Exploring rock outcrops on the Western Heights (Thursday 24 May 2018)

We decided to explore the rocky crags above the Bulolo River gorge on the Western Heights for our walk this Thursday and set off with two full vehicles. The road to the Western Heights was dry and easy to navigate despite the "lumpiness". Leaving the vehicles at the side of the track we moved through thick grass down the slope towards the Bulolo. There was a small tree fern Alsophila dregei on this slope and many stops were made to inspect the colonies of lithophytes on the rocks.

Alsophila dregei

Checking the lithophytes on one of the rocks (photo Gail B-W)

We found a few (very early) Polystachya pubescens flowering. In this same patch Ochna serrulata displayed its characteristic spiky galls and all these plants were surrounded by dry Selaginella dregei. On a nearby ledge was a cluster of Erica aspalathifolia displaying old flower stalks.

Polystachya pubescens

Gall on Ochna serrulata

Erica aspalathifolia

Selaginella dregei

Moving further down and along a ledge we found a few Rangaeris muscicola in flower - this was no surprise as in earlier walks this month we have seen this species in bud. There were a few Sopubia simplex around and we found one plant with (almost) white flowers. Burchellia bubalina plants were beginning to flower too.

Rangaeris muscicola

Sopubia simplex

Burchellia bubalina

Working our way back up the slope we encountered an oddly-shaped weathered rock posed against the skyline. Near the base of this was a stunted Syzygium cordatum in flower and also sporting a few ripe fruits. On many of the rock outcrops Aloe arborescens proudly displayed their eye-catching flower spikes and we saw a few Gurney's Sugarbirds taking advantage of the nectar offered by these flowers.

Very weathered rock

Syzygium cordatum

Aloe arborescens

We found a pleasant spot for lunch and Mark grabbed the chance to rest his weary eyes - see him in the background in the image below.

In the area near our lunch rocks we found a small Gerrardina foliosa with flowers and fruit and after we got going again we found Maesa lanceolata with a few flower spikes. Above this shrub was Cassipourea gummiflua with tight clusters of fruits towards the ends of the branches

Gerrardina foliosa

Maesa lanceolata

Cassipourea gummiflua

On many of the rock plates we found Crassula perfoliata subsp. heterotricha in bud. There was Dalbergia multijuga displaying a spray of dried fruit pods, a small Tricalysia capensis dotted with orange fruits and a similar display from Psychotria capensis.

Crassula perfoliata subsp. heterotricha

Dalbergia multijuga fruits

Tricalysia capensis

Psychotria capensis

View down into the Bulolo River gorge

(Photo Gail B-W)

The last stretch back to the vehicles (Photo Gail B-W)

Tracy could not resist the cushion offered by the cut grass

Participants: Anne S, Colin T, Dorothy M, Elaine L, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie M, Mark G, Tracy T.

In search of fertile Nectaropetalum material on the Fish Eagle trail (Thursday 17 May, 2018)

Prof. Kevin Balkwill, who has undertaken to write the section on Erythroxylaceae for the Flora KZN, asked if we might be able to find fruits of the two Nectaropetalum species, N. capense and N. zuluense, and so we decided to walk the Fish Eagle trail in the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve where we know many of these species are to be found.

We set off from the Pont Entrance to the reserve and walked along the forest path. We did not have to go far before we found the first flowers on an Acalypha glabra. This is one of the bisexual Acalypha species. A close look at the photo below will reveal male and female flowers both originating at the leaf axils. In the same area we found Canthium spinosum sporting flowers and fruits and a beautiful russet coloured leaf on Rhoicissus tomentosa. There was also a very threatening-looking Tragia glabrata bearing several green and one ripe fruits.

Acalypha glabra

Canthium spinosum

 

Rhoicissus tomentosa

 

Tragia glabrata

We entered the reserve and turned left to follow the path along the side of the river. In a sunny patch we found a few flowers on Coccinia mackenii, and poking up through a mat of this creeper were some yellow flowers of Aneilema aequinoctiale. Further down the trail we managed to find a few rather battered blue flowers of Aneilema dregeana. Another plant we recognised along the side of the path was Cissus fragilis with a spray of green fruits.

 

Coccinia mackenii

Aneilema aequinoctiale

Aneilema dregeana

Cissus fragilis

In the deeper shade along the path we found Carissa bispinosa with a bright red fruit and many orange-flowered Desmodium repandum. While most of the Duvernoia adhatodoides had finished flowering, we found one small cluster of flowers to photograph.

