Pondoland C.R.E.W. Blog: Gale-force winds and sparkling days at Mkhambathi (5 to 8 November 2018)

A small group of us braved the 3,5 hour trip to the Mkambathi Nature Reserve (3,5 hours by road despite the straight-line distance from home to the reserve being only 46 km) despite the adverse weather forecasts. Just inside the gate we stopped to look at some flowers off to the left of the road. As we walked towards them we could see that they were Kniphofia drepanophyla. As this section of the reserve had been burned in a management burn this had removed the lanky grasses normally obscuring the view of a wetland and it was here that there was a proliferation of these Vulnerable endemic Kniphofias in flower. On the other sied of the road we found Euphorbia flanaganii and a few flowering Lampranthus fugitans.

Euphorbia flanaganii

Massed flowering of Kniphofia drepanophylla

Kniphofia drepanophylla

Lampranthus fugitans

On the way back to the vehicle we found Delosperma vinaceum flowering on another rock plate. At the edge of the rock plate there were Ornithogalum graminifolium and in the surrounding grassland we found Plecostachys serpyllifolium and a bright cluster of Rotheca hirsuta flowers.

Delosperma vinaceum

Ornithogalum graminifolium

Plecostachys serpyllifolium

Rotheca hirsuta

We drove to the reception area and received the keys for our stone cottage. After unpacking we decided to take a walk in the grasslands surrounding the cottages - these had burned recently in an accidental fire. Despite the showing of grass, the fire had obviously been too recent for many of the forbs to be flowering. We crossed over a rise and reached a wetland where we could see a few Merwilla plumbea flowering and alongside the wetland there were several Lotononis bachmanniana.

We explored the edges of a small forest patch, finding Maesa lanceolata in flower. Climbing a rocky ridge to get above the forest we soon found a Cussonia pondoensis in fruit - this is a species for which a proper description has yet to be published. Near to this Dalbergia armata sprawled over the treetops, displaying its clusters of white flowers.

Lotononis bachmanniana

Maesa lanceolata

Cussonia pondoensis fruits

Dalbergia armata

Senecio oxyodontus draped over one of these rocks and we found a small Tridactyle tridentata firmly clasped to the rock, with Wahlenbergia madagascariensis below it.

Senecio oxyodontus

Tridactyle tridentata

Wahlenbergia madagascariensis

With the weather beginning to look threatening, we turned in the direction of the cottage, finding some very robust Erica cubica shrubs at the roadside. To get to the road we had to skirt a pool and here we found a patient fishing spider waiting for prey to approach. In the same pool was a Nymphoides thunbergiana in flower.

Erica cubica

Fishing spider perched on a Nymphoides leaf

Nymphoides thunbergiana

The road was lined with shrubby Anthospermum aethiopicum in flower.

The predicted bad weather had reached us and the wind was starting to howl. We felt lucky to have a roof over our heads.

The electricity went out the next morning and the wind continued to hammer us as we set off to collect Mr. Sonwabile Jack and from there ventured into the wilderness area of the reserve. We stopped after crossing the ford on the Mkhambathi River and stopped to see what there was in flower in this area. Despite the very unpleasant conditions we staggered down to the river bank where we could see a small waterfall.

A waterfall in the upper reaches of the Mkhambathi River

We drove on, Mr Jack guiding us along a track we had not previously used, passing a small population of Eucomis autumnalis and a few Aspalathus gerrardii in flower, despite being newly resprouted after the block burn. We reached the end of this track from where we could see the main part of the Mkhambathi gorge in the distance and braved the weather again to see what we could find. Apart from an unusually tall Satyrium longicauda there was little new but further on we found ourselves surrounded by Eriosema latifolium - up to now, we have only encountered this species in this reserve.

Botanising in gale-force winds surrounded by Eriosema dregei

Aristea abyssinica

Aspalathus gerrardii

Eriosema latifolium

Eucomis autumnalis

Helichrysum acutatum

As we started descending towards the sea we could see a high waterfall dropping down into the Mtentu River from outside the reserve. We reached a spot where we normally would stop for lunch; on this occasion the wind was still too unpleasant to make this a desirable option but we still got out to explore the rock plates here. And these efforts were rewarded with finding a few of the yet-to-be-described Ipomoea sp. None of these had fully open flowers, thanks to the adverse weather conditions, but it was easy to see the difference between this species and the Ipomoea simplex we had encountered earlier.

There were also two interesting Helichrysum sprecies here, H. felinum and one which looks most similar to H. diffusum but has pink inflorescences.

A waterfall into the Mtentu gorge

Helichrysum cf diffusum

Helichrysum felinum

Ipomoea simplex

Ipomoea sp. nov.

