Two days bioblitzing at Ntsikeni Nature Reserve (Friday, Saturday 8 and 9 February 2019)

Kate and I made an early start heading for Ntsikeni Nature Reserve to participate in a bioblitz organised by UKZN - in an effort to document the biodiversity in the reserve more comprehensively. After bouncing up the forestry roads we arrived at the reserve gate and were soon appreciating the natural beauty around us, like the wispy pink grass. We then headed to the first stream crossing to see what orchids were growing in the wetland. All the Disa scullyi had finished flowering but there were a few Habenaria schimperiana and a single Habenaria lithophila, plus some scattered Satyrium longicauda.

On the nearby rocky slope we found a few Asclepias vicaria still flowering and several Disa versicolor.

Kate collecting a specimen of the pink grass

Habenaria schimperiana

Asclepias vicaria

Disa versicolor

We headed on to the lodge where we met up with many of the other participants in the bioblitz. Timo van der Niet, Ruth Cozien and Steve Johnson joined us as we headed up towards the saddle near Ntsikeni peak. On the way we chanced on an unusual yellow form of Eulophia ovalis and on the boulder strewn ridge we found a few Gladiolus oppositiflorus.

Eulophia ovalis

Gladiolus oppositiflorus

Higher on the slope we came across numbers of Berkheya multijuga bearing old flower heads and a very sticky leafed Melolobium alpinum. Scattered around the grassland were several Brunsvigia grandiflora, Protea dracomontana and the odd tall Moraea triffida. Sheltering among the boulders were  Plectranthus grallatus, Satyrium parviflorum, Wahlenbergia huttonii and Schizoglossum bidens.

Berkheya multijuga 

Melolobium alpinum

Moraea triffida 

Plectranthus grallatus

Protea dracomontana

Schizoglossum bidens

Satyrium parviflorum

Wahlenbergia huttonii

A notable feature of these grasslands was the display of Zaluzianskya microsiphon with their striking white flowers edged with red or salmon pink. We reached the plateau and the others pushed on to scale the heights of Nsikeni peak. Just as we set off across the relatively flat plateau we came across a Xysmalobium rhodanthum still flowering.

Zaluzianskya microsiphon 

Xysmalobium rhodanthum

On Ntsikeni's plateau

As we crossed these grasslands we found a small yellow orchid - clearly a Schizochilus but the flowers were way too small to be S. zeyheri that we know from the coast.  On subsequent discussion with Benny Bytebier, this turned out to be the Rare Schizochilus bulbinella. We were to see many more of this species later during the trip. At this altitude we found several Helichrysum cooper, and while fossicking around the boulders on the edge of the plateau we were surprised to find a few Kniphofia caulescens, one of which was about to flower.

Other plants found on the plateau were Xysmalobium tysonianum, Satyrium macrophila,  and Polemannia montana. On the way back down we found a fruit on a Xysmalobium stokenstroomense and in between some dolerite boulders we found a Kniphofia linearifolia.

Helichrysum cooperii

Kniphofia caulescens

Kniphofia linearifolia

Satyrium macrophila

Polemannia montana

Xysmalobium stokenstroomense

We elected to descend via a second dolerite ridge as these seemed to be particularly species rich. Far below us we could see the vehicles of the bioblitzers clustered around Ntsikeni lodge. At the bottom of the ridge we found  Sopubia cana and as we followed the stream back towards our vehicle, we found large clusters of Crocosmia paniculata growing near the stream, in places together with a backdrop of the blue of Agapanthus flowers.

That was a full enough day for us so we headed off to our accommodation at Flitwick Ranch near Swartberg.

An appropriate place for meditation

The lodge overrun by bioblitzers

Sopubia cana

Crocosmia paniculata

The next morning after breakfast we drove back to the reserve, stopping to photograph a roadside Pterogodium magnum. Once in the reserve, together with Benny Bytebier and Alison Young, we stopped at the big bridge and headed downstream, with the intention of exploring the next stream up a narrow gorge in an attempt to get to a waterfall that we had seen from a distance.

Pterygodium magnum

Ntsikeni stream draining the northern wetland

Just after leaving the road we encountered a patch of a few score of Schizochilus bulbinella, more robust than many of those seen the previous day. Near to these we found some Disa brevicornis. A little further downstream where the valley narrowed a little, we found some bright red Satyrium hallackii, Wahlenbergia rivularis and a single Watsonia gladioloides. Growing in the stream was a Peltocalathos baurii. On the slopes away from the stream there were several robust Crassula acinaciformis.

Schiozochilus bulbinella

Disa brevicornis

A bright red Satyrium hallackii

Wahlenbergia rivularis

Watsonia gladioloides

Crassula acinaciformis  

Peltocalothos baurii

In a shallow depression we found several very showy Manulea florifera. As we dropped down to the second, more substantial stream, we found Schizoglossum atropurpureum subsp. atropurpureum sporting its purple flowers at the ends of tall stalks.

Manulea florifera

Schizoglossum atropurpureum subsp atropurpureum

We reached the second stream and the going became more difficult, having to scramble over large boulders and through thick shrubbery. We found a patch of Coccinia hirtella draped over several boulders and next to this was a Papaver aculeata. Further up the gorge we found another Coccinia hirtella, this one bearing a number of red and green fruits. 

In a rock crevice we found Streptocarpus pusilus and another blue-flowered Streptocarpus which we have yet to identify. At the streamside we found Satyrium cristatum. We managed to scramble up to the main waterfall, noting Eucomis comosa subsp. striata and Cyrtanthus epiphyticus growing in the spray zone. After this we scrambled our way up the near vertical slope to the peak above where we stopped for lunch. I was able to get a better perspective of the rest of the stream from the upper slopes.

Papaver aculeata

Coccinia hirtella

Streptocarpus pusilus

Satyrium cristatum

Enjoying the mountain stream

The road ahead - boulder hopping required

The top waterfall

Climbing out of the gorge - a shoulder disappearing behind the rocks

The stream above the falls

Looking down the gorge

We left Benny and Alison near the road where they wanted to collect more material, while we had a long drive home ahead of us. We stopped for a last look at a substantial population of Disperis fanniniae Benny and Alison had found earlier growing under some invasive wattles - a spectacular sight to end two very enjoyable days at this very speciel reserve.

Disperis fanniniae

Participants: Day 1: Graham G, Kate G, Ruth C, Steve J, Timo v d Niet

Day 2: Alison Y, Benny B, Graham G, Kate G.