It was a slow, gentle day of botany — exactly what each of us needed. There was no hurrying. Even the earth seemed subdued. There was no wind; it was a cool, grey April day. The towering trees of Smedmore Forest were our silent companions. On the border between the farm and the forest, we debated the identity of a Crotalaria species — Crotalaria capensis (EaredRattle-pod). This conversation happens every time we see this plant in flower. It always makes me laugh — the idea that the plant might have magically changed since we last stood here. A recurring botanical curiosity.
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| A cool, grey April day |
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| Crotalaria capensis |
The dark green foliage of Hypoestes aristata (Ribbon bush) was nearly hidden beneath its spectacular display of violet flowers, absolutely loved by pollinators. Nearby, wispy, grass-like Heliophila rigidiuscula (Grassland Blues Cress) carried violet-mauve flowers atop slender, almost leafless stems.
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| Anne, Uschi and Hilary heading down |
 | Hypoestes aristata
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Heliophila rigidiuscula
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Walking through the grass down the hill, Aspalathus gerrardii (Natal Prickly Pea) still held a few small, acid-yellow flowers nestled against its woolly grey foliage. It felt wonderfully soft to the touch. It really is an absolutely gorgeous plant. A single Nemesia denticulata (Maagpynblommetjie), with its jolly mauve flowers, spilled into the path. I was literally bowled over by this little flower — discovering, as I tried to sit back up, that my backpack might be heavier than me. Much to Dorothy’s amusement. It’s moments like these that make Thursdays special.
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| Aspalathus gerrardii |
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| Nemesia denticulata |
The pink flowers of Dierama igneum (Fairy Bell) dangled delicately from the ends of long, slender stalks. They appeared fragile yet were remarkably strong. These flowers are nostalgically known as “Old Man’s Fishing Rods.” The perennial herb Lotononis eriocarpa, endemic to South Africa, added its own violet pea blooms.
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| Dorothy and Anne having a in depth discussion |
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Dierama igneum
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| Lotononis eriocarpa |
Looking up, I saw Uschi and Anne excitedly examining a plant — Clematis brachiata (Traveller’s Joy). It earned its common name because its sweet-scented flowers once brightened dusty roadsides for weary wanderers. Beyond its beauty, it offered practical relief: travellers used its leaves to soothe blisters in their boots, brewed medicinal teas for aches and colds, and even placed the leaves under saddles to protect horses from sores on long journeys.
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| Clematis brachiata |
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| A dense head of Clematis brachiata achenes. |
Along the shaded forest edge, the dew lingered a little longer. Everything was coated in a soft layer of moisture. Creeping through the long grass was Crassula pellucida var. brachypetala with unusually variegated leaves, while the modest, bright yellow, button-like flowers of Schistostephium crataegifolium (Golden Flat-flower) sat beautifully against the grassland backdrop. Brushing past this plant released a pleasant aromatic, camphor-like fragrance. Amongst the tangle of grass, Dorothy discovered Anthospermum herbaceum with its tiny greenish-yellow flowers.
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| Crassula pellucida var. brachypetala with unusually variegated leaves |
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| Schistostephium crataegifolium |
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Anthospermum herbaceum
Photo credit Dorothy |
Anne and I cleared a path into the forest — and into another world. We moved tree to tree, discussing the dark, glossy green, leathery, narrow alternate leaves with finely toothed margins. This brought us to Rinorea angustifolia (Narrow-leaved Violet-bush), as the name suggests. We also spotted Ochna natalitia (Showy Redwood), easily identified by the unique rosette-shaped galls on the stem tips that look like miniature protea buds. Drypetes gerrardii var. gerrardii (Forest Ironplum) showed golden hairs on its young growth, and Bachmannia woodii (Four-finger Bush) was still flowering long after its usual season.
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| Hilary taking a breather |
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| Rinorea angustifolia |
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| Ochna natalitia with rosette-shaped gall |
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| Golden hairs of Drypetes gerrardii var. gerrardii |
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| Bachmannia woodii |
We stopped to admire a huge Zanthoxylum davyi (Forest Knobwood or Bosperdepram). Its trunk was remarkable — a rugged pillar covered in woody, cone-shaped knobs. Uschi’s diligence paid off when the scrawny shrub we had noticed turned out to be Marijordaania filiformis (Red-flowered False Silkybark), a rare evergreen shrub or small tree in the Celastraceae family.
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| Zanthoxylum davyi |
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Marijordaania filiformis
Photo credit Uschi |
As we made our way back towards the edge of the forest, we shared happy forest memories. We emerged into the grassland as it sloped down towards the Umtamvuna River. The grass was thick and long, and it took a while before we could see the top of the hill again. Aneilema aequinoctiale (Clinging Aneilema) caught our attention with its Velcro-like hairs that hook onto anything passing by. Twining through the branches of a Halleria lucida (Tree Fuchsia) was Ipomoea ficifolia (Fig-leaved Morning Glory), its soft magenta-pink funnel-shaped flowers standing out against its dark green fig-like leaves. The beautiful small pale pink flowers of Pavonia columella (Pink Swampmallow), with its characteristic central column of fused stamens, also drew us in. Dorothy and I dawdled up the hill, stopping to examine a Tephrosia species, whose identity still eludes us.
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| Aneilema aequinoctiale |
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| Ipomoea ficifolia |
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| Fig like leaves of Ipomoea ficifolia |
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| Pavonia columella |
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| Tephrosia species |
And just like that, the day was gone. Hours had become moments and moments cherished memories.
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| Exoskeleton of a spider |
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| Funnel Woodcap |
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| Leprous Milkweed Locust |
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