Pondoland C.R.E.W. Blog: Rossmin

It was Wednesday and we went botanizing. Anne and Yvie had to have a site meeting at Rossmin and they left in the morning leaving left Gail, Alf and Tracy to venture out onto the rolling hills on their own.

We had decided to go and check on the Nervilia kotschyi var. purpurata which were flowering. Tracy had discovered this orchid a year ago and there was much excitement around its discovery. The second site of these orchids that we found had not shown signs of erupting out of the ground as yet.

Nervilia kotschyi var. purpurata

Nervilia kotschyi var. purpurata leaf

Nervilia kotschyi var. purpurata seed head

Nervilia kotschyi var. purpurata - unusual that its flowers are pointing upwards.

The hillside was still beautiful with all that was in flower. Hypoxis rigidula took the stage in its bold presence. The leaves so bold, upright and hairy, the silver incredibly eye catching.

Hypoxis rigidula

Eulophia ovalis were flowering and so very eye-catching. The caterpillars had found some and had eaten away their bonnets. The third orchid we had found was Acrolophia cochlearis. A little dreary looking.

Eulophia ovalis

Acrolophia cochlearis

Alf, capturing the orchid's face.

Tracy pointed out the Acalypha villicaulis that had both the male and female flowers on one plant.

Acalypha villicaulis

It's always interesting to observe the various stages of the Berkheya umbellata in flower.

Berkheya umbellata

Berkheya umbellata leaves

Berkheya umbellata

Lotus discolor, Freesia laxa laxa, Silene burchellii subsp. pilosellifolia and Nemesia denticulata were found close to the forest's edge. Following the path minuscule coral red flowers could be seen flowering on Gymnosporia rubra.

Lotus discolor - Coral plant

Lotus discolor

Silene burchellii subsp. pilosellifolia

Stachys nigricans

Thunbergia atriplicifolia

Dyschoriste burchellii

Vigna vexillata

Osteospermum grandidentatum

Osteospermum grandidentatum

Osteospermum grandidentatum

Freesia laxa subsp. laxa

Nemesia denticulata - Maagpynblommetjie

Nemesia denticulata

It was hot and humid and we sat down amongst flowers to eat our lunch and we could barely see each other. It was quite beautiful to be lost in a field of flowers and the grasses where heavy with pollen and their seed heads hung heavily. As we meandered back Tracy spotted one Kniphofia coddiana "Yellow" on the steep hillside. It was wonderful to reach the top of the hill and feel the breeze. Gail had melted. Eriosema salignum and Eriosema cordatum flowered on the hill’s crescent.

A field of flowers

Tracy and Alf in the heat of the day looking at flowers.

Kniphofia coddiana "yellow"

Tracy finding the Kniphofia coddiana "yellow" in the slopey grasslands.

Eriosema salignum

Eriosema cordatum

Eriosema cordatum seed heads.

Eriosema cordatum

Gymnosporia rubra -Red flower spikethorn

As much as we wanted to botanize further, the heat herded us back to the car, past the Gerbera's that seed head now looked like dandelions heads. One blow and a wish was made.