Terraces and the Invisible Falls (Thursday 23 February 2017)

Today, with rain threatening, we elected to go to the area of the reserve we call the Terraces, a series of stepped sandstone plates that are host to many succulent plants, including PCE endemics. These overlook the small stream that flows from the base of Outeniqua Falls.

The track where we usually leave the vehicles was very overgrown so we waded through chest-high grass to get a little closer to the starting point for our walk. We started walking in light rain but fortunately this was only a short shower and once the rain stopped it held off for the rest of the day.

As expected, the plants on the rock plates were looking splendid after the recent good rains. Bright magenta flowers of Lampranthus fugitans dotted the area and there were hundreds of Ornithogalum juncifolium, little white stars perched on a short stalk. Nearby were scattered Craterostigma sp. nov. in flower giving us further opportunity to take measurements in preparation for a paper describing the species.

A rock plate with many succulent plants

Lampranthus fugitans with a small Craterostigma sp. nov. next to it

Other plants found on these rock sheets were Asparagus densiflorus, Plectranthus hadiensis, Crassula ericoides and Cyanotis robusta. The latter species flowers much later than the more common Cyanotis speciosa and is found on these rock plates rather than in the open grassland.

Asparagus densiflorus

Plectranthus hadiensis

Crassula ericoides

Cyanotis robusta

Cyanotis robusta

Another plant we were looking for was Exochaenium grande - these we needed for measurements to support a comparison with a smaller-flowered species, which is currently being referred to as Exochaenium sp. nov. We were lucky to find several of these in flower in the grasslands.

We pressed on to the cliff edges where we could see the Umtamvuna River in spate, with muddy water rushing over the rapids.

Kate on the cliff edge with the muddy Umtamvuna River in the background

Nearby, we found a small stream that had disappeared into a narrow cleft. As the water tumbled down into the gorge below, we could clearly hear the sound of the falls, but could not get close enough to the edge of the cleft to see the water.

The "Invisible Falls" - heard but not seen

We then decided to head down to the Rennies' Beach grasslands to get some photos of an interesting flower we had come across the day before. This had been identified by SANBI's Apocynaceae specialist, Pieter Bester, as Asclepias navicularis. This is a very slender scrambling plant, just showing its flower head above the grass, and therefore easy to miss.

Asclepias navicularis

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

Msikaba south - plant survey of the road reserve (13 & 14 February 2017)

We returned to Pondoland through Lusikisiki to complete the plant survey of the full road reserve of the southern approach to the Msikaba bridge site. When we arrived at the contractor's site encampment, we spent some time going through the nursery where those plants already removed from the works area have been established - most appear to be doing well but we were able to make suggestions for further improvements.

Leaving the vehicles at the contractor's camp, we proceeded to walk along the first half of the road reserve. In the initial section of about 500 metres there were many outcrops of Msikaba sandstone and these provided niches for several interesting plants.

Clearing for construction of the haul road - note Msikaba sandstone scarp on left

One of the first plants we found was a small Erica - very reminiscent of the Vulnerable endemic Erica abbottii, although the morphology of these plants was a little more robust than is the case for the E. abbottii we know from the Umtamvuna and Mkhambathi Nature Reserves. (We subsequently consulted with an Erica specialist who confirmed the identity of these plants). 
 

Erica abbottii

Other plants of note along this section were several orchid species, both epiphytic (Tridactyle bicaudata and Polystachya pubescens) and terrestrial (Satyrium trinerve and old stems of Habenaria and Disa species) together with a number of Crassula species, most of which are fairly common. We also found a solitary Aloe linearifolia (Near Threatened, endemic).

Crassula obovata subsp. obovata

Crassula nudicaulis

Aloe linearifolia

Another plant we found growing amongst the rocks was a Kniphofia laxiflora. Nearby were several Dierama reynoldsii and in rock crevices there were some Delosperma tradescantioides.

Kniphofia laxiflora

Dierama reynoldsii

Delosperma tradescantioides

We then traversed the grassland where there was little to see until we reached a small hill that is destined to disappear when the road is built. Here we found Tephrosia capensis var. capensis and a very substantial subpopulation of the vulnerable, cycad-like Stangeria eriopus, the latter being one of the species listed for rescue.

Tephrosia capensis var. capensis

Stangeria eriopus

We reached the vehicles just as it started drizzling and drove in the rain most of the way to Drifter's Camp at the mouth of the Msikaba River but fortunately the rain stopped as we arrived and started unpacking the vehicles. We had just enough time before dark to have a short walk to the beach where we saw a pair of Black Oystercatchers.

Black Oystercatchers

The next morning allowed a little time to take photos of some interesting plants around the camp before we set off to survey the remainder of the road reserve on the south approach to the Msikaba bridge.

Pavetta revoluta

Tricalysia africana fruit

Tricalysia africana flower

Shortly after we set off to walk this last section it started raining and it continued to rain steadily for the rest of the morning, setting in more substantially just after we reached the vehicles on the return trip.

On a bank of a small stream we found Kniphofia linearifolia and Cliffortia odorata, both in flower.

Kniphofia linearifolia

Cliffortia odorata

After this there was relatively little to see until we reached a small forest patch where there was an Apodytes dimidiata covered in pale pink flowers. Also in this patch were Zanthoxylum capense as well as one or two Zanthoxylum davyi, several Afrocanthium mundianum and some Harpephyllum caffrum.

Apodytes dimidiata

We trudged on through the rain and once again, in a forested gully, we found a few of the Near Threatened Alberta magna, some in flower.

After a brief stop at the impressive but rain-swept, Msikaba gorge at the bridge site, we walked back as fast as we could in the slippery conditions.

Looking into the gorge at the Msikaba bridge site

A rain-swept and misty Msikaba gorge at the Msikaba bridge site

Participants: Anne S, Bjorn W(SE JV), Gail B-W(SE JV), Graham G, Kate G, Lyn M, Ndimphiwe M (SE JV), Tapiwa M (SE JV).

A depleted group - walk two trails at Beacon Hill (Thurday 16 February 2017)

With several of our usual group members being away or having other unavoidable commitments, only three of us gathered together at Beacon Hill on a very hot and steamy morning. After some discussion of how the Msikaba survey went, we decided to split up, with Dorothy and Uschi heading inland towards the Beacon and Graham starting down along the Porcupine Trail to see whether the Corymborkis corymbis were flowering in the forest.

The search for the Corymborkis was disappointing as only a few plants were found and none appeared to have flowered this season. At the entrance to the forest Graham was momentarily misled into thinking he had found an unknown Ipomoea by a Hewittia malabarica growing high into the canopy. Below this was a Hypoestes forskaolii.

Hewittia malabarica

Hypoestes forskaolii 

The only flowering occupant in the understory of this part of the forest was a single Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. kathrinae.

Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. katharinae

 In the grassland along the path back to the offices were several flowering plants. The first was a yellow form of Tinnea galpinii that has only been seen at Beacon Hill, sometimes growing alongside the much more common deep maroon form.

Tinnea galpinii (yellow form)

Scrambling over a rock was an Oldenlandia affinis with tiny blue flowers, and nearby was a clump of blue-flowered Psoralea glabra.

Oldenlandia affinis

Psoralea glabra

At the stream crossing was a Tricalysia capensis with clusters of bright orange fruits.

Tricalysia capensis

Back out in the sunshine and the grassland were several Tephrosia polystachya, and near the offices was a small cluster of Exochaenium grande.

Tephrosia polystachya

Exochaenium grande

Dorothy and Uschi also saw a good selection of flowers on their walk, the most notable being Aspidoglossum ovalifolium. We last saw this plant in the same area three years ago and searches since then have been unsuccessful.

Aspidoglossum ovalifolium (Photo: D McIntyre)

Participants: Dorothy M, Graham G, Uschi T.

Back to the Western Heights and Foster's Folly (Thursday 9 February)

In view of last week's discovery of a previously unknown locality for the Rare endemic Emplectanthus dalzellii, we decided to return to this small forested gorge on the Swamp Forest stream to see if we could find more plants of this species.

Leaving our bags behind to scramble through the forest understorey, we worked our way downstream to a beautiful pool, with the rocky cliff faces framing the open grassland beyond.

The tranquil pool above the forested gorge

The pool at the Emplectanthus site

Anne quickly pointed out the specimen they had found the previous week. This plant was climbing up a small Podocarpus latifolius with its roots between rocks in the stream bed. We soon found several other plants, scattered around in the stream bed. These plants undoubtedly will be under water when the river is in flood but their subsurface parts appear to be well protected between the rocks. It was interesting to note that while the plants we know from the Swamp Forest have flowers in shades of wine-red, some of the flowers of this new subpopulation have much paler, buff to yellow flowers, reminiscent of those of Emplectanthus gerrardii which we have found at higher altitude at Ngele.

This prompted me to check the differences between the flowers of these two species of Emplectanthus. Fortunately, the differences are very evident, even before comparing the leaf shape and venation, which, again, are very different.

A partially open flower of Emplectanthus dalzellii from the Swamp Forest

Emplectanthus dalzellii from new site

Emplectanthus gerrardii from Ngele

We returned to the rocks at the start of the forested section to enjoy our lunch. There were several flowers growing in the seeps flowing down the rocks at the side of the stream: Anthospermum herbaceum, Disa tripetaloides, Monopsis unidentata and Utricularia sandersonii.

Anthospermum herbaceum

Monopsis unidentata

Anne contemplating having a lunch-time swim

After lunch, we climbed our of the narrow valley and headed for Foster's Folly - so named when Dick Foster, an aviator, had an attack of vertigo as they were climbing the steep slope up from the Umtamvuna River below.

On the rocks here we found Anthosermum hispidulum as well as several Plectranthus ernstii in flower.

Anthospermum hispidulum

Plectranthus ernstii

Apart from the fabulous view down into the Umtamvuna, we were surprised to see a Syzygium pondoense growing in an atypical habitat at the top of the cliffs, not far from a flowering Homalium rufescens.

Syzygium pondoense

Homalium rufescens

On the way back to the vehicle we came across several Indigastrum fastigiatum and Indigofera abbottii.

Indigastrum fastigiatum

Indigofera abbottii

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