Saturday, 20 January 2018

Ingrid's Falls on a hot day (Thursday 18 January, 2018)

Having noticed two Invasive Alien Plants near the offices at Beacon Hill earlier in the week, we decided to deal with these before we set off for our walk. We used this as an opportunity to demonstrate to the Reserve Manager, Enoch Mahlangu, and CREW member Phakamani Mfuthi how to use herbicide and mechanical methods to deal with these species. The first was a large Clusia rosaea,  which we first cut off at the base with a saw and, after removing the dozens of seedlings from under the tree, treated the stumps with herbicide. All fruits were collected for later incineration.

The other species was easier to deal with - a single Hedychium gardnerianum (Kahili ginger lily) which is a Category 1b-listed invasive plant under SA legislation. This plant was simply sprayed with herbicide and will be monitored. Enoch took the herbicide to deal with a small infestation of Campuloclinium macrocephalum (pom pom weed) in the road reserve adjacent to the reserve to prevent the species invading the reserve.

Dealing with the Clusia (Photo Kate G)

Having dealt with these two problem plants, we set off for our walk heading down towards the coast and across the first stream. Walking across the next section of grassland, we saw several Cycnium racemosum in flower. We walked through a small wetland where we normally see Exochaenium sp. nov. but on this occasion we could find none of these plants. We then skirted the forest moving down the slope where we found a quite a few of the Vulnerable narrow endemic Cineraria dryogeton just beginning to flower. 

Cycnium racemosum

Cineraria dryogeton

Once past the C. dryogeton we pushed our way into the welcome shade of the cool forest and made our way through the understory plants to the waterfall. There was quite a good flow coming across the falls and the spray was casting a misty veil in front of the cliffs. High above us we could make out an Agapanthus campanulatus and two unknown Cyrtanthus flowering on the cliffs near the waterfall. Phakamani took a scramble along the rocks under the falls to cool off.

Cyrtanthus sp.

Ingrid's Falls

Phakamani under the spray from the waterfall

In the shade of the trees near the base of the falls, we found many Streptocarpus formosus in flower. This species has had us scratching our heads for some time. It is Red Listed as a Rare endemic to the Pondoland Centre of Endemism but we see it fairly regularly if we visit the right habitat. As we see it so frequently we have been inclined to identify it as S. primulifolius (Red Listed as LC), but Hilliard differentiates the species on the basis of the yellow patch with brown flecks in the throat of the flowers and these flowers clearly have that feature.


Streptocarpus formosus

Close to the Streptocarpus were vines of Thunbergia purpurata in flower and fruit. In the dark shadows of the forest we found Pavetta galpinii with its flowers shining like stars in the shadows.

Thunbergia purpurata

Pavetta galpinii

In a sunny spot we found Micrococca capensis bearing its three-lobed fruits and on the cliffs nearby were several Begonia sutherlandii with their orange flowers. In the leaf litter were a few flowering Chlorophytum modestum. We eventually scrambled up a navigable part of the cliff to emerge from the forest into the grassland where there was a good display of the pink-flowered Watsonia densiflora.



Micrococca capensis

Chlorophytum modestum


Participants: Anne S, Dorothy M, Graham G, Kate G, Phakamani M.

Showcasing Pondoland plants for a visiting group (Tues. & Wed. 16~17 January 2018

Kate and I were asked to provide some local plant knowledge for the benefit of a tour group freshly arrived from Europe. Once they had had the opportunity to settle in at their accommodation, we set off in the late afternoon to explore the Rennie's grasslands. It soon turned out that the two lady members of the group were botanists and interested in all plants, so progress across the grassland was slow. We stopped to look at Thunbergia atriplicifolia and Schizocarpus nervosus but it was not long before we reached a rock outcrop where we could show them Euphorbia flanaganii and Ceropegia carnosa. A single Pachycarpus asperifolius was the next thing to catch our attention and nearby we found an Erythrina humeana flowering well.

 
Euphorbia flanaganii
 
Ceropegia carnosa



Pachycarpus asperifolius

Enjoying the plants at Rennies'

Crossing a drainage line we walked over a rise seeing several Indigofera dregeana before we reached the plants of the day, a small group of Disa polygonoides, where some time was spent taking photographs. On the way back to the vehicles we found one or two Sopubia simplex. 



Indigofera dregeana

Disa polygonoides

Sopubia simplex

Early the next morning we set off for the Red Desert Nature Reserve and spent much of the morning exploring the grasslands there. Walking along the path, tour-guide Paul found a Exochaenium sp. nov. - a first record of this species in this reserve. Walking past the Rafnia elliptica, we headed down to the cliffs above the Umtamvuna River where we found an Ipomoea mauritiana in flower. Nearby there were several Cryptocarya wyliei in fruit and a few inflorescenses of Brachystelma rubellum protruded above the grass.


