A short walk in the rain at Beacon Hill (Thursday 27 February 2020)

Hopeful that we would get a walk in before the forecasted rain started, we set off for Maggie's Gully in the hope of seeing some of the Streptocarpus porphyrostachys that grow on the rocks in the stream bed. At the start of the trail there was a clump of the weedy but rather attractive Desmodium setigerum. We had not gone very far along the trail before we saw a few Brunsvigia grandiflora extending their flower heads out above the grass as well as Alectra sessiliflora.

Desmodium setigerum

Brunsvigia grandiflora

Alectra sessiliflora

We walked further toward a top of a forested stream. In the long grass near the shade of the trees we found some tall Senecio panduriformis and a couple of Helichrysum natalitium. On an exposed rock sheet was a cluster of Helichrysum pannosum in flower. Under the trees we found a 2 meter tall flower spike on an Eulophia horsfallii; most of the flowers were over and some fruits had already formed below the last few. Hanging in a clump from a tree was a Dioscorea dregeana sporting several clusters of fruits.

Senecio panduriformis

Helichrysum natalitium

Helichrysum pannosum

Eulophia horsfallii

Dioscorea dregeana

We walked a little further and started seeing Lotononis viminea in flower. As far as we know, this is the only spot in the reserve where this species grows. Near this display of silvery leaves and pinky-mauve flowers we found a number of Cycnium racemosum. The grassland here was dotted with the tall spikes of the unobtrusive Kniphofia parviflora and once we reached some rock plates we found both Utricularia subulata and U. livida.

Lotononis viminea

Cycnium racemosum

Scanning the grassland

Kniphofia parviflora

Utricularia livida

We crossed Maggie's Gully at an easy crossing point and then followed the forested fringe down towards the Bulolo River. The specimen of the unknown subspecies of Olea capensis which we had found here a few years ago was flowering profusely. Just below a rocky ridge was a showy cluster of Kniphofia laxiflora.

Olea capensis subsp. nov.

Kniphofia laxiflora

We pushed our way into the forest and down into the boulder-strewn stream bed on the lookout for the Streptocarpus porphyrostachys which we have seen along the banks here before but all we saw was a few old flower spikes - we had obviously missed these flowers for this season. All reward we had for clambering carefully over the mossy rocks was one flowering Indigofera natalensis.

Indigofera natalensis

By this stage the rain had caught us and after a short breather in the shelter of the forest we decided to head back to the office. Like last week, this week we were again dripping wet when we got back but on this occasion it was from the rain rather than the hot, muggy weather. Most rain jackets are rather useless in the summer months - they might keep the rain out but body humidity condensing on the inside of the jacket makes one equally wet!

Sloshing our way home

After an early lunch in the Beacon Hill meeting room and some discussion about the identification of different genera of the family Fabaceae, we called it a day and headed home.

Participants: Alf H, Anne S, Buyi Z, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate g, Tracy T.

Extreme humiture at Syncolostemon Slopes (Thursday, 20 February 2020)

After a long absence, student Buyi Zakuza was keen to join us on our walks again and discuss her practical projects. We made an early start as the forecast indicated high temperatures and rain in the afternoon. On this occasion we intended to go to the Kwazemane terraces but the last section of track had not been mowed and it was impossible to see where to go through the 2 meter tall grass, so we detoured to Syncolostemon Slopes instead.

The flowers on the rock plates here were very good with mass displays of Aeollanthus parviflorus, Zornia capensis and patches of Oldenlandia herbacea. There were also several Stachys aethiopica, Abrus laevigatus and Hypoxis flanaganii. As we dropped down to the grassland below we saw a big clump of Agapanthus campanulatus and nearby were several tall Cyanotis robusta. In a small damp spot, a host of Utricularia subulata sheltered below some dry twigs.

Abrus laevigatus

Aeollanthus parviflorus

Oldenlandia herbacea

Stachys aethiopica

Zornia capensis

Hypoxis flanaganii

Agapanthus campanulatus

Cyanotis robusta

Utricularia subulata

Near the top of the small cascade we found a low Loxostylis alata completely covered in flowers. We crossed the stream and headed across to where we could see the full waterfall. In this area there was a population of fairly large Aspalathus dahlgrenii. We also found Searsia acocksii in fruit and Pseudoscolopia polyantha with a small cluster of flowers.

Syncolostemon Slopes waterfall

Loxostylis alata

Aspalathus dahlgrenii

Pseudoscolopia polyantha

Searsia acocksii

Around the top of a small forest patch we found a cluster of Kniphofia laxiflora and the rock outcrop beyond this was home to many brightly-flowered Lampranthus fugitans. By the time we scaled this outcrop, all of us were suffering from the combined effects of high temperature and humidity, so we found a sheltering rock overhang out of the sun - no one complained about the occasional drip of water on us from above.

Kniphofia laxiflora

Lampranthus fugitans

We decided to head back to the car to avoid suffering from heat exhaustion. On the way back we came across several Satyrium trinerve and a single, two-headed, Exochaenium sp. nov.

Satyrium trinerve

Exochaenium sp. nov.

Participants: Alf H, Anne S, Buyi Z, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Tracy T.

A Babanango bioblitz (Sunday to Tuesday 18 February 2020)

We were invited to participate in a bioblitz aimed at providing a baseline of species data for a planned big 5 game reserve in Zululand. Our task was to compile an initial plant species list, while others would concentrate on birds, mammals and reptiles. Kate and I drove through Melmoth and shortly after crossing the White Umfolozi, turned off into the Matatane Game Reserve where we checked in and unpacked. Yvette and her colleagues arrived shortly after this and got themselves ready to recce for birds and small mammals at Zulu rock in the afternoon while we decided to botanise at Matatane.

On a very hot afternoon we set off from the central boma in the direction of the Matatane River, recording tree species as we wandered through this bushveld. We were only a mild irritation to a herd of impala and later to a few zebra. The conditions were very dry despite having had a little rain during the previous week, so there were not many herbs to see amongst the dry grass. We did however find a population of Lasiosiphon capitatus as well as a few Gomphocarpus fruticosus. Later, when back at the boma, we found ourselves under some Berchemia zeyheri; these were in fruit and clearly birds had been enjoying them as the ground below the trees was littered with seeds. We had some homework to do that afternoon as we had collected several specimens either for pressing or for keying out using our reference books.

We then retired to our chalet with the background roar of the water far below us in the White Umfolozi river valley.

Vachellia nilotica

Vachellia robusta

Gomphocarpus fruticosus

Lasiosiphon capitatus

Ozoroa sphaerocarpa

Berchemia zeyheri

The next morning we drove a short distance in the direction of Vryheid and turned off into the Zulu Rock Game Reserve. At the office, Game Guard Siyanda was allocated to keep us safe from the potentially dangerous Cape Buffalo and White Rhino while we were walking in the veld and botanising. We explored a few granite batholiths and found some interesting plants, one of which we think is Aneilema brunneospermum (subsequently confirmed). We enjoyed his enthusiastic company for an hour or so until he was called away to other duties and Cilla Hilcove of Conservation Outcomes (the company facilitating the establishment of this big 5 reserve) took over the role of showing us the lie of the land.

We drove towards the area that had been burned last year and that seemed very popular with the game. On the way we noticed the hilltop above us strewn with quartzite boulders and decided this geology warranted a closer look.

It was not long before we found a population of the attractive Lasiosiphon splendens; the silvery-haired backs of the leaves make this plant quite striking. At the top of the ridge we found a Helichrysum which we believe to be H. lesliei; this needs to be verified however as currently the only known population of this plant is far away in Mpumalanga

Albuca shawii

Indigofera velutina

Tetraselago natalensis

Aneilema brunneospermum

Imposing buttress

Helichrysum confertifolium

Lasiosiphon splendens

Hyperacanthus amoenus

Helichrysum cf lesliei

By this stage, the heat was becoming very oppressive, so we walked back to the vehicle and drove further. At the bottom of this slope we stopped to look at a large raptor - this turned out to be a juvenile Martial Eagle. This site had some interesting forbs such as Aloe minima and Crabbea hirsuta. We sought out a shady spot to have some lunch and cold water. Driving on, our ventures away from the air-conditioned interior of the car became shorter and shorter. We eventually gave up and headed back to Matatane for a swim and a chance to process the material collected at Zulu Rock.

Crabbea hirsuta

Aloe minima

Barleria mayeriana

Impressive rock outcrops

Kudu and Wildebeest

Looking down at the White Umfolozi River and the Red Rock

The White Umfolozi valley

The next morning we made a brief sortie around the camp, under the watchful gaze of giraffe.  Very light overnight rain had prompted some of the trees to flower so there was more to see before returning home.

Participants: Graham G, Kate G.