A Field of Flowers and Unexpected Treasures

Matt Williams had told Anne that Rennie’s was all ablaze with Watsonia pillansii, and like snow chasers, we gathered our fellow plant enthusiasts and met at Rennie’s in Port Edward to see the spectacular show.

It truly did look as though the veld was on fire, with the tall stems dancing in waves of orange as the wind blustered around us.

It’s Thursday! Please stop blowing — we need to photograph flowers! Blow another day!

Kerry Naish had returned from Seattle and was visiting her family. She was warmly welcomed back, and it was lovely to have her join us once again.

We parked along the road and a neighbour excitedly came forward, asking if we were part of the Jimny community, as she too had a Jimny. Before Gail could have tea with everyone, Marina showed off her the caravan trailer that her Jimny pulled while exploring Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and, in a few days’ time, George. How wonderful it is to explore and travel in this beautiful country of ours.

Just as C.R.E.W. warmly welcomes fellow custodians, so too does the Jimny tribe!

With happy hearts, we ventured into the veld of flowers, not expecting there to be much to see. How wonderful it was, therefore, to be surprised by all the treasures we found.

There were several highlights, the first being the vast expanse of colour created by the Watsonia pillansii in flower. How special it was to find ourselves carpe-dieming the day and not miss this spectacular display.

Tracy counted nearly forty Euphorbia flanaganii, which was so wonderful when one considers the poaching of these plants and the fact that these had remained untouched.

Dorothy pointed out the dainty Brachystelma sandersonii, which can only truly be appreciated when zooming in on this tiny flower.

If one got down on one’s knees and put one’s nose right into Asclepias navicularis and Xysmalobium involucratum the scent sent one’s heart cartwheeling. If only one could capture scents! Heavenly!

Senecio speciosus and Senecio natalicola popped colourfully through the field of fresh green grass, while Aspilia natalensis wove its way through, as bright as little sunflowers.

It was to be an orchid day. We found Eulophia cochlearis, Disa similis, Eulophia hians and Eulophia coeloglossa. One’s heart could not feel more full when looking closely at these exquisite beauties.

After lunch on the rocks, while watching whales joyfully flopping in the sea, we made our way towards the shore, passing Scadoxus puniceus growing in the shelter of Strelitzia nicolai.

Boophone disticha had set seed, while Tritonia gladiolaris, Gladiolus inandensis Nemesia cerulean, Eriosema acuminatum and Eugenia albanensis could all be seen in flower.

But the highlight of the day came when Tracy found Hyobanche fulleri growing beneath Osteospermum moniliferum. Hyobanche fulleri is a fascinating parasitic plant. It does not make its own food through photosynthesis but depends on a host plant for the nutrients and water it needs. Much of the plant remains hidden underground, where it connects to the roots of its host.

Osteospermum moniliferum is a recorded host, making our find particularly interesting. The delicate pink flowers appearing above the ground are only a small part of this unusual plant.

Even more exciting is that Hyobanche fulleri is Critically Endangered and has a very restricted distribution along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, from Durban to Port Edward. Habitat loss and coastal development are among the threats facing this remarkable plant.

Finding one in the wild was therefore a very special moment. We shall certainly be back to see it mature.

This was something we did not often come across, and we shall certainly be back to see them mature. These remarkable plants deserve a little more attention, and their unusual way of life makes finding them all the more exciting.

We slowly meandered back to the car and headed home beneath the setting sun.

Our hearts were as full as flowers are when they turn towards the sun.