The Rossmin grassland and forested area has been established as an offset required as a condition of the granting of a mining license on another part of the Rossmin holdings. Geoff Nichols has been retained to manage this protected natural area and Pondoland CREW have been assisting with the recording of plant species here. In the shrubby undergrowth where we parked we found several species in flower; Abutilon sonneratianum, Grewia hispida, Grewia occidentalis and Pavonia columella.
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| Abutilon sonneratianum |
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| Grewia hispida |
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| Grewia occidentalis |
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| Hibiscus fuscus |
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| Ipomoea plebia |
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| Pavonia columella |
Heading across the rise to check what was happening on the west-facing grassland we found some fruit on a Gymnosporia rubra, and saw Coddia rudis, Thunbergia dregeana and Tecomaria capensis in flower.
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| Gymnosporia rubra fruit |
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| Thunbergia dregeana |
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| Coddia rudis |
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| Tecomaria capensis |
Although there were many Senecio coronatus in flower here, there was not much else flowering yet so we returned to the east-facing slope which had been burned earlier and had more flowers. Here we found Thunbergia atriplicifolia, Tritonia gladiolaris, Gerbera piloselloides and Pentanisia prunelliodes.
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| Senecio coronatus |
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| Thunbergia atriplicifolia |
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| Tritonia gladiolaris |
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| Gerbera piloselloides |
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| Pentanisia prunelliodes |
There were several orchid species: Eulophia hians subsp. hians, Eulophia hians subsp. inaequalis and the short spurred form of Eulophia parviflora. There were also several white flowered Dierama igneum, as well as a sizable population of Bulbine capitata.
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| Eulophia hians subsp. hians |
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| Eulophia hians subsp. inaequalis |
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| Dierama igneum |
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| Bulbine capitata |
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| Enjoying the Bulbine display |
Having thoroughly explored this grassland we took leave of Geoff Nichols and headed back to the Umtamvua Nature Reserve where we wanted to see if we could find some fruits of the undescribed Hesperantha we had collected some weeks back as these were needed for the description of the plant. We parked just inside the reserve gate and were immediately amongst the flowers. We took a few moments to check what was in the immediate vicinity finding Eriosema kraussianum, Leobordea pulchra, and Pimpinella caffra.
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| Eriosema kraussianum |
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| Leobordea pulchra |
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| Pimpinella caffra |
We made our way across the slope towards the locality of the Hesperantha but stopped to have lunch under the forest canopy near the cliff edge. After lunch we searched the area where we had found the Hesperantha and came across three stalks of what might be its old flowers. We then worked our way back along the firebreak where we saw Ochna serrulata flowering from its place in a crack on a rock plate, many Sopubia simplex, Crassula vaginata in bud and a robust Raphionacme galpinii.
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| Ochna serrulata |
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| Sopubia simplex |
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| Crassula vaginata |
We then drove the short distance to Smedmore to look for the Euphorbia bupleurifolia we had seen here on a previous visit. We were lucky to find a few of these charismatic plants in flower. Near to them was another pleasant surprise - several Anemone caffra in flower.
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| Euphorbia bupleurifolia |
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| Anemone caffra |
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| Peering down into the Umtamvuna River gorge |
These two interesting species rounded off a most rewarding day.
Participants: Gail B-W, Geoff N, Graham G, Kate G, and Uschi T.
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