A beautiful day at Ngele (Thursday 21 December 2017)

Having heard that the flowers were good at Ngele, we decided to make an early start and head up there to visit some grasslands. Once again we had a big group with us - on this occasion, last weeks' walkers were joined by Elaine Goodman, and we picked up Robertson Madwe, our regular guide at Ngele, once we arrived.

Our objective for the day was to explore grasslands in the Umsilo Hut area but to stop at any promising-looking patches along the way. Our first stop was at Ntunta next to the surfaced road between the lodge and Weza. Here we found, amongst others, Asclepias cultriformis, Cyphia elata and Adhatoda andromeda. After walking around here for some time we realised that we had missed the peak flowering for this patch by some weeks.

Asclepias cultriformis

Cyphia elata

Adhatoda andromeda

Heading on and up, we stopped at another grassland below Umsilo where we had found it to be very productive in the past. Massed flowering of Eriosema distinctum at the roadside greeted us as we got out of the vehicles and moved up the slope. Another eye-catching species was Watsonia lepida - Disa pulchra mimics this species so we had to look at each one to confirm what it was but unfortunately we were to find no Disa pulchra on this outing. Near the top of this hill we started finding less common flowers. One of the first to catch the eye was Resnova lachenalioides (Ledebouria lachenalioides) but not far away was a single Gladiolus parvulus and the cryptically marked Gladiolus ecklonis.

Eriosema distinctum

 

Watsonia lepida

 

Resnova lachenalioides

Gladiolus parvulus

Gladiolus ecklonis 

Then we started to find several different members of the Apocynaceae family. First we found Aspidoglossum glanduliferum and soon after, Asclepias vicaria. Nearby was an Aspidonepsis flava.

Asclepias vicaria 

Aspidoglossum glanduliferum

Aspidonepsis flava

Moving back down the hill we crossed the track and headed down the valley, skirting a small stream. Here we found plants enjoying wet conditions - Geranium subglabrum, Arctotis arctotioides, and a number of old inflorescence stems of Drimia macrocentra. The latter is an odd plant with tapering cylindrical leaves that often can emerge metres away from where the flower stalk appears.

Arctotis arctotioides

Geranium subglabrum

Following this stream downwards, we reached a confluence with another small stream. In the flood plain between the streams there was a good population of bright pink flowered Chironia krebsii. In the wet soil at the edge of the stream we found a number of buds on Eucomis comosa var. striata and these were accompanied by several Barberetta aurea - a little unusual to find this shade-loving plant out in the open. Also at the side of the stream were several Bowkeria verticillata. A short distance upstream we found a single Eulophia parvilabris. Growing in the path were Hypoxis parvula var. albiflora and dotted around this area were Helichrysum cooperii.

Chironia krebsii

Barberetta aurea

Bowkeria verticillata

Hypoxis parvula var. albiflora

Helichrysum cooperii

Eulophia parvilabris

Climbing back out of the valley we encountered Cycnium racemosum and Indigastrum fastigiatum. On a rock outcrop was a Xysmalobium tysonianum. Back near the vehicles we found a lonely Disa stachyoides.

Cycnium racemosum

Indigastrum fastigiatum

Xysmalobium tysonianum

We drove a little further and stopped in the shade of some pine trees to enjoy our lunch to the sound of a nearby stream. We filled our water bottles with this clear mountain water and then strolled across the section of grassland just below where the Umsilo overnight hut was situated. There were some serious cattle paths across this grassland - cattle grazing in the nature reserve is a contentious issue and needs resolution before the grasslands are irreparably damaged. A balance needs to be found between pressure to allow grazing by the local community's cattle and the need for conserving the biodiversity of this very valuable montane area.

In this area we found the brown-maroon flowered Schizoglossum stenoglossum with another plant nearby full of softly furry fruits.

Schizoglossum stenoglossum

Schizoglossum stenoglossum fruits

On a south-facing bank we found several Tulbaghia leucantha and what is probably Ledebouria cooperii. Apart from Pachycarpus concolor, we also found Pachycarpus plicatus. Hidden in cracks in rock outcrops were several flowering Streptocarpus pusilus.

Walking back we found an enormous mushroom - what is locally known as iKowe, and is renowned to be very good eating. Unfortunately this one had sat out too long and the gills were infested with maggots.

Tulbaghia leucantha

Pachycarpus plicatus

Streptocarpus pusilus

The big mushroom

We posed here for our group photo with the Ngele mountain range in the background.

After dropping Robertson off at the DAFF offices, we drove a different route to allow us a little time to explore a final grassland. Here we did particularly well first finding Eucomis comosa var. striata in flower and then seeing Satyrium parviflorum. We were also lucky to find Dioscorea brownii in flower and could make a voucher specimen as this was one of our target species.

 

Eucomis comosa var striata

Dioscorea brownii

Satyrium parviflorum

In a little wet area we found many beautiful"Christmas Bells", Sandersonia aurantiaca, as well as tall Ornithogalum princeps, and as we did a final sweep through the grassland on our way back to the vehicles, we found Xysmalobium undulatum and Sisyranthus trichostomus.

 

Sandersonia aurantiaca

 

Ornithogalum princeps

Sisyranthus trichostomus

Participants: Anne S, Debbie K, Elaine G, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Jean P, Lizeka G, Moraea P, Phakamani M, Robertson M, Sarel C, Wendy B.