On an overcast Thursday after overnight rain we decided to try to get to the Umtamvuna reserve via the rock terraces at Kwazamane. We made our way slowly along a very overgrown track and found some relatively clear areas to park to avoid grass fires caused by contact with hot engine parts and then set off on foot across the rock terraces towards the reserve fence.
On several of the exposed rock plates we saw many small Ledebouria plants in flower - this is a species which differs in morphology from the Ledebouria cooperi and L. revoluta we usually find but so far we have not been able to get anyone interested in looking at it more closely. In one place we found several of these plants being devoured by caterpillars.
In the same habitat there were many Lampranthus fugitans (VU) plants, only a few of these having partly open flowers due to the overcast conditions.
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| Caterpillars eating Ledebouria plants |
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| Lampranthus fugitans |
Situated at the edges of these rock plates were long procumbent stalks of Stachys aethiopica and among the grass between the plates were a few flowering spikes of Erica aspalathifolia. Once we reached a valley between two outcrops we found Eriosema parviflorum with some discrete yellow flower-heads. Another occupant of the thin soil covering the rock plates was Psammatropha mucronata; most of these plants were very small seedlings, but there were one or two older plants which had started flowering.
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| Stachys aethiopicus |
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| Erica aspalathifolia |
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| Eriosema parviflorum |
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| Psammatropha mucronata |
In the valley where the soil depth was more substantial we found Eriosemopsis subanisophila flowering and towering above these were Syncolostemon rotundifolius just starting to bloom.
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| Eriosemopsis subanisophila |
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| Syncolostemon rotundifolius |
We reached the remnants of the reserve fence and strolled through a gap into the short grass of the firebreak. Flashes of pink caught our eyes and these turned out to be Watsonia inclinata. We stayed within the firebreak and walked northwards, soon finding a cluster of Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. natalense (NT) with well-formed seed heads. Also nestled in grass were clusters of Helichrysum appendiculatum with their unopened rufous inflorescences.
Back into a fairly marshy grassland we found many new flower stalks of Schizochilus zeyheri, and after some searching, managed to find some with open flowers. We also found Sisyranthus imberbis -- these grass-like flowers with cryptic colours are hard to spot and their pendant flowers even harder to photograph.
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| Schizochilus zeyheri |
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| Sisyranthus imberbis |
We reached the end of this part of the reserve where the fence-line intersects with the gorge and this provided us with a magnificent view of the gorge as we looked across towards Cubica Heights and the Outeniqua Falls. Calls of Emerald Cuckoo and Samango Monkeys echoed up to us from the gorge and Rock Martins swooped after insects.
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| Looking across the gorge to Cubica Heights and Outeniqua Falls |
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| A great background for a photograph |
Having soaked up some of the serenity of the spectacle, we turned back and towards a second stream, crossing more rock plates with a display of the copper-coloured Thesium cupressoides. At the second stream a narrow gully temps one to cross where baboon paths lead but these crossings would require a level of dexterity that is beyond most of us and we opted to cross at a narrow "bridge". Growing out of the gully was a flowering Pseudoscolopia polyantha. We could hear water cascading below in the gully but the steep slopes near the edge prevented our getting sight of the stream. We could however see some very colourful new leaves on Blechnum attenuatum growing in a shady spot.
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| Thesium cupressoides |
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| Pseudoscolopia polyantha |
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| Blechnum attenuatum |
We found a view point sheltered from the cold wind where we could have our lunch. On this rocky point we found Rhipsalis baccifera, Clutia sp., Lauridia tetragona and Gerrardina foliosa in flower. Baboon foraging had left a Cyanotis upended and this gave us a chance to examine its roots; hopefully this will help us get clarity on this species which we believe is Cyanotis robusta. Crowning this rocky point was a small Apodytes abbottii covered in flowers.
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| Rhipsalis baccifera |
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| Clutia sp. |
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| Lauridia tetragona |
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| Gerrardina foliosa |
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| Apodytes abbottii |
By this stage, the temperature had dropped further and the skies were more threatening, so we made our way back through drizzle to the vehicles, grateful to have had most of the day without rain.
Participants: Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Tracy T.
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