Escaping the madding holiday crowds at the beach for a quieter stay in Hilton in the KwaZulu Natal midlands gave us an opportunity to explore some grasslands in the area. The first visit was to the Thurlow Game Reserve near Midmar Dam.
Our first stop was for several bright clumps of Aloe ecklonis close to the road. Exploring further we saw an impressive display of Alysicarpus rugosus, with many flowering ground-hugging shrubs dotted around. Xysmalobium undulatum were also doing well here. We made our way towards a reed-bed finding Asclepias flexuosus on the way.
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| Aloe ecklonis |
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| Alisycarpus rugosus |
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| Asclepias flexuosus |
In a wet area near the stream was a single remaining Crinum bulbispermum in flower, several Epilobium salignum and a number of large shrubby Clutia katharinae. Helichrysum rugosus formed a carpet in the drier areas.
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| Epilobium salignum |
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| Crinum bulbispermum |
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| Clutia katharinae |
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| Helichrysum rugosus |
Having seen what was on offer at this spot we drove on, stopping briefly to get photos of Vernonia gerrardii before crossing a stream and heading up a hill. At the side of the track we were treated to the sight of a small Erythrina zeyheri in flower and then we stopped at the top of the first hill and started exploring again. There were several large patches of Ipomoea oblongata flowering brightly here. Growing alongside the track were some rather yellow/brown coloured Gladiolus dalenii.
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| Vernonia gerrardii |
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| Erythrina zeyheri (ploegbreeker) |
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| Ipomoea oblongata |
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| Gladiolus dalenii |
We headed out towards the rocky edge to this hill top where we found a local endemic species, Asclepias woodii, a new species for us. Draped over the rocks was Cyphostemma natalitium and Lablab purpureus spread in between the rocks. There were also clumps of Indigofera hendecaphylla, the occasional patch of Schizocarpus nervosus and a single Lantana rugosa. Low shrubs of Grewia hispida crowded around some of the rocks. Another interesting find on this hillock was Pachycarpus natalensis.
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| Asclepias woodii |
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| Cyphostemma natalitium |
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| Lablab purpureus |
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| Lantana rugosa |
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| Grewia hispida |
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| Pachycarpus natalensis |
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| Schizocarpus nervosus |
Two days later we set off to visit the Mount Gilboa nature reserve, pausing briefly to pick up Isabel Johnson on the way. Along the road we found the first of several Gladiolus sericeovillosus and a little further on, Gloriosa modesta.
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| Gladiolus sericeovillosus |
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| Gloriosa modesta |
As we drove towards Mark's Dam on the forestry roads, we saw the first of the Midlands endemics for the day -- Dierama luteoalbidum, an impressively large-flowered species with off-white flowers. The grassland around the dam produced a good display of flowers, including the eyecatching Leobordea corymbosa.
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| Dierama luteoalbidum |
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| Leobordea eriantha |
We explored the rocky ridges above the dam and fortunately Isabel was able to direct us to find some of the special species of this area. Passing some Crocosmia potsii and a few Zaluzianskya microsiphon, we came across a large flowered Indigofera species and Wahlenbergia appressifolia.
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| Crocosmia pottsii |
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| Indigofera sp |
In the wetter areas near the stream we found a few Psoralea rhizotoma in flower. Crossing a drainage line and up the next slope we started seeing clumps of the Endangered endemic Aloe neilcrouchii as well as small clumps of Delosperma sutherlandii, both new species for us. In between the rocks there were Dianthus zeyheri.
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| Psoralea rhizotoma |
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| Aloe neilcrouchi |
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| Dianthus zeyheri |
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| Delosperma sutherlandii |
On top of the ridge we found Syncolostemon parviflorus - most of these plants had finished flowering but I managed to find one with a few flowers. There were also several Xysmalobium parviflorum hunched against rocks and a patch of the tall-stemmed Gerbera kraussii.
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| Syncolostemon parviflorus |
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| Xysmalobium parviflorum |
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| Gerbera karussii |
We then drove to the top of Mount Gilboa and immediately started seeing many orchids, the most prominent of which, and possibly the dominant species on this peak, was Disa pulchra. Close to the vehicle we found a Disperis cardiophora, some Drimia sphaerocephala and one or two of the shy, small-flowered Moraea trifida as well as Zaluzianskya natalensis.
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| Disa pulchra |
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| Disperis cardiophora |
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| Drimia sphaerocephala |
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| Moraea trifida |
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| Zaluzianskya natalensis |
We had a great time wandering among the Disa pulchra and Disa chrysostachya, finding a Teedia lucida growing between two big rocks. We stopped to examine a clump of pink Dierama and decided these were Dierama dracomontana
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| Teedia lucida |
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| Disa chrysostachya |
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| On top of Mount Gilboa |
After a quick lunch looking out over the flowering Calodendrum capense trees in the indigenous forest below us, we decided to explore another nearby peak and scaled a fairly steep grassy slope to get to the top. We saw many Athrixia arachnoidea and then came across Disa saxicola in the long grass. Growing in rock crevices we found several Begonia sutherlandii proudly showing their bright orange flowers, contrasting with the white flowers of the little Streptocarpus pusilus.
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| Athrixia arachnoidea |
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| Begonia sutherlandii |
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| Disa saxicola |
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| Geranium wakkerstroomianum |
Back at the bottom of the hill there were Indigofera foliosa.
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| Indigofera foliosa |
We have to thank Adam Shuttleworth for suggesting places to visit while we were staying in Hilton and what we might expect to see at these two sites. He also provided identification for two of the Apocynaceae we had not seen very often before.
Participants: Graham G, Isabel J, Kate G.