Ipomoea mauritiana

Cryptocarya wyliei

Brachystelma rubellum
 

Crossing the hill we found Crotalaria globifera, Eriosemopsis subanisophila and Relhania pungens.  After seeing a single Habenaria clavata, we decided we had had enough battering from the strong wind and headed back to the vehicles and up to the Beacon Hill entrance to the Umtamvuna Nature reserve.


Crotalaria globifera

Eriosemopsis subanisophila

Relhania pungens
  

Habenaria clavata


After we had lunch in the shade of one of the shelters where we saw Polygala virgata, we set off towards the beacon finding Eucomis autumnalis and Habenaria dives as we moved up the slope.



Polygala virgata

After pointing out the Chironia albiflora at the beacon we turned and moved back towards another rocky slope, passing some Moraea elliottii. On the rock outcrop we found Brachystelma australe in flower. We then headed down into Mr. Nic's Gully where we managed to find a few Streptocarpus porphyrostachys growing on the rocks. Also growing in the shade of the forested stream were a flowering Pavetta bowkeri, Putterlickia retrospinosa and a few hanging branches of Plectranthus saccatus subsp. pondoensis. By this stage the tour group was pretty exhausted after a full day in the sun and strong wind, so we called it a day with the hope that the rest of their trip would be successful.


Photo time - each with a Moraea elliottii



Kate and I with the tour group

Brachystelma australe

Streptocarpus porphyrostachys
Participants: Adrian A, Frieda B, Graham G, Kate G, Paul C and Sandrine G. 

Miraglossum and Disa at Ntsikeni (Monday, 15 January 2018)

Adam Shuttleworth expressed an interest in seeing Miraglossum superbum and since I am always keen to visit Ntsikeni - particularly in January - we arranged to meet along the Franklin/Ntsikeni road to the reserve. Adam was accompanied by Ruth Cozien who was looking for Guthrea capensis as she is studying the pollination of this species and hoped to find a population at Ntsikeni. With little time at our disposal and a lot of ground to cover, we drove straight to the first stream crossing in the reserve. Adam found an Asclepias vicaria here amongst several clusters of Aloe ecklonis.

At this point Ruth left to explore a nearby gorge and having checked the population of Disa scullyi and some very tall Disa chrysostachya (plus several other species growing in this wetland), Adam and I drove further to the second stream crossing where we stopped and set out to look for Miraglossum superbum in the open grassland.

Aloe ecklonis

Disa scullyi

Disa chrysostachya

Gladiolus papilio

Melasma scabra

Moraea inclinata 

The first plants to catch the eye here were several Disa cooperi, differentiated from D. scullyi by the green lip. It was not long before we found the first Miraglossum -unfortunately not the M. superbum  we were looking for but M. pulchellum. Despite being relatively nondescript from a distance (and very attractive up close), we soon realised that there were a great many of these Miraglossum in this area. We also saw Hermannia woodii and large numbers of Monsonia grandifolia. Ruth briefly joined us here before driving on to the lodge and setting off up the mountain.



Disa cooperi

Hermannia woodii

Miraglossum pulchellum

Monsonia grandiflora

We drove a short distance to a dolerite ridge and worked our way along it. There were many Eulophia zeyheriana flowering on either side of the ridge. We also found two specimens of the as-yet undescribed species of Xysmalobium. Other species seen here were Pachycarpus dealbatus, Brunsvigia grandiflora, Disa cornuta and Satyrium hallackii.

Xysmalobium sp. nov.

Satyrium hallackii

Pachycarpus dealbatus

Brunsvigia grandiflora

Disa cornuta

After a stop for lunch at the lodge, we explored the mountain slopes opposite the lodge. Walking through the wetland to get to the mountain, I saw a single Disa rhodantha. On the lower slopes I found several Disa versicolor and two Argyrolobium species, namely A. sericosemium and Argyrolobium tuberosum.  There was also a small Lotononis lotononoides and many Galium capense and Xysmalobium tysonianum.  Perched on the damp edge above a sandstone outcrop were several Disa oreophila.



Argyrolobium tuberosum

Argyrolobium sericosemium

Disa rhodantha

Disa oreophila

Galium capense

Lotononis lotononoides

Xysmalobium tysonianum

With thunder rolling and mist creeping in I decided it was time to head home while Adam waited for Ruth to come back down from where she had found the population of Guthrea capensis. On the way back I stopped at a roadside cutting and found some slightly dusty but beautiful Cyrtanthus epiphyticus and Eucomis humilis.



Cyrtanthus epiphyticus

Eucomis humilis
Participants: Adam S, Graham G, Ruth C.