A autumn visit to Jolivet (Saturday 15 April 2017)

Taking advantage of already being in the area, Kate and I visited Jolivet to see what this private conserved grassland area looked like in autumn as our previous visits had been in spring and summer. 

Our first stop was to see if we could find any of the Critically Endangered Riocreuxia flanaganii var alexandrina that grow among the tall grass near a stream. We found two plants and fortunately the second had several fruits.

Riocreuxia flanaganii var. alexandrina fruits

Near the stream we found Pavonia columella and Plectranthus laxiflorus and the lower slopes of the hillside were dotted with Phymaspermum acerosum and a few Galopina crocyllioides with their attractive fruits.

Pavonia columella

Plectranthus laxiflorus

Phymaspermum acerosum

Galopina crocyllioides 

In a small dam we found Nymphoides thunbergiana and on the banks of the dam was a Lasiosiphon macropetalus.

Nymphoides thunbergiana

Lasiosiphon macropetalus

We then drove up to the highest parts of the farm where we looked for any signs of seed capsules on the Satyrium rhodanthum we had found there in spring but could find none. In a small wooded patch nearby we found Memecylon natalense and Combretum kraussii in fruit and a Senecio helminthoides flowering in the forest margin.

Combretum kraussii fruits

Memecylon natalense fruits

 

Senecio helminthoides

On the high-lying slopes we found the impressive Gymnanthemum crataegifolium  as well as Inulanthera leucoclada.

Gymnanthemum crataegifolium

Inulanthera leucoclada

Amongst some rocks we found an unusual Plectranthus and after some reading, decided this is Plectranthus hereroensis.


 

Plectranthus hereroensis

Participants: Graham G, Kate G.