Devils Backbone 5 September 2024

Vehicles were packed full of happy people heading off to the far side of the reserve near Gogoza to a place through locked gates to Devil's Backbone.  It was on the spine we botanised on a cool day which looked ominous where one could expect an unexpected burst of rain.  

This part had been burnt by the Parks Board and we had experienced some terribly winds which might have explained the scorched forest.  One could smell the burn in the air even though it had been done several weeks before.

The grassland was a plethora of colour in pale yellow and soft pink.  We thought how sad it was that the Cape is known for its wildflowers and we are not.  We had not seen  Eriosema kraussianum  put on quite a show like this before.  Beautiful pockets of these little shrubs scattered around bringing in the colour of joy like the sun. " 

Eriosema kraussianum
FABACEAE
Pale Yellow Eriosema 

Indigofera rubroglandulosa is one of the first flowers to flower in the spring.  It's an endemic and the colour is crimson and ruby like.  It's a tiny plant but it makes one take notice of its splendour and quite long lasting.

Indigofera rubroglandulosa
FABACEAE
South African endemic

We had never seen so many Lotononis bachmanniana scattered around.  One could see how pollination occurs.  This purple gem was a sight for glad eyes.  t's one of our endemics and "Near Threatened". 

Lotononis bachmanniana
FABACEAE
Near Threatened A4c; B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
South African endemic

The Graderia scabra was prolific.  So soft in pink.  They known as Ground Bells. Sopubia simplex complimented this colour in the veld.  The only orchid we saw as Eulophia hians var. hians.

Graderia scabra
OROBANCHACEAE
Pink Ground-bells

Sopubia simplex
OROBANCHACEAE

Eulophia hians var. hians
ORCHIDACEAE

Photo credit:  Tracy

Butterflies skipped around the Ocimum obovatum subsp. obovatum.   Its delicate bright white petals are fringed in lilac and whispery, hence the name, "Cat's whiskers".  It always catches one's eye and makes a good garden plant.

Ocimum obovatum subsp. obovatum
LAMIACEAE
Cat's Whiskers 

Pentanisia prunelloides subsp. prunelloides, Helichrysum acutatum, Helichrysum nudifolium var. pilosellum, Gladiolus longicollis and Hypoxis angustifolia var. angustifolia were all found in the grasslands.

Heading back towards the car and watching a looming dark cloud approach we were brought to a halt when observing Watsonia inclinata.  This is a "Vulnerable" South African endemic and grows leaning to one side.

Watsonia inclinata
IRIDACEAE
Vulnerable D2
South African endemic

We saw both Acalypha depressinerva and Acalypha peduncularis.  The sexes on these plants are found on separate plants. 

 

Male

Acalypha depressinerva 
EUPHORBIACEAE
Bearded-leaved Brooms and Brushes
Female

Female

Acalypha peduncularis
EUPHORBIACEAE
Male

As we were leaving Anne spotted Drimia echinostachya.  It was still in bud and this too is a South African and "Vulnerable" endemic and saw the tiny flowers on Euphorbia gueinzii.

Drimia echinostachya
HYACINTHACEAE
Synonym:  Drimia cooperi
Vulnerable A2ad; C2a(i)
South African endemic

Euphorbia gueinzii
EUPHORBIACEAE

Grass owl feces

Cycnium adonense 
OROBANCHACEAE
Blotting Paper Flower

Helichrysum acutatum
ASTERACEAE
Sticky Everlasting 

Helichrysum nudifolium var. pilosellum
ASTERACEAE

Searsia lucida
ANACARDIACEAE

Gerbera ambigua setting seed.
ASTERACEAE

 

Burchellia bubalina 
RUBIACEAE
Wild Pomegranate

Pentanisia prunelloides subsp. prunelloides
RUBIACEAE

Hypoxis angustifolia var. angustifolia
HYPOXIDACEAE
Yellow Star

Alf and Uschi with the magestic view beyond.  

Hypoxis angustifolia var. angustifolia
THYMELAEACEAE
Lesser Yellow-head

Afroaster serrulatus
ASTERACEAE

Gladiolus longicollis
IRIDACEAE
Honey-flower 

Alepidea peduncularis
APIACEAE
Photo credit:  Tracy

Hilliary gently taking the beautiful scenery in.  

De-barking invasive Wattles that are growing in the reserve.  OUT!
Photo credit:  Tracy

A scorpian.
Photo credit:  Tracy

It's always a day where one's heart is full and grateful.

"Hello!"

Pondoland C.R.E.W./The Thursday Group
Gail, Buyi, Tracy, Hilliary, Uschi, Anne, Arman and Alf

“What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly.”
― Lao Tzu

The Chute 29 August 2024

We certainly didn't have The Chute in mind when it came to botanising on Thursday. Manilkara as where we found ourselves waiting patiently for the key to arrive and the gate to be opened.  We were told that the lock could be broken for us but we decided against such drastic action and just venture a little further down to the gate below which found us at The Chute the Gagoza far in the back ground and Devils Backbone beckoning us to make it our next visit.  The view was spectacular to say the least.  The area had been burnt and we were lucky to have found ourselves here as it would be incredibly dangerous and difficult walking in long grass as the area is incredibly rocky.  

We found ourselves finding shelter away from the icy wind and sipped our tea.  Uschi had said, "Let's go!" and so we did walk ever so carefully on the forest edge.  This chute was a sheer drop and incredibly dangerous if one fell.  There would be no return.  Tempting as it was to want to know what grew inside, we decided to just imagine and growing on the edge was the most beautiful Tricalysia capensis var. capensis.  What a show.  What a scent.  Cotyledon orbiculata was in flower too.  Our endemic Petopentia natalensis was flowering and Acridocarpus natalitius tempted us to admire its flowers but because of the drop we did so from a safe distance.  

In the burnt grassland Gerbera natalensis, Gazania krebsiana put on a flowery show.  Gerbera natalensis braved the cold in its woolly jarmies.  The bulbs that peeked were Boophone disticha, a Drimia species and good old Ledebouria revoluta.

Nestled in the rocks and forest edge we found Ochna serrulata and Ochna arborea.  Spring was in the air!  Erythrina lysistemon was equally magnificent growing precariously on the edge, the scarlet flowers as beautiful as the setting sun.  Sideroxylon inerme that had us scrutinizing its leaves for clues and Uschi managed to give us its ID after Alf bravely reached over and took a "takkie" for us to turn this way and that.  What an old gnarled tree this was.  This tree has had a hard life.

The terrain was unbelievably breathtaking.  Never have I seen more beautiful rocks.  How privileged we were to be together enjoying the day together and seeing what was flowering now.  Thursdays are a day where one leaves the world behind and all is good.

Cotyledon orbiculata
CRASSULACEAE
Photo credit:  Tracy

  

 

Gerbera natalensis 
ASTERACEAE

Drimia echinostachya (possibly)
HYACINTHACEAE
Vulnerable A2ad; C2a(i)
South African endemic

A pollinator!

Gazania krebsiana
ASTERACEAE

Only possible to botanise this area when the grass has been burnt.

Botanising along a very dangerous edge called The Chute.  It's a sheer drop off.

Our dearest Alf.

A cold and windy day.

Uschi and Hilliary taking in the magnificent surroundings and finding a place out of the howling wind.

Our dear Uschi, dropping off over the edge and climbing up again to see what's flowering.

Ochna serrulata
OCHNACEAE
Carnival Redwood

Magnificent rocks!  Magnificent falls if one does.

Living on the edge.  One life.  Live it.  Tracy and Buyi descending and taking all of life in.

It's a long way down for a swim.  It's a longer climb up.  Steep, treacherous and requires abundant stamina.

Our teacher.  Alf, Anne and Uschi trying to key the tree to identify what we questioning.

Bark

Berries

Old "takkie" from another questioning botanist.

Anne looking through the loop at the leaf for clues.

Alf standing on the edge, getting a fresh "takkie" for us to look at to see what this tree that's lives in this harsh environment could be.

Our tree in question. 
 Sideroxylon inerme 
SAPOTACEAE
White Milkwood 

Looking down at the Mtamvuna river below.

Ochna arborea
OCHNACEAE
Cape Redwood 

Dropping down.  How beautiful nature is.

Ficus glumosa
MORACEAE
 Hairy Rock Fig 

Erythrina lysistemon
FABACEAE
 Sacred Coral Tree

Buyi and Tracy looking at the beautiful Ochna growing on the edge of the earth.

Ledebouria revoluta 
HYACINTHACEAE

Tricalysia capensis var. capensis
RUBIACEAE

Petopentia natalensis
APOCYNACEAE
South African endemic
Photo credit:  Tracy

Acridocarpus natalitius
MALPIGHIACEAE
Mothfruit

Anne relaxing on the tilted rocks having a conversation with Buyi.

Gail, enchanted by the rocks.

Pondoland C.R.E.W./The Thursday Group
Uschi, Tracy, Gail, Anne, Buyi, Alf and Hilliary

Happiness blooms from within.