Cascades 8 February 2024

It was our excursion to Cascades since October 2023 as the vast amount of rain kept us out of this area as the roads would have been inaccessible and the chances of getting stuck were very possible.  This road is not maintained.  Cautiously we proceeded in our 4X4's.  It was a hot day and the pools were so inviting to swim in.

Watsonia densiflora and Hesperantha baurii flowered in pink.  Their time was now.  We found one Aloe linearifolia growing in the grasslands. Satyrium trinerve, Brownleea parviflora and Habenaria lithophila were the orchids in flower. Pseudolycopodiella caroliniana has had a name change and is now Lycopodiella caroliniana. This is a little fern and its common name is the Slender Club-moss.  It is found in perennial or seasonal seeps and in marschy areas in motane grasslands along stream banks and on flat wet rocks.

Watsonia densiflora
IRIDACEAE
South African endemic

Anne looking at the flower structure to see what species we were looking at for identification.

Utricularia prehensilis
LENTIBULARIACEAE

Alf, Dorothy and Maggie having a close look at Utricularia prehensilis 

Aloe linearifolia
ASPHODELACEAE
South African endemic

Satyrium trinerve 
ORCHIDACEAE

Satyrium trinerve leaves

Satyrium trinerve

Anne looking closely at the structure of Brownleea parviflora

Brownleea parviflora
ORCHIDACEAE

Hillary and Maggie

Drosera nidiflormis
DROSERACEAE

Alf, Tracy and Anne

Habenaria lithophila
ORCHIDACEAE

Sisyranthus virgatus
APOCYNACEAE

Tracy

Tracy enjoying a cool plunge in the freshest of waters.

Secamone alpini 
APOCYNACEAE

Dorothy and Anne

Searsia sp.
ANACARDIACEAE

Anne and Dorothy

Maggie, Dorothy and Simon

Simon, Anne, Dorothy and Maggie

Maggie, Dorothy and Simon identifying "takkies" that Simon found in the forest.

Grona setigera - I-naturalist
Desmodium setigerum - Red List
FABACEAE

Alf and Dorothy taking a close look at wild flowers.

Pseudolycopodiella caroliniana

 - Red List
LYCOPODIACEAE

Hesperantha baurii
IRIDACEAE

Tephrosia polystachya
FABACEAE

Pondoland C.R.E.W. / The Thursday Group
Tracy, Simon, Af, Maggie, Anne, Hillary, Dorothy and Gail