Pachycarpus revisited (Friday 12 January 2018)

The photos of the unknown Pachycarpus were enough to tempt Adam Shuttleworth to come and see for himself, so he, Kate and I set off for Smedmore again. The second group of plants we had found last week were still flowering well and with the assistance of Adam's trained eye, it was interesting to see that one of the plants had six lobes rather than the normal five.

Pachycarpus sp. nov (normal 5-lobe form)

Pachycarpus sp. nov.with 6 lobes

We then set off along the cliff edge, stopping to look at a bright display of Acridocarpus natalitius and a nearby Cryptolepis capensis. There was also Grewia pondoensis in this same clump but this only had fruits, no flowers.

Photo time for Petopentia natalensis (Photo Kate G.)

A few Pachycarpus coronarius provided the next distraction and then we reached the spot where we had collected a specimen last week of what we think is Pachycarpus sp. nov. The other plants that were in bud last week had flowered and surprisingly, these were not the new species but were Pachycarpus grandiflorus, although one of these was a rather unusual, more open, form.

Pachycarpus grandiflorus

We quartered the grassland on the way back to the vehicle but failed to find any more of the new Pachycarpus species. We did however find an Aspidoglossum gracile and a few Tephrosia bachmannii hiding in the grass.

Aspidoglossum gracile

Tephrosia bachmannii

Adam will compare the photographs of the flowers on these Pachycarpus sp. nov plants against those of plants he saw previously in Pondoland to see if they are similar. Hopefully we can get work done to determine whether these plants are hybrids of some sort or are indeed a new species.

Participants: Adam S, Graham G, Kate G.

Cascades and Emplectanthus (Thursday 11 January 2018)

As the day looked like it would be hot, we headed off to the Western Heights to check on  the Emplectanthus dalzellii (Rare) plants, although the shady pool in a narrow gorge where we had previously found several plants was no less of an attraction. The road to the Western Heights through cane and timber plantations is in pretty poor condition and there was one big pool where other vehicles had evidently become stuck - fortunately we could skirt around it without difficulty. 

Close to where we parked the vehicles we found a small cluster of Orthochilus ensatus and  nearby, several Habenaria dives.

Orthochilus ensatus

We headed off towards the Swamp Forest to check whether the Emplectanthus dalzellii there had any flowers. While we found several plants they were not yet flowering. We continued down following the stream. The normally abundant Disa tripetaloides were largely dormant and only one flower could be found. We did, however, find Argyrolobium tuberosum, Buchnera dura and Kniphofia parviflora in the grassland and a few scattered Oldenlandia rosulata and Drosera madascariensis at the edge of the stream.

Argyrolobium tuberosum

Kniphofia parviflora

Oldenlandia rosulata

Drosera madascariensis

Buchnera dura

Further down the valley the slopes of the sides steepened, but the stream widened and flowed through several deep pools - very tempting on a hot day.

A tranquil part of the stream

Once we got below a small cascade, we had to enter a forest patch and make our way through the trees alongside the stream. The banks were now much steeper and the north bank became a cliff, bestrewn with flowering Streptocarpus primulifolius and further down, Streptocarpus porphyrostachys, also flowering profusely. After a thorough search of previous spots where we had found the Emplectanthus dalzellii, Kate eventually found one flower. There were some buds as well so presumably the flowering of this species is a little later this year.

Emplectanthus dalzellii

Streptocarpus primulifolius on the cliffs

Streptocarpus primulifolius 

Streptocarpus porphyrostachys

Phakamani navigating along the stream 

The big pool prevented our going any further downstream but the water looked very tempting and eventually three of us ended up enjoying a swim. Impressed by this example, others followed later.

Enjoying the cool water at the lunch spot

Walking back we found two Aloe linearifolia in bud and a cluster of Aspalathus spinifera. At the side of the path we found a Eulophia and after closer inspection it turned out to be Eulophia tenella.

Aspalathus spinifera

Examining the orchid

Eulophia tenella

Participants: Anne S, Debbie K, Dorothy M, Elaine L, Gail B-W, Graham G, Jean P, Kate G, Maggie A, Phakamani M, Sarah B-W.

Smedmore grassland and forest (Thursday, 4th January, 2018)

Although we had originally intended walking on the Western Heights, faced with a hot, clear day we decided that Smedmore might be a better option, as it allowed us the option of escaping into the forest if the sun got too hot. An added attraction at Smedmore was the opportunity to look for an elusive species of Pachycarpus thought to be an undescribed species - a plant last seen in 2013. On the way there we stopped to look at a beautiful Gladiolus ochroleucus growing near the road.

Gladiolus ochroleucus

We arrived to a frenzied welcome from hyperactive pugnacious ants - and those in shorts and open shoes were soon hopping to get away from their biting. We explored along the forested cliff edge, coming across Pachycarpus coronarius - first some in fruit and then a little further on, some in flower. 

Pachycarpus coronarius

We found some scattered flowers of Cryptolepis capensis draped over other shrubbery and below it a creeping frond of Cyphostemma rubroglandulosa displayed some large fruits. Between some rocks we saw a very intense-blue Agapanthus campanulatus. Old seed capsules on a Bersama swinnyi made an interesting photo.

Cryptolepis capensis

Cyphostemma rubroglandulosa fruits

Bersama swinnyi seed capsules

There were two Combretum species exposed at the top edge of the cliffs. Combretum kraussii had bright red fruits and was more spectacular than the scrambling Combretum edwardsii with its normal straw-coloured fruits. There was an Erianthemum dregei just starting to flower and we found Manilkara nicholsonii bearing a number of fruits, most of which become parasitised.

Combretum kraussii

Erianthemum kraussii

Manilkara nicholsonii fruits

Flowers on a cliff-side Schrebera alata were the next thing to catch the eye. The climber, Secamone alpinii was also flowering profusely and in the background we could see bright red fruits on an Allocassine laurifolia. There was an unusual low shrubby Acridocarpus natalitius covered in yellow flowers.

Schrebera alata

Secamone alpinii

Allocassine laurifolia fruits

Acridocarpus natalitius

Then we found the Pachycarpus species we had been looking for for so long. And this time there were several flowers so we could collect voucher material which should allow for a proper description of this as yet undescribed species.

By now the sun was really making itself felt so we turned back after stopping to look at the flowers on a Acacia (Senegalia) ataxacantha and the Dalechampia capensis climbing over it. A little further on we found clusters of Viscum trifolium growing in a Garcinia gerrardii, and below this was Clerodendrum (Volkameria) glabrum.

Acacia ataxacantha

Dalechampia capensis

Viscum trifolium

Volkameria glabra

We found our way into the cool of the forest to have our lunch. None of the expected Stenoglottis fimbriata were flowering on this occasion, but Strepocarpus primulifolius  were flowering on the cliffs above us. There were also signs of Disperis lindleyana having flowered earlier.

After lunch we headed out to an adjoining section of the grassland to help some Wits students track down another elusive species, Euphorbia bupleurifolia -  we found no sign of them but after we left they persisted and eventually found four plants. Almost back at the vehicles we found a few more of the undescribed Pachycarpus species - it is reassuring to see that they appear to be doing quite well in this area.


Participants: Anne S, Debbie K, Dorothy M, Elaine G, Graham G, Jean P, Kate G, Maggie A, Mark G 

Flowering now (January 2018)

It should be noted that these "Flowering now" posts are dealt with incrementally, i.e. new species are added as they are seen each month so readers will not necessarily see all species for the month with a single visit to that post. Also note that we try to avoid including species seen in the previous month, unless the species is particularly notable.

Acacia (Senagalia) ataxacantha

Acridocarpus natalitius

Agapanthus campanulatus

Allocassine laurifolia

Aloe cooperii

Aloe ecklonis

Anacampseros rufescens

Apodytes dimidiata

Aponogeton junceus

Argyrolobium sericosemium 

Argyrolobium tuberosum

Aspalathus spinifera

Aspidoglossum gracile

Aspidonepsis flava

Athrixia angustissima

Berