Tuesday 16 May 2023

Ingrid Fall's Beacon Hill 11 May 2023

We gathered at Beacon Hill and decided there where to go.  It was a chilly morning but by the time we set off we had removed all our jackets and left them in the car.  We headed down the hill noticing some Brunsvigia grandiflora seed heads lying in the grasslands, their seeds scattered with hope of new plants in the future.  The vulnerable Syncolostemon ramulosus was in flower, it scrambled on the ground with smaller leaves than its cousin.  As we headed towards the steam to cross over, we noticed Drosera natalensis growing.  They were flourishing after all the rain we had received.  Growing next to them was  Utricularia livida and Utricularia prehensilis.  Tracy pulled out Wild Ginger that had escaped from the farmers lands that had washed down and grew along the stream.   Pycnostachys reticulata, Psoralea glabra and Nuxia floribunda were all flowering.  It was hot and we sought shade, we quickly made our way to Ingrid's Falls.  The relief of the forest brought joy.  Wild pig's spoor was found as was bird song.  Along the forest edge we found Maesa lanceolata, Isoglossa cooperi and Allophylus dregeanus flowering.  The Flatid Planthopper Nymphs caught our attention for a while, they are quite endearing. No matter how slow the pace was we admired everything.  The trees that were fluted and with their beautiful buttress roots growing laterally.  The ancient trees towered above us. We sat having our lunch at Ingrid's Falls, the rainbow from the water played against the rocks and our hearts were content.  We meandered home and the show stopper was  Moraea spathulata. It was so beautiful that Gail decided it would be a good subject to paint. The genusname Moraea is a tribute to the English botanist Robert More.  The species name spathulata is dervied from th eLatis word "spathulatus" meaning "spatula-shaped"and refers to the shape of the leaves. Helichrysum adenocarpum subsp. adenocarpum and Helichrysum ecklonis were flowering too in the late afternoon sun.  It had been a wonderful and gentle day.  A day just what one's heart needs from time to time.



Coccinia rehmannii
CUCURBITACEAE





Solanum sp.
SOLANACEAE

Syncolostemon ramulosus
LAMIACEAE
Vulnerable D2


Genlisea hispidula
LENTIBULARIACEAE

Utricularia prehensilis
LENTIBULARIACEAE

Exochaenium sp. nov
GENTIANACEAE

Exochaenium grande
GENTIANACEAE

Drosera natalensis
DROSERACEAE

Coleus kirkii
Lamiaceae

Psoralea glabra
FABACEAE

Nuxia floribunda
Nuxia floribunda

Helichrysum auriceps
ASTERACEAE

Lasiosiphon anthylloides
THYMELAEACEAE 



Crotalaria natalitia var. natalitia
FABACEAE


Maesa lanceolata
MAESACEAE

Clematis brachiata
RANUNCULACEAE

Tracy and Gai, hands on hips and having a laugh.

Ingrid's Falls

Isoglossa cooperi 
ACANTHACEAE


Allophylus dregeanus
SAPINDACEAE

Anastrabe integerrima
STILBACEAE 

Flatid Planthopper Nymphs.


A beautiful old tree.  Maggie and Mark.

Climbing up a steep embankment after visiting Ingrid's Falls.

Maggie, Alf and Mark

Maggie


Photo credit:  Tracy
Rabdosiella calycina


Rabdosiella calycina
LAMIACEAE


Moraea spathulata
IRIDACEAE

Photo credit:  Tracy



Helichrysum ecklonis
ASTERACEAE

Helichrysum adenocarpum subsp. adenocarpum
ASTERACEAE

Photo credit:  Tracy
Mark, Maggie and Gail


Pondoland C.R.E.W.
Gail Bowers-Winters, Tracy Taylor, Alf Hayter, Mark Getliffe and Maggie Abbott

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson






Manlikara 4 May 2023

Manilkara Meander it was.  In slow paces we trod with the terrain being incredibly rocky and one could easily find oneself with a twisted ankle.  The view was spectacular as always as is it always hot.  We observed Vangueria infausta subsp. infausta calyxes under the loupe for a while and one wished to have the eye sight of this magnifying glass.  The butterflies skipped and danced. Phymaspermum acerosum, Gymnanthemum corymbosum, Pimpinella caffra, Wahlenbergia capillata, Notobubon laevigatum, Lotononis eriocarpa, Syncolostemon rotundifolius flowered on the hillside.  Anne and Tracy de-barked an invasive Wattle that was growing in the reserve.  We came across our indigenous Lantana rugosa, it was safe.  At lunch time we meandered into the forest.  We came across huge trees and one simply couldn't identify them for their canopy was in the sky and the leaves too far away to verify their identity.  We came across fresh Bush-buck droppings which was so lovely to see as this reserve is not known for its wildlife and only its poaching.  In the forest we found Hypoestes forskaolii and Isoglossa ciliata flowering.  Gail came across Calodendrum capense seed lying on the forest floor.   Although mostly common species were found the day nevertheless was wonderful.

Vangueria infausta subsp. infausta
RUBIACEAE

Looking at the calyx on the Vangueria infausta subsp. infausta


Tracy admiring the flowers and pollinators on the Bush-tick Berry

Osteospermum moniliferum subsp. moniliferum
ASTERACEAE


Phymaspermum acerosum
ASTERACEAE

Crassula obovata var. obovata
CRASSULACEAE

Ficus glumosa
MORACEAE

Lantana rugosa
VERBENACEAE



Senecio albanensis var. doroniciflorus
ASTERACEAE 


Gymnanthemum corymbosum
(
 Vernonia tigna)
ASTERACEAE

Searsia crenata
ANACARDIACEAE 


Tracy and Anne ring-barking an invasive Wattle that was growing in the reserve.

Hypoestes forskaolii
ACANTHACEAE 

Alf standing next to an ancient tree growing in the forest.

Alf talking in the magnificent forest.

Antidesma venosum
PHYLLANTHACEAE


Pimpinella caffra
APIACEAE


Wahlenbergia capillata
CAMPANULACEAE

Anne, Alf and Hillary.


Notobubon laevigatum
APIACEAE 

Lotononis eriocarpa
FABACEAE


Syncolostemon rotundifolius
LAMIACEAE 

Pondoland C.R.E.W.
Maggie, Hillary, Anne, Tracy, Alf and Gail

“Looking at beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind.”
― Amit Ray