After a series of very hot, oppressive days, we expected more of the same for our outing and therefore decided to head to the forests at Smedmore in the hope of finding some relief from the heat.
Close to where we parked, we found a modest display of
Riocreuxia torulosa intermingled with
Pilogyne scabra. Along the forest margin there were many
Allophylus dregeanus displaying their flower spikes. A
Crotalaria capensis at the foot of one of these trees had some large yellow flowers and out in the open were several tall
Indigofera tristis.
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| Pilogyne scabra |
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| Allophylus dregeanus |
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| Indigofera tristis |
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| Crotalaria capensis |
We followed the forest edge around and down, heading towards our usual point of entry into the forest. On the way we found some more impressive displays of Riocreuxia torulosa, a cluster of Coccinia palmata and some tall Plectranthus ecklonii with their misty purple inflorescences held high in the forest shade. There were a few clusters of Helichrysum decorum taking advantage of the afternoon shade offered by the forest. Just before we reached the entrance to the forest path, we found some Lotononis eriocarpa in flower.
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| Riocreuxia torulosa |
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| Plectranthus ecklonii |
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| Coccinia palmata |
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| Helichrysum decorum |
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| Lotononis eriocarpa |
We entered the forest and after waiting for everyone to catch up, we scrambled a short distance past large trees and through dense lianes, branches and fallen trees to a view point on an overhanging rock, giving a panorama of the forest and Umtamvuna gorge below us. Exploring the rocks and forest floor around us we found
Stenoglottis fimbriata and
Peperomia retusa in flower, while there were several
Brownleea coerulea in bud and very close to flowering. In the leaf litter we also found several
Liparis remota with fruit.
Clivia robusta plants were abundant on the cliff edge, some bearing bright red fruit clusters.
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| View down into the Umtamvuna River gorge |
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| Peperomia retusa |
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| Stenoglottis fimbriata |
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| Brownleea coerulea |
We doubled back through the forest but stopped to admire a very large
Ficus craterostoma which had successfully strangled its original host and had taken on a very interesting shape, possibly after the host collapsed.
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| At the base of the imposing strangler fig |
We wove our way through the forest undergrowth, eventually climbing over a large rock cluster to reach our customary lunch stop. In the deep shade we found more
Stenoglottis fimbriata together with an impressive display of
Streptocarpus formosus and clusters of
Asplenium gemmiferum.
We also found some Thunbergia purpurata fruits and the bright red fruit of a Carissa wyliei (now sunk into Carissa bispinosa). The ground here was littered with aborted fruits of Rothmannia capensis.
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| Thunbergia purpurata fruit |
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| Aspelnium gemmiferum sporangia |
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| Rothmannia capensis aborted fruit |
We located an alternative way to get out of the forest and scaled the rocks, passing a large cave and some
Scadoxus membranaceus, to emerge in the grassland above the forest. On this top margin we found
Cryptolepis capensis and
Canthium vanwykii with flowers and fruit. Out in the open grassland we saw a recently-opened follicle on a
Pachycarpus coronarius and
Vigna vexillata twining up a dead twig. In the shade next to the vehicles there were many
Galopina tomentosa, one with open flowers.
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| Scadoxus membranaceus |
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| Canthium vanwykii |
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| Pachycarpus seeds |
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| Vigna vexillata |
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| Galopina tomentosa |
Participants: Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Mark G, Peter M, Tracy T.
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