Ingrid's Falls (Thursday 12 April, 2018)

After a period where many of our CREW group were unavailable, we were all ready to walk again. The group included Tracy Taylor for the first time. As the recent walks had been to the beacon we decided to walk coastwards with the intention of having lunch at Ingrid's Falls. 

We had not walked far along the path before we saw a good display of Helichrysum adenocarpum ssp adenocarpum.

Helichrysum adenocarpum

We followed the track for a short distance around the rock outcrop where we saw Inulanthera leucoclada, Erica cubica and Crassula alba. There was also a colourful patch of Stiburus alopecuroides.

Inulanthera leucoclada

Crassula alba

Erica cubica

 

Stiburus alopecuroides

Turning back we saw a single Cycnium racemosum in flower and then we headed into a wetland area and found a few remaining Habenaria woodii still in flower. A bit further on was a good display of Disa polygonoides amongst a number of Genlisea hispidula.

Cycnium racemosum

Habenaria woodii

Disa polygonoides

We headed down towards the stream finding Syncolostemon rotundifolius, Lobelia pteropoda and Senecio rhyncholaenus on a rock outcrop.

Syncolostemon rotundifolius

Lobelia pteropoda

Senecio rhyncholaenus

Just over the stream we encountered both Commelina diffusa and  Commelina africana amongst the grass. A bit further on we started seeing Exochaenium grande and Thunbergia atriplicifolia and this provided the opportunity to juxtapose the two flowers for comparison. We also found the undescribed Exochaenium sp. nov. in this area.

Commelina diffusa

Commelina africana

Exochaenium grande (L) and Thunbergia atriplicifolia

Exochaenium sp. nov.

Heading over the brow towards Ingrid's Falls we noticed a large clump of Syncolostemon - this proved to be Syncolostemon rotundifolius on closer inspection. Behind this were a number of silvery shrubs of Lotononis meyeri, the latter unfortunately being past their flowering period.

Lotononis meyeri

We reached our lunch spot at Ingrid's Falls and once out of the cool wind enjoyed the autumn sunshine and the view down into the Bulolo River gorge. Amongst the rocks we saw Schefflera umbellifera and Tricalysia capensis flowering.

Ingrid's Falls

Schefflera umbellifera

Tricalysia capensis

On the way back we detoured over a forested rock outcrop where we found several Stenoglottis fimbriata flowering and nearby was a Senecio helminthoides hanging from a tree.

Senecio helminthoides

Near the outcrop we found Lopholaena dregeana with a few flowers. Once back at the stream, Gail nearly grasped a Vine Snake as she tried to steady herself - the snake, undeterred, happily posed for us.

Lopholaena dregeana

Well-camouflaged vine snake 

Participants: Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Tracy T.