Pondoland C.R.E.W. Blog: A hot day at Manilkara Meander (Thursday 11 October 2018)

As it had been some time since we visited the more inland areas of the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve and knowing that these areas had been burned, we decided to visit Manilkara Meander for this Thursday's walk. The grassland had recovered well after the fire and there were many flowers in evidence. The first of these was Convolvulus natalensis holding its greenish-white flowers close to the ground. Nearby was a small cluster of Hybanthus enneaspermus. We also found several Gnidia coriacea - we had previously identified these as Gnidia baurii but the latter is very hairy.

Convolvulus natalensis

Gnidia coriacea

Hybanthus enneaspermus

There were also many red flowered Indigofera hilaris in the open grassland. Dotted around were several Othonna natalensis sporting their interesting seed heads. We then reached the forested fringe of the krans line and started finding flowering trees. The first of these was Erythroxylum pictum with single axilliary flowers. A bit further along we found Canthium vanwykii flowering profusely. Nearby was Homalium rufescens with an impressive spray of flowers. We were to see several of this species on this walk, all flowering well.

Indigofera hilaris

The seed head of Othonna natalensis

Erythroxylum pictum

Canthium vanwykii

Homalium rufescens

In the grassland at the forest margin was a Polygala macowanii and next to it was a Searsia lucida with most of the branchlets showing flower spikes. We then came across a particularly impressive example of a flowering Homalium rufescens growing together with a Rhyochocalyx lawsonoides bearing a heavy crop of buds - in a week or so this will be a very showy tree. At its base, tangled among the undergrowth was a Sarcostemma viminale bearing a single fruit.

Polygala macowanii

Searsia lucida

Rhynchocalyx lawsonoides

Sarcostemma viminale follicle

Following the krans edge around a corner to an area of greater sun exposure, we found a Carissa bispinosa with small clusters of star-like white flowers. After most of us had walked on, Gail spotted something we had all missed. First there was a tangled cluster of Salacia gerrardii with greenish-yellow flowers and tucked in amongst this tangle was a colony of flowering Polystachya sandersonii.

Carissa bispinosa

Salacia gerrardii

Polystachya sandersonii

Out in the open was a Raphionacme gerrardii with some unobtrusive open green flowers. Further along the cliffs we found Vangueria infausta in flower and in a small, shallow depression in a rock sheet, accompanied by several small Delosperma subpetiolatum, there was a group of the tiny Drimia uniflora. Each flower is held on its own stalk and is only about 3 mm long.

Raphionacme galpinii

Vangueria infausta

Drimia uniflora

Euryops brevipapposus

Euryops brevipapposus was a fairly common plant along these sun-drenched cliffs. Looking over the edge in one place we found a Combretum kraussii with its tell-tale white leaves surrounding the clusters of flowers. In the grassland on the way back to the vehicles we found a few of the Vulnerable endemic Watsonia inclinata.

Combretum kraussii

A view of the forest from the clifftops showing the white patches of Combretum kraussii

Watsonia inclinata

We then headed to Smedmore to enjoy our lunch in the forest and out of the baking sun. At the entrance to the forest we found some clumps of Acalypha wilmsii. Once into the welcome shade of the tall trees we found two common species of fern, Asplenium gemmiferum and Asplenium rutifolium and the photos below show the spore patterns of these two species.

Acalypha wilmsii

Asplenium gemmifera

Asplenium rutifolium

At our chosen lunch spot we were surrounded by undergrowth vegetation, including Bachmannia woodii with clusters of fruits, the forest floor hugging Justicia tubulosa and a large Vangueria macrocalyx (recently renamed from Pachystigma macrocalyx), flowering profusely.

Bachmannia woodii

Justicia tubulosa

Vangueria macrocalyx

Back out in the open we stopped at the edge of the forest to collect a specimen of Dioscorea dregeana - this is intended to assist with the resurrection of an old, but unpublished name for this subspecies that differs from the one found in Mpumalanga. Out in the grassland we found Hilliardiella aristata and looking back at the forest we saw a fine tree-top display of flowers on a climbing Strophanthus speciosus. Tucked into the undergrowth at the forest edge was a small Diospyros lycioides and hanging down from a tree was a Tragia sp. with a couple of flowers.