We found ourselves in the Banners Rest Triangle in Port Edward. This area was one of the first areas to experience fires in the burning season and one's heart gave a leap of joy seeing the Bracken fern (Pteridium spp.) burn as it is ever encroaching. This fern is a highly problematic plant worldwide due to its toxicity in combination with its invasive properties. Consumption is linked to human gastric cancer and causes urinary bladder cancers in bovines browsing on bracken.
Tracy had spotted Hebenstretia from the road side and since it was one of her favourite flowers Anne decided to pay them a visit. We found that it was Hebenstretia comosa in flower. Lovely swathes of it, their swanlike heads with beautiful orange markings made these flowers incredibly attractive. On the hillside we found Helichrysum griseum in bud. Ledebouria cooperi was growing in the dry marshland, it begged for bog. Merwilla plumbea's beautiful blue head also made us take note that its time was coming. Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus, Tritonia gladiolaris, Gladiolus longicollis subsp. longicollis and Gladiolus inandensis all gave one the hope of spring and that the season was changing despite the rain and a very warm winter. Kniphofia coddiana is a Near Threatened B1ab(iii) South African endemic. Fifty percent of this Kniphofia has lost its habitat owing to commercial and communal farming and the proliferation of alien invasive plants. Dimorphotheca caulescens reminded one of the Namaqualand show that’s on and Ornithogalum juncifolium flowered profusely, so delicate and yet an incredibly strong little flower that braves the harsh elements. Orthochilus foliosus was the only orchid seen growing in the grasslands.
The day was sadly cut short as we had lunch at Rennie’s Beach with some unsavoury vagabonds lurking in the bush with a spanner in hand which left us retreating to the safety of our vehicles and heading home.
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| Photo credit: Tracy |
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| Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus AMARYLLIDACEAE Dobo Lily South African endemic |
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| Photo credit: Tracy |
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| Hebenstretia comosa SCROPHULARIACEAE |
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| Botansing in the Banners Rest Triangle. |
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| Photo credit: Tracy |
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| Lasiosiphon kraussianus var. kraussianus THYMELAEACEAE Lesser Yellow-head |
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| Merwilla plumbea HYACINTHACEAE Blue Squill Near Threatened A2bd |
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| Kniphofia coddiana ASPHODELACEAE Codd's Poker Near Threatened B1ab(iii) South African endemic |
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| Gladiolus longicollis subsp. longicollis IRIDACEAE Honey-flower |
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| Gladiolus inandensis IRIDACEAE |
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| Orthochilus foliosus ORCHIDACEAE |
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| Gazania krebsiana ASTERACEAE |
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| Dimorphotheca caulescens ASTERACEAE |
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| Ledebouria cooperi HYACINTHACEAE Cooper's Squill
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| Helichrysum griseum ASTERACEAE South African endemic |
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| Photo credit: Tracy |
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| Helichrysum aureum var monocephalum ASTERACEAE |
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| Photo credit: Tracy |
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| Othonna natalensis ASTERACEAE Natal Geelbossie  |
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| Tritonia gladiolaris IRIDACEAE Yellow Tritonia
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| Senecio variabilis ASTERACEAE South African endemic |
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| Ornithogalum juncifolium HYACINTHACEAE Grass-leaved Chincherinchee |
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| Raphionacme galpinii APOCYNACEAE |
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| Pondoland C.R.E.W./The Thursday Group. Gail, Buyi, Arman, Anne, Magge, Tracy, Hilliary, Ushi, Dorothy and Alf. "No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." - Hal Borland. |
