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.
No comments:
Post a Comment