Two work parties in the Umtamvuna NR (Thursday 16 May 2019)

On this occasion we were joined at Beacon Hill by SANBI taxonomist Robert Archer and UJ Masters student Andani Madzinge who wanted to look at any Clutia species we might have in flower in the reserve. After we decided to walk up to Mr. Nic's gully, four of our group elected to done their Honorary Officer hats and go on an Invasive Alien Plant eradication work party.

Tracy describes what followed with the IAP group: After deciding to split up, four of us headed off to Manilkara Meander to tackle alien invasive plant species along the fence between Umtamvuna Nature Reserve and a neighbouring farm. After a very brief debate we decided it would be better to test whether the newly erected electric fence was switched on using Dorothy's hiking stick as we would be working right next to the fence. Tools in hand we started removing Ageratum conyzoides, Chromolaena odorata, Phytolacca americana, Rincus communis and Solanum mauritianum.

Mark pulling out khakibos (Photo: Tracy T)

Tagetes minuta (khakibos) (Photo: Tracy T)

Tecomaria capensis (Photo: Tracy T)

In amongst the Bidens pilosa and Tagetes minuta there was Delosperma subpetiolatum trailing across the rocks and Gerbera piloselloides ready for winter with its woolly stem. The deep orange flowers of Tecomaria capensis offered a strong contrast against the winter grass and the yellow flowers of Aspalathus chortophila. There were some sizeable tracts of Lantana camara which Anne sprayed enthusiastically and some large Acacia dealbata that Mark and Tracy ring barked and then sprayed just to make sure. It is a seemingly never-ending task; we are often asked why we bother with alien invasives and the simple answer is “how can we not”. 

Aspalathus chortophila (Photo: Tracy T)

Anne tackling some of the larger invasive plants  (Photo: Tracy T)

Lantana camara  (Photo: Tracy T)

Once the other group reached Mr. Nic's gully it did not take long to find flowering specimens of an un-named Clutia and this kept Andani and Robert busy for a while. After they had collected the material they needed, we crossed the watercourse and headed down to the rock outcrops overlooking the Bulolo River gorge.

Andani and Robert getting a closer look at our Clutia sp. nov.

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Andani collecting DNA material

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Clutia sp. nov

On these rock outcrops we found several Anastrabe integerrima in flower, accompanied by shrubby Apodytes abbottii sporting red and black fruits. We found Brachylaena uniflora about to flower. Perched on a rock pinnacle was a cluster of Caputia medley-woodii and nearby, Cassine pergua had an impressive coating of white flowers.

Anastrabe integerrima

Apodytes dimidiata

Brachylaena uniflora

Caputia medley-woodii

Cassine peragua

Further down was Cassipourea gummiflua with seed capsules just bursting open to display the yellow-orange flesh inside. We reached Mr. Nic's gully again and after crossing we found Rhynchocalyx lawsonoides and Peddiea africana, both in fruit. Draped over a dead Protea was a Smilax anceps with several flower clusters.

Cassipourea gummiflua fruits

Rhynchocalyx lawsonoides 

Peddiae africana

Smilax anceps

On another rock outcrop we found Erianthemum dregei with clusters of fruits. On nearby branches we found a few of these fruits deposited by birds - as intended by the plant - and starting to germinate and parasitise anew. Also in this bush clump was Robsonodendron eucleiforme with many flowers and a few fruits..

Erianthemum dregei fruits

Erianthemum dregei seeds germinating on a nearby brnch

Robsonodendron eucleiforme

We stopped for lunch and here found some windrows of fluffy seeds from a nearby Secamone alpinii caught up against a small patch of moss. Walking back to the office at Beacon Hill we encountered a few Disa polygonoides in a depression and in a small dam there were flowers of both Nymphaea nouchali subsp caerulea and Nymphoides thunbergiana.

Windrow of Secamone alpinii seeds against moss

Secamone alpinii fruits

Disa polygonoides

Nymphaea nouchali subsp. caerulea

Nymphoides thunbergiana

We got back to the office to join up with the IAP working party. Anne set off to deal with some guava trees we had seen on our way back, and Andani and Robert deided to head down into the Bulolo river gorge to look for Erythrococca natalensis.

Participants: Alex V, Andani M, Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Mark G, Robert A, Tracy T.