This Thursday brought a balmy winter day as we set off for a different part of the Western Heights, this time heading south from where we parked. Although at this time of the year most of our flowering plants are dormant, we were watched over by some krans aloes from their post at the top of a rock outcrop.
As we descended a damp slope we could see many old stalks of
Melasma scabra extending up above the grass to display their capsules. Crossing a stream we found
Podalyria burchellii and on the opposite bank
was a patch of
Erica cerinthoides.
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| Aloe arborescens at the top of an outcrop - a real krans aloe |
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| Melasma scabra capsules |
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| Erica cerinthoides |
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| Podalyria burchellii |
Heading back towards the forested stream we found
Syncolostemon ramulosus (VU) enjoying the gentle sunshine and on the forest fringe we found
Schefflera umbellifera carrying a heavy load of seeds. Looking up into the canopy we could see a single fruit on
Syzygium gerrardii.
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| Schefflera umbellifera fruits |
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| Syncolostemon ramulosus |
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| Syzygium gerrardii |
We pushed our way through the forest edge and scrambled down the steep slope to the stream bed. Here we found a fruiting
Gymnosporia rubra overhanging the stream. On a rock in the stream bed was a cluster of
Faurea macnaughtonii seeds. We stopped for lunch in the streambed where we saw an interesting entanglement of different lianes. Near where we were sitting was a cluster of
Trichocladus crinitus with their interesting new leaves.
Mark found something very intereresting in his lunch box, judging by his expression.
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| Gymnosporia rubra fruit |
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| Faurea macnaughtonii seeds |
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| New leaves on Trichocladus crinitus |
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| Interesting twisted vines |
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| Mark totally engrossed in his lunch |
After exploring downstream for some distance we packed up and pushed our way out on the opposite bank. Back in the grassland we found a tree in a close embrace with a rock - must be a rock hugger!
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| Forested mountain stream |
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| Tree hugging a rock |
On a rock plate with a seep at its upper edge, we found a small patch of
Utricularia subulata accompanied by
Drosera natalensis and
Monopsis unidentata. Gail and Kate captured some interesting images here.
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| Utricularia subulata |
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| Drosea natalensis (Photo; Gail B-W) |
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| A closeup view of Monopsis unidentata (Photo; Gail B-W) |
Almost back at the vehicles Kate made the find of the day - a small group of the Vulnerable Psoralea abbottii poking their delicate flowers out above the grass.
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| Getting a close look at Utricularia subulata (Photo Kate G) |
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| Psoralea abbottii |
Participants: Alf H, Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Mark G, Maggie A,
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