Hazel Ridge 5 December 2024

With a skeleton group the three flower musketeers met with great enthusiasm, it was Thursday after all and that meant botansing in the Umtamvuna and headed off to Hazel Ridge. 

Richard Boon had visited a few weeks ago with along with delightful group of people, there was Errol Douwes, Bill Nortje, two other friends, Daleen Roodt, and Graham and Kate Grieve.  Richard was researching a species that is still undescribed that Tony Abbott had found a decade ago and one of these species was Rhoissus sp. nov.  He had said that there was no record of this plant having flowers or seed documented and so Gail had asked Anne if we could go botanize there and familiarize ourselves with this plant so that when we were out elsewhere, we knew what we were looking at should we come across it. 

Rhoicissus sp.nov

Gail showing that this Rhoicissus sp. nov is a lovely creeper.

As we unlocked the four locked chained gate our vehicles came to a hault.  Brachycortythis pubescens a beautiful orchid was flowering in the grasslands.  Ten could easily be counted around us. Crassula vaginata subsp. vaginata was more colourful than yellow road paint and down the steep hill we admired all the Drosera natalensis that were in flower. 

Brachycorythis pubescens
ORCHIDACEAE

Crassula vaginata subsp. vaginata

Delosperma vinaceum
AIZOACEAE
South African endemic

The magnificent Delosperma vinaceum flowered in hot pink on the rocks and we looked at a Clutia  disceptata which had male and female flowers on separate plants.

Drosera natalensis
DROSERACEAE
Sundew 

Clutia disceptata
EUPHORBIACEAE
South African endemic

As we entered into the forest margin, we found Streptocarpus polyanthus subsp. polyanthus flowering on mass amongst Hypoxis membranacea which grew like a carpet. Plectranthus saccatus subsp. pondoensis was flowering delicately too.

Streptocarpus polyanthus subsp. polyanthus
GESNERIACEAE
South African endemic

Hypoxis membranacea
HYPOXIDACEAE 

Plectranthus saccatus subsp. pondoensis
LAMIACEAE
South African endemic

This area that we were botanizing in had experienced a terrible run-away fire five years ago and it left a terrible scar in this once pristine area.  Now we found every alien invasive growing and its dishearting to enter as the work to remove these horrible plants is back breaking and will take several weeks to eradicate them.  A team of people with good will is required to restore this area.  

Growing in this area described was Rhoicissus sp. nov.  It is a creeper with really lovely leaves and we moved it off the path so that it could not be in harms way in the future should feet and clippers pass by.  We studied the plant for a while and then exited as a storm was brewing and we had a hill to climb out of before we got wet.  But as quickly as it came so too did it go.  We hovered around the rocks finding Rangaeris muscicola in bud and the near threatened Grewia pondoensis which has thick and shiny leaves.

Grewia pondoensis
MALVACEAE
Pondo Cross-berry
Near Threatened B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v)
South African endemic

Mystroxylon aehiopicum subsp. aethiopicum, Cassipourea malosana,  Searisa acocksii were flowering.  These all have tiny flowers and easily overlooked if not looking closely.

Mystroxylon aethiopicum subsp. aethiopicum
CELASTRACEAE
Kooboo-berry
South African endemic

Cassipourea malosana
Onionwood
RHIZOPHORACEAE

Searsia acocksii
ANACARDIACEAE
Pondo Climbing Currant
Near Threatened B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
South African endemic

Pleopeltis polypodioides subsp. ecklonii had attached itself to an Aloe arborescens and an Ackokanthera.

Pleopeltis polypodioides subsp. ecklonii
 POLYPODIACEAE

As we ambled along, we found Monathotaxis caffra flowering and then looking way up high there was a beautiful Pavetta lanceolata.  We studied this Pavetta for quite while and looking intensely at the back of the leaves.  This plant had a bad smell.  For having such a lovely flower and its commond name,  Brides Bush, one would think that it would have a scent that was worn by a bride but perhaps this stinky one was not a very desirable bride who forgot who forgot to wear beautiful perfume.  Anne and Uschi also found Manilkara nicholsonii which is classified as endangered.

Monanthotaxis caffra 
ANNONACEAE

Uschi looking at the Pavetta to see which species it could be.

Pavetta lanceolata 
RUBIACEAE
Weeping Brides-bush

Manilkara nicholsonii 
SAPOTACEAE
Pondo Milkberry 
Endangered B1ab(iii,v); C2a(i)
South African endemic

We came across Schrebera alata,  it wasn’t in flower and has a glorius smell when it is.   We don’t see it often and then Gail noticed the tiny flowers on Lauridia tetragona.  Of course, the wind came up and the photos became challenging with motion and light. Diospyros simii caught our attention. A plant of statue. 

Schrebera alata
OLEACEAE
Wing-leaved Wooden-pear

Lauridia tetragona
CELASTRACEAE
Climbing Saffron

Anne looking at Diospyros simii 

Diospyros simii 
EBENACEAE
Climbing Star-apple
South African endemic

Acridocarpus natalitius
MALPIGHIACEAE
Mothfruit

Cryptocarya wyleii was full of pin head size buds and Acredocarphus natalitia was flowering profusely.

Cryptocarya wyliei 
LAURACEAE
 Red Quince
Near Threatened B1ab(iii,v)
South African endemic

We ambled back up a steep hill cheerfully.  We had had a lovely day and with full hearts went our ways.

The Hugh Nicholson's Thursday Group / Pondoland C.R.E.W.
Anne Skelton,  Uschi Teicher & Gail Bowers-Winters

 “Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson