This
blog has a plethora of images with flowers observed during the course of the
week. It was a week of Pachycarpus species and Dianthus flowered profusely.
Dianthus is part of the carnation family and it is used for magical and
medicinal purposes in African tribes and in Chinese medicine. It is also
used by diviners to improve their intuitive sense. This species is used
by herbal doctors and is used in making royal soap for the Swazi King. In
Europe it's used for cut flowers and in landscaping. The fruit is eaten raw or
boiled and is makes a sweet drink.
We came across Indigofera
abbottii. The Indigofera abbottii is a
new indigo species and with clearance of habitat because of famers and houses
being built its future existence is questioned. This Indigofera was one
of Kew's top 10 new species in 2023.
www.kew.org/read-and-watch/top-10-species-2023. This plant is named after
our late Tony Abbott. Anthony Thomas Dixon Abbott. He was a
pioneering conservationist and amateur plant collector who discovered many new
species and Richard Boon who visited us recently is studying some of Tony's
plants. Gail took some photos of the miniscule flowers on the Erythrococca
sp. nov down the slippery slopes of a hiking trail where mosquitoes were rife. The male and female flowers are on separate
plants and further observations will be documented as the flowers go to
seed.In a dark forest photographing these tiny flowers is a challenge to say the least.
It is
amazing to see how many endemics we found on the day and to name a few that
were observed where: Grewia
hispida; Brachystelma australe; Aspalathus spinosa; Aspalathus chortophila; Indigofera
abbottii; Asclepias praemorsa; Pachycarpus mackenii; Pachycarpus
coronarius; Pachycarpus grandiflorus subsp.
grandiflorus; Pachycarpus linearis; Watsonia densiflora (white); Streptocarpus
polyanthus subsp. polyanthus and Plectranthus ernstii which is classified
as near threatened. Bowiea volubilis subsp. volubilis was also
seen which is vulnerable. This plant is under significant threat
due to harvesting for medicinal purposes. It is mainly used to treat skin
diseases, sore eyes, bladder problems and procuring abortion.
During a hike beautiful
white Watsonia densiflora were seen flowering amongst pink in Western Heights
and Plectranthus ernstii was found in flower too at Foster's Folly.
Pachycarpus linearis which is data deficient was seen flowering near Beacon
Hill down a trail. This Pachycarpus looks a lot like a Christmas bell.
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| Pachycarpus linearis |
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| Dianthus zeyheri CARYOPHYLLACEAE |
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| Eucomis autumnalis HYACINTHACEAE Pineapple Lily |
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| Raphionacme galpinii APOCYNACEAE |
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| Satyrium cristatum ORCHIDACEAE |
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| Grewia hispida MALVACEAE South African endemic |
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| Thunbergia natalensis ACANTHACEAE |
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| Dais cotinifolia THYMELAEACEAE |
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| Brachystelma australe APOCYNACEAE South African endemic
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| Bowiea volubilis subsp. volubilis HYACINTHACEAE Vulnerable A2ad |
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| Rhoicissus tridentata ssp. cuneifolia VITACEAE |
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| Aspalathus spinosa FABACEAE South African endemic |
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| Aspalathus chortophila FABACEAE Tea Bush South African endemic |
.jpg.webp) |
| Photo credit: Graham Grieve |
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| Indigofera abbottii FABACEAE South african endemic
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| Asclepias praemorsa APOCYNACEAE South African endemic
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| Pachycarpus linearis APOCYNACEAE South African endemic |
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| Waiting for our respected elders to help idenify an unknown plant which still remains unidentified. |
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| Plunging into the tepid water to escape the heat of the day. Gail and Tracy Carpe Diem. |
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| The Thursday Group / Pondoland C.R.E.W. |
| Uschi, Dorothy, Gail, Maggie, Arman, Buyi and Tracy. |
With the group divided into two areas, Alf and Anne botanised at Rossmin and Alf photographed these specimens.
.JPG) |
| Rotheca sp. |
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| Xysmalobium undulatum var. undulatum APOCYNACEAE |
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| Brachycorythis pubescens ORCHIDACEAE |
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| Watsonia densiflora White IRIDACEAE South African endemic  |
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| Tridactyle tridentata ORCHIDACEAE |
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| Streptocarpus polyanthus subsp. polyanthus GESNERIACEAE South African endemic |
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| Plectranthus ernstii LAMIACEAE Near Threatened D2 South African endemic |
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| Erythrococca sp. nov EUPHORBIACEAE For Richard Boon in his on-going research of Tony Abbott's observations of this Erythroccoca species that is found in the Umtamvuna. |
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