Kate and I drove up to Kokstad to participate in the CREW Bioblitz at Mt Currie Nature Reserve, situated just to the north outside Kokstad. There was a big group of interested participants from Matatiele and a couple from Kokstad together with the Durban CREW team as well as Vathiswa Zikishe, a CREW staff member from Grahamstown. We set off by driving to the site of Adam Kok's original kraal (now part of the reserve property) where we parked and started walking.
It was not long before we came across the first flowers -- Aloe ecklonis and Eulophia ovalis were prominent but there were also several Eulophia zeyheriana scattered around. We also saw Cucumis hirsutus and a single clump of Kniphofia laxiflora next to a rock.
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| Aloe ecklonis |
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| Starting the bioblitz |
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| Cucumis hirsutus |
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| Eulophia ovalis |
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| Eulophia zeyheriana |
There was also a good display of a low-growing Indigofera which we identified as Indigofera rostrata and then we were lucky to find Pachycarpus campanulatus in flower, with its wonderful pale, bell-shaped flowers. A little higher up the slope we found another Pachycarpus species, Pachycarpus dealbatus. All around us was a narrow-leafed form of Protea caffra, one or two of which had flowers.
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| Indigofera rostrata |
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| Kniphofia laxiflora |
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| Pachycarpus campanulatus |
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| Pachycarpus dealbatus |
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| Protea caffra |
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| Schizoglossum hamatum |
We stopped for a short breather and this gave Suvarna an opportunity to explain what the CREW program was all about and she and Nicky McCleod could explore how to work together in future.
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| Informal CREW presentation and discussion |
We moved on up the slope and decided to look at a rock outcrop ahead of us. On the way there we came across many Bowiea volubilis, most of them in flower. The rock outcrop proved to be interesting with several of the small orchid Disperis micrantha growing in the leaf litter under the trees, some of these in bud. We also found Phytolacca heptandra displaying its fleshy fruit.
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| Bowiea volubilis |
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| Phytolacca heptandra |
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| Chaenostoma floribunda |
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| The bioblitzers at Mt Currie |
The following morning we met up with Vathiswa and Pat Lowry, manager of the Mt. Currie Nature Reserve and headed up to their vulture restaurant. This was a higher vantage point than we have reached on previous visits to the Reserve. We walked from there, heading higher towards some south-facing slopes below cliffs on Mt Currie. On the way we saw Watsonia gladioloides, Aspidonepsis flava, Dianthus mooiensis (including a white form), Habenaria laevigata and Habenaria lithophila, some Xysmalobium stockenstromense (flower and fruit) and big patches of blue-flowered Lotononis lotononoides.
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| Watsonia gladioloides |
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| Aspidonepsis flava |
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| White form of Dianthus mooiensis |
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| Habenaria leavigata |
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| Habenaria lithophila |
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| Haplocarpha scaposa |
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| Indigofera dimidiata |
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| Xysmalobium stockenstromense |
We reached a saddle where we found many patches of silvery-flowered Helichrysum confertifolium. The grasslands here were in partial shade of the mountains and being cooler and wetter, there were many other flowering species on show. We saw Ursinia alpina, Neobolusia tysonii and several Schizochilus zeyheri. In the distance we could see patches where large numbers of Agapanthus campanulatus subsp. patens were flowering.
A short distance above us on a steep grassy slope we could see more of these Agapanthus, and scattered in the grass nearby were a couple of Senecio macrocephala and many Athrixia angustissima. Another species to show its heads above the tall grass here was Kniphofia angustifolia.
We headed towards some pink patches in the grass and these turned out to be Cycnium racemosum. This brought us to the base of a rocky ridge and we explored further amongst the rocks. Here we found more of the Schizochilus zeyheri, numbers of Holothrix thodei, and a few Schizoglossum elingue. There was another Schizoglossum that needs some consultation to confirm its identity.
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| Helichrysum confertifolium |
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| Ursinia alpina |
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| Holothrix thodei |
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| Kniphofia angustifolia |
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| Senecio macrocephala |
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| Athrixia angustissima |
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| Agapanthus campanulatus subsp. patens |
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| Schizoglossum elingue |
By now the clouds were building up and Pat advised us to be off the mountain peaks by 14h00 in case of lightning. He set off back while we stopped to enjoy the view and have lunch on another nearby ridge. Here we found Euryops evansii and Indigofera woodii.
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| Euryops evansii |
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| Indigofera woodii |
After our lunch we followed Pat's prudent advice and headed back down, finding the blue-flowered Polygala gerrardii in the path. Once back near the vehicle we headed towards the nearby wetalnd where Pat had spotted some pink flowers. These proved to be a small colony of Satyrium hallackii accompanied by two of the more rare Disa scullyi and a few Satyrium parviflora. Also in this wetland we found one Aponogeton junceus.
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| Satyrium hallackii |
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| Aponogeton junceus |
We seemed to have had the timing of our walk just right as a thunderstorm started as we got back to our cottage in the reserve.
The next morning we took a leisurely stroll into the lower grasslands near to the cottage. Growing in the stream feeding the dam we found Crocosmia pottsii (red and orange forms) and large numbers of Eucomis comosa var. striata and Berula repanda.
However, the next morning we headed off to a neighbouring farm, which is situated on a contact with the Insizwa geological complex. This is different from the dolerite soils further east and there were corresponding differences in the plant diversity. One of the most notable features was mounds of the very impressive Euphorbia pulvinata.
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| Looking out over the Insiwa range |
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| Alwyn's Falls with the Umzimvubu River below |
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| Amongst the Euphorbia pulvinata |
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| Amongst the Euphorbia pulvinata |
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| Euphorbia pulvinata enveloping an Aloe |
We worked our way along the base of the cliffs and found many Cyanotis robusta, some clumps of Pelargonium zonale, a few medium sized trees which we identified as Searsia divaricata and some glossy-leafed Rhamnus prinoides. Once again the clouds were building up so we headed back to the vehicles - the end of a most enjoyable few days in the Kokstad area.
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| Cyanotis robusta |
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| Pelargonium zonale |
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| Searsia divaricata |
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| Rhamnus prinoides |
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| With our hosts, Mike and Jeanette Rennie |
Participants:
Bioblitz 25 Jan: Dean R, Graham G, Hlengi M, Kate G, Margie S, Nicky M, Nosisa N, Pat L, Renira B, Suvarna P, Thabo M, Thembanani N, Tsoanelo S, Vatiswa Z.
Day 2 26 Jan: Graham G, Kate G, Pat L, Vatiswa Z
Day 3 27 Jan: Graham G, Kate G
Day 4 28 Jan: Graham G, Jeanette R, Kate G, Mike R
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