Pondoland C.R.E.W. Blog: Erica, Eulophia and Moraea near Iron Crown (Thursday 27 June 2019)

On this bright winter morning - just after the winter solstice - we set off to the Western Heights with Iron Crown as our destination. The fire break at vulture nek had been burned and first we explored the burned area, finding a crisped Stangeria eriopus with a new fruit cone. There were a few Gerbera natalensis with their white flowers exposed starkly against the blackened earth. We also found a few remnant Cyrtanthus breviflorus. These fire stimulated flowers emerge within days of a burn.

Stangeria eriopus

Gerbera natalensis

Cyrtanthus breviflorus

We reached the end of the burn on the southern side of the nek and followed the forested stream edge for a while. Here we found Struthiola pondoensis and Podalyria burchellii in flower.In the open grassland we encountered the first of many Eulophia parviflora we were to see on this walk. We made a brief sojourn into the forest to look at several Clivia robusta in flower and fruit. From the forest edge we could see fruits on Allocassine laureola.

In the distance we could see patches of bright orange emerging from the grass - these were clumps of Erica cerinthoides var barbetona (distinguished by the short, inflated tube). While this is a common and widespread species, it is such a bright splash of colour in the grassland that it is aways a pleasure to find.

Struthiola pondoensis

Podalyria burchellii

Eulophia parviflora

Allocassine laureola

Clivia robusta

A field of Erica cerinthoides

Closeup of E. cerinthoides

Walking further through the tall grass we were attracted by a neatly spiralled bud on Lasiosiphon anthylloides. In the forest Nuxia floribunda was flowering. From the edge of some thorny and scrubby forest we could see Senecio macroglossoides and a bit further along there were a few flowers on Senecio helminthioides. Some tall shrubs in the grassland turned out to be Heteromorpha arborescens var. collina.

Lasiosiphon anthylloides

Nuxia floribunda

Senecio macroglossoides

Senecio helminthioides

By then we had reached the base of the crown of Iron Crown and we stopped to admire the view and enjoy our lunch - and debate the ID of a tree far below us. The drop into the Umtamvuna River gorge is at its most sheer here.

Strolling on we started seeing low shrubs of Agathosma ovata covered in flowers, many more Eulophia parviflora and patches of Erica cerinthoides. As as we headed back to the vehicles along the track there were old flower heads of Lopholaena dregeana and many of the afternoon-flowering Moraea stricta. This species flowers towards the end of the dry season, before the summer rains and has a characteristic cylindrical leaf, distinguishing it from M. elliotii, a very similar species. We also found a single Gladiolus inandensis as well as Searsia pondoensis in fruit.

CREW on the edge

What tree is that down there? (Photo Gail B-W)

Agothosma ovata

Lauridia tetragona fruits

Lopholaena dregeana

Moraea stricta

Gladiolus inandensis

Searsia pondoensis

We noticed several head of cattle grazing illegally on the reserve grasslands far below us and made a vain attempt to chase them off - a job better left to the reserve staff. On the way back we stopped for a quick look to see if there were any early-flowering Disa baurii and were pleased to be rewarded by finding several. Surprisingly we also found a very early Eriosema umtamvunense in a cleared firebreak trace and a Polystachya pubescens. As we gathered at the vehicle, Gail took the opportunity to celebrate the turning of the winter tide by capturing some long shadows.