 

Carissa bispinosa

Desmodium repandum

Duvernoia adhatodoides

After some serious searching Anne managed to find a bark snail. This was in a new area as the old half-collapsed tree that we knew they liked had finally collapsed fully and was no longer a suitable home for them. We also continually had to duck under the many occupied spider webs across the path.

Bark snail

Spider

Spider

We also saw some rather attractive fungi in these deeply shaded sections of the trail.

Fungi

Fungus

We started encountering Nectaropetalum zuluense once we crossed the rather precarious wooden footbridge and this was to be the dominant species along this section of the path but none had any fertile material present. Another understorey resident was a small Rinorea angustifolia in bud.

Rinorea angustifolia

Once we reached the Leopard Beach area we decided that it was a good time for our lunch stop and while Gail was searching for the right shape of rock to perch on, she came across a very weathered skull of a Crowned Hornbill.

A worse-for-wear Crowned Hornbill skull

On the way back Dorothy was insistent that we try to get a specimen of leaves from a low-lying branch of a big tree and then she was able to confirm that the tree was a fairly large Chrysophyllum viridifolium. Unfortunately in the attempt to get the leaves she penetrated a big patch of nettles and there was some rather frantic arm and leg scratching when she eventually re-emerged. We also found a beautiful Fool's Gold beetle on an Aneilema aequinoctiale near here.

Gail and Dorothy after the Chrysophyllum viridifolium specimen

Fool's Gold beetle on Aneilema aequinoctiale

A last flower encountered in the shade along the path was Justicia tubulosa. In the parking area we found Turraea floribunda with open fruits displaying the fleshy arils that attract birds to come and disperse the seeds.

Justicia tubulosa

Fleshy arils on Turraea floribunda seeds

Participants: Anne S, Colin T, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Maggie A, Mark G, Tracy T.

A balmy autumn day for walking along the Maanhaar (Thursday 10 May, 2018)

Today we were joined by a new face and a returnee as Gail's mother, Anne, came to see how her daughter finds her botanical inspiration and Alex joined us after a long absence while he travelled overseas. For the first time in a long while we arranged to walk the Maanhaar by organising to traverse another farm to get access to this part of the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve. We parked in the trace line cut in preparation for firebreaks to be burned in June and July.

Walking along the trace line we found Hypericum lalandii, Anastrabe integerrima and a single Sisyranthus virgatus and a bit further along the colourful shrub Athrixia phylicoides snuggled up to a rock.

Hypericum lalandii

Anastrabe integerrima

Sisyranthus virgatus

Athrixia phylicoides

We then dropped down a south-facing slope to find several Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. natalense, the less common subspecies in the Umtamvuna NR. We did not have to walk far to find the other subspecies, Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. oribinum.

Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. natalense

Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. oribinum

The long grass made for slow going and this gave us time to enjoy the few species of Helichrysum in flower -- Helichrysum auriceps and Helichrysum lepidissimum. 

Helichrysum auriceps

Helichrysum lepidissimum

With an occasional flash of yellow, Gnidia baurii made their presence known. Perched on a rock outcrop we found Diospyros villosus sporting axillary flowers. Another rock outcrop hosted some very out-of-season buds on a cluster of Rangaeris muscicola (normal flowering time Dec-Jan) and close to this was a small Rhipsalis baccifera bearing a heavy crop of sweet fruits.

Gnidia baurii

Diospyros villosus

Rangaeris muscicola

Rhipsalis baccifera

Gail then came across a small grass aloe which we decided was Aloe myriacantha. However, Alex suggested we should have a closer look at the plant to make sure it was the much less common Aloe liliputana. After taking measurements it was possible to confirm this as Aloe myriacantha, the two-lipped flower being the main determining character.

Aloe myriacantha

With the group having split, only seven of us made it to the end of the Maanhaar to enjoy the splendid view and stop for lunch before turning back.

Overlooking the Bulolo River gorge from the tip of the Maanhaar

The last stragglers making their way back

A tortoise-shaped rock

Another out-of-season flower was seen on the way back - Helichrysum griseum. As it was growing in the mowed trace line the mowing might have been the stimulus for the early flowering.

Helichrysum griseum

Back at the Umtamvuna NR offices we saw the nymph of an Eye-flower mantid.

Eye-flower mantid

Participants: Alex V-B, Anne B-W, Anne S, Dorothy M, Elaine L, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Tracy T.