nicholson, with a commercial timber farming background and an interest in indigenous trees, met up with Rudolf Strey, curator of the Natal Herbarium in Durban, and they used to make forays into a relatively accessible gully on private land (Beacon Hill) adjacent to the reserve. This gully led down to the Bulolo River, a tributary to the Umtamvuna River. After getting permission from the then landowner, they would climb through the fence at the side of the road to Izingloweni and then explore the often strange trees growing along the gully. This section of private land was subsequently incorporated into the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve through a purchase part funded by an environmental NGO. Today, we refer to this gully as Mr. Nic 1, with Mr Nic 2 being a short distance inland.
During the early part of Braam's visit this time we walked from the Beacon Hill offices to Maggie's Gully. On the way we stopped to look at an Alberta magna and underneath it we found Eulophia horsfalliiin flower. Draped over a nearby shrub was a fruiting Dioscorea multiloba.
Eulophia horsfallii |
Dioscorea multiloba |
Pseudoscolopia polyantha |
Braam and Marie examine the Olea |
Olea sp. |
Pavetta bowkeri |
Syzygium gerrardii |
Syzygium gerrardii flowers |
Indigofera shiluwanensis |
The sandstone cliff edges along the Umzimkulwana are great to exlore (where they have not been infested by alien invasive plants - fortunately the section we were walking on had very few alien species). The scenery is very impressive, with sheer drops into the gorge, and there is a great selection of unusual plants to look at. The first flower I managed to find was a very out-of-season Combretum kraussii.
Combretum kraussii |
Streptocarpus trabeculatus |
Helixanthera woodii |
Ceropegia carnosa |
Pavetta gracilifolia |
Inspecting some of the cliff-edge vegetation |
A bit further along we found some Gasteria croucheri with flower stalks hanging out over the cliff, and from some distance away we were able to see numbers of Cyrtanthus sanguineus decorating the cliff face below us.
Gasteria croucheri |
Gasteria croucheri |
Red Cyrtanthus sanguineus clinging to the cliff face |
Dimorphic Tiger moth |
Another cliff-edge dweller was Stenosemis angustifolia and nearby in deep shade of the forest there was a colony of small Hypoxis nivea.
Stenosemis angustifolia |
Hypoxis nivea |
Wading in to get the perfect shot of Potamogeton nodosus |
Potamogeton nodosus flower |
Calodendrum capense |
Syncolostemon rotundifolius |
Cyphia elata |
Microglossa mespiliformis |
Chionanthus foveolatus subsp. tomentellus |
Antherotoma debilis |
The Oribi group above the Umzimkulwana Gorge |
Aloe linearifolia |
Pentarrhinum insipidum |
Ruttya ovata |
Heteromorpha arborescens var. abyssinica |
Cyphostemma rubroglandulosa |
Capparis brassii |
The commemorative plaque - note the absence of lichen adjacent to the plaque |
Caesia contorta |
Chironia albiflora |
Cussonia pondoensis |
Further down there were many Struthiola pondoensis in flower alongside the stream.
Struthiola pondoensis |
On the way back to the offices we checked out another rocky outcrop and found more of the unknown Olea species that we first saw on Sunday. Braam and Marie will be working on sorting out Olea once back in Pretoria.
And so our very informative week with Braam had come to an end.
Participants (all those who walked with the group during the week are included): Anne S, Braam v W, Dorothy M, Elsa v W, Gail B-W, Geoff N, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Marie J, Matt W, Uschi T.
And so our very informative week with Braam had come to an end.
Participants (all those who walked with the group during the week are included): Anne S, Braam v W, Dorothy M, Elsa v W, Gail B-W, Geoff N, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Marie J, Matt W, Uschi T.
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