We drove on, stopping just after we crossed the stream which ends up at Mosquito Beach, Here we found male and female plants of Leucadendron pondoensis. The clarity of the water in these streams is amazing.

Leucadendron pondoensis (male flowers)

Leucadendron pondoensis (female cones)

The Mosquito Beach stream

The crystal clear water of the Mosquito Beach stream

By midday, amazingly the clouds which previously filled the sky, had lifted, the sun was shining and we could start stripping off some of our warm clothes. We stopped after crossing another small tributary to the Mosquito Beach stream and decided to have lunch in the shelter of the rocks. We found Brachycorythis ovata alongside the track and there was a cluster of Polystachya pubescens shining in the sun. Below this was a single Disa tripetaloides. Up on the rocky crest opposite us was a stand of Watsonia densiflora.

Watsonia densiflora

Brachycorythis ovata

Once we crossed back over the Mkhambathi River where the river falls into the sea, we started encountering more flowers and stopped to look around, especially since the weather had warmed up a little. Here we found the first Hilliardiella oligocephala and many Indigofera rubroglandulosa. There were also a few of an unusual white-flowered Ruellia cordata.

Hilliardiella oligocephala

Indigofera rubroglandulosa

Ruellia cordata

Back at the cottage the power was still off but we were equipped with lights for this eventuality. We were very grateful to have the gas stove for a hot meal and to heat water for a 'camp wash'.

The next morning dawned with a further threat of rain. However we had decided we should revisit the site where we had found the Tephrosia pondoensis previously and, suitably garbed for the conditions - gumboots included - we set off up the Daza River. In the lush undergrowth alongside the river we found Gladiolus dalenii and this was surrounded by Geranium flanaganii.

Sunrise at Mkhambathi

Gladiolus dalenii

Geranium flanaganii

We reached the place where the river runs through a short gorge and found walking through the shallow river bed easy going. We came across Drypetes arguta in flower at the river side and in reaching to examine a twig of this, I disturbed a colony of Flatid moth bugs residing on a mass of Salacia gerrardii climbing through the Drypetes.

The Daza River gorge

Drypetes arguta

Salacia gerrardii

Flatid moth bug - its nymphs are often found on Salacia gerrardii

Other species we found overhanging the river were Mystroxylon aethiopicum, Trichocladus grandiflorus, Struthiola pondoensis and Plectranthus saccatus subsp. pondoensis. We eventually reached the place where we found the Tephrosia pondoensis previously and there were two small trees. One had finished flowering some time earlier and had already dispersed its seeds, while the other was just starting to flower. We were pleased to be able to show Mr Jack this species so he could keep and eye out for more plants as he patrols the reserve.

Mystroxylon aethiopicum

Plectranthus saccatus subsp. pondoensis

Tephrosia pondoensis

The Tephrosia hunters

Trichocladus grandiflorus fruits

Struthiola pondoensis

It was starting to rain so we set off back to the vehicle and returned to the cottage to examine some of the twigs we had collected from trees over the previous two days, giving Mr. Jack names for each of these.

Unexpectedly, it cleared a little in the late afternoon and we decided to take a walk around the Gwegwe area. The tide was high, which made crossing the river mouth a timing challenge but once across, we could explore the north bank of the estuary. Here we found Mimusops caffra and Scutia myrtina flowering as well as an impressively spiny Caesalpinia bonduc.

On the grassy slopes above the estuary we found Senecio decurrens and Plectranthus hadiensis. We worked our way across the slope towards the sea and onto the rocks where we found the remnants of a small colony of Holothrix burchellii. Sprawled over the rocks were a flowering Urera trinervis and a stunted Ficus burtt-davy full of small spotted fruits, with Rubia cordata twining through them. As we reached the dunes we found two species of Passerina growing alongside one another -- P. filiformis and P. montevaga -- and tucked underneath these was a brightly coloured Argyrolobium species. There was a colony of Triglochin striata growing on the beach.

Mimusops caffra

Scutia myrtina

Plectranthus hadiensis

Senecio decurrens

Ficus burtt-davy

Rubia cordata

Urera trinervis

Passerina filiformis

Passerina montevaga

Triglochin striata

Argyrolobium cf molle

As Murphy's Law would have it, on the day of our departure the morning was clear and bright with little wind. We elected to take a short walk along the shoreline from the Msikaba River mouth. Walking north-eastwards we found clumps of Samolus porosus growing in the salty conditions among the rocks of the shoreline.

Msikaba River mouth and bay

Samolus porosus

Risky behaviour?

We reached a small pool near the beach where Nymphaea nouchali var caerulea was flowering. On these windswept grasslands it is noticeable how most species have adopted a dwarf form to avoid the worst effects of the wind.

With a last glance back at the Msikaba River mouth from above, we said goodbye to this wonderful nature reserve, with the hope it will not be too long before we return!