A visit to a grassland within the Margate residential area (23 March 2017)

We were first alerted to the presence of this grassland by Braam van Wyk after his recent visit to our area and subsequently we had a referral about the conservation value of this grassland via the CREW Regional Office in Durban after Dr. Adrian Armstrong of KZN Wildlife had visited the site and found two endemic butterfly species. We felt that it was also important to assess the diversity of plant species on the site to help the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality officials gain a better understanding of the importance of conserving this site. We certainly appear to have KZN Wildlife support for this cause.

In a note from Dr. Armstrong, he states: "Owing the very high conservation value of the primary Sea Slopes grasslands, this area was set aside from urban expansion by the Margate Municipality. The grasslands are still in good condition, especially the primary grasslands."

The grassland is tucked away just north of the Margate airport and is roughly 1,2 km wide by 0,9 km long (about 100 ha). It has a fairly large, forested watercourse on the northern boundary (the Kongweni River?) as well as three smaller watercourses that arise on the grassland.  Some of the areas close to these watercourses is waterlogged, with these parts of the grassland being hygrophylic. We were joined on this walk by Suvarna Parbhoo and her colleagues from the CREW Regional Office.

This grassland is a very valuable remnant of the highly threatened Coastal Grassland biome, and although the local authority previously earmarked this site for conservation, it is not known whether the site enjoys formal legislated protection.

Google Earth extract of the grassland area.
The end of the Margate Airport airstrip can be seen on the
lower left of the image.

There had evidently been a fire in parts of this grassland about eight weeks earlier - probably started by an arsonist. One of the first plants we saw was Eriosema parviflorum in the unburned section and a little later Eriosema kraussianum, a resprouter in the burned section.  It is likely the fire will bring on a number of other flowers in the weeks to come.

Eriosema parviflorum

Eriosema kraussianum

We found Crassula vaginata in the longer grass and then the first of the Red Listed species for this site, Euphorbia flanaganii (Vulnerable endemic).  There were several growing at the edges of rock plates. We were recently advised that specimens of this threatened species had been offered for sale by hawkers in Port Edward, so presumably there is a market for this succulent species amongst collectors and gardeners - this is likely to increase the threat to this species.

Crassula vaginata

Euphorbia flanaganii

We came to one of the streams and here we found Cassipourea gummiflua (Vulnerable), Voacanga thouarsii and Gerrardina foliosa, all in flower. 

Cassipourea gummiflua

Voacanga thouarsii

Gerrardina foliosa

Crossing the stream we headed up towards the rocky rise where we found more of the succulent Euphorbia flanaganii. Clambering up nearby shrubs were several Macrotyloma axillare with their rather attractive cream coloured flowers with a purple throat. Another creeper found nearby was Ipomoea obscura. 

Macrotyloma axillare

Ipomoea obscura

At the edge of another forested patch on a south-facing slope we found several Aspalathus gerrardii (Vulnerable endemic) although these were not in flower. We made a final sweep across the burned section and found Ledebouria ovatifolia, Ursinia tenuiloba (endemic), and Oldenlandia affinis.

Ledebouria ovatifolia

Ursinia tenuiloba

Oldenlandia affinis

We have compiled a preliminary species list for this grassland - preliminary as this is a first visit and was undertaken at the end of our flowering season. We will no doubt be able to add to this list with further visits. The list can be found here. With 11 endemic species and 11 species of conservation concern recorded here to-date, this is a grassland worthy of protection from a botanical point of view.

We found a number of alien species on the property but generally the primary grassland is in fairly good condition. There are however threats from illegal dumping, use for recreational purposes by 4X4 vehicles, quadbikes and offroad motorbikes and cycles, and illegal plant harvesting. It is clear that the property would benefit from more active management by the local authority, together with input from KZN Wildlife.

We decided to have our lunch in the shade at the Whale Deck in Ramsgate before going our separate ways.

The PCE and CREW Regional office teams at the Whale Deck at Ramsgate. 

Participants: Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Hlengiwe M, Kate G, Kaveesha N, Suvarna P, Uschi T.