We decided to walk in the direction of Ingrid's Falls, which gave us the option of staying out in the grasslands or, if it got too hot, pushing our way into the forests below the falls. On the way down the track we came across what we first thought was an Empodium monophyllum but which, on closer examination turned out to be a very unseasonal Cyrtanthus breviflorus.
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| Cyrtanthus breviflorus |
Crossing the small stream we came across an unusual white form of Genlisea hispidula.
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| Genlisea hispidula (white form) |
We turned off the path before we reached the forest patch and skirting the forest, headed down towards the known locality a population of the Vulnerable endemic Cineraria dryogeton (known only from the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve). On the way we came across several Exochaenium sp. nov. as well as a Habenaria woodii.
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| Exochaenium sp. nov. |
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| Habenaria woodii |
Further down the slope we saw a Pachycarpus grandiflorus and then we came to the forest edge where we saw the first of several Cineraria dryogeton in flower. At a rough count, there are at least 30 plants of this species in this small population.
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| Pachycarpus grandiflorus |
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| Cineraria dryogeton |
By this stage it had become uncomfortably hot so we pushed our way into the forest to get out of the direct sun. Here it was cooler but the humidity was still oppressive. After stopping for a drink, we explored the area heading down the slope towards Ingrid's Falls.
We saw Trumpeter Hornbills and hordes of Redwing Starlings enjoying the fruits in a tall fig tree towering above us. On a damp cliff face we found numbers of Begonia sutherlandii with their bright orange flowers and nearby was a small colony of Utricularia sandersonii.
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| Begonia sutherlandii |
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| Utricularia sandersonii |
We were the pleased to find some Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. katharinae in flower on the forest floor.
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| Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. katharinae |
The slope had become rather steep so we stopped short of getting to the base of the falls and turned back, making a detour to a rock outcrop. Here we found a few Kniphofia angustifolia.
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| Kniphofia angustifolia |
On the final climb up the path back to the office we saw both Tephrosia kraussiana from Tephrosia polystachya.
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| Tephrosia krassiana |
Participants: Anne S, Dorothy M, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Uschi T.
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