This Thursday, we made a foray into the Umtamvuna NR, under the watch of our Honorary Officer members, with the hope of seeing early signs of the recently discovered Hesperantha species. First we had to negotiate our way through the stringent hygiene checks at the gate of the private farm through which we had to travel to get to this part of the reserve. The farmers are understandably nervous about the possibility of a Covid 19 infection putting the farm under quarantine restrictions.
Parking at our destination, there were several large shrubs of Hypoestes aristata, one standing near an even taller Crotalaria natalensis. We followed the edge of a forest patch around the top of a ridge and down a dip, finding a few Dierama igneum in the open grassland and Senecio deltiodeus and Clematiis brachiata sprawled over the taller shrubs and trees at the edge of the forest.
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| Hypoestes aristata |
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| Dierama igneum |
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| Clematis brachiata |
Also in the grassland were several
Lasiosiphon anthylloides and in shady patches, small clusters of
Geranium flanaganii while
Rapania melanophleos were flowering at the forest edge. We reached the edge of the drop and headed eastwards along the cliffs. Here we found
Crassula sarmentosa var
integrifolia, Polygala gazensis, Pseudoscolopia polyantha flowering
, and
Robsonodendron eucleiforme and
Mimusops ovata in fruit.
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| Geranium flanaganii |
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| Lasiosiphon anthylloides |
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| Rapanea melanophleos |
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| Senecio deltoideus |
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| Crassula sarmentosa var integrifolia |
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| Polygala gazensis |
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| Pseudoscolopia polyantha |
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| Mimusops ovata |
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| Robsonodendron eucleiforme |
A little further along we had a view of the clear water in the Umtamvuna River far below us. Making our way back towards the vehicles we found a few partially closed
Moraea stricta. This was interesting as we normally find the Moraea opening in the afternoon but perhaps the overcast conditions confused the plants.
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| View of the clear waters of the Umtamvuna River far below us |
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| Moraea stricta |
Following the forest edge away from the vehicles, we found
Nuxia floribunda and
Osyridicarpos schimperianus in flower and a stand of
Solanum giganteum presenting their glossy red fruits in the wintry sun.
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| Nuxia floribunda |
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| Osyridicarpos schimperianus |
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| Solanum giganteum fruits |
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| Still all masked up for safety |
Participants: Alf H, Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Tracy T.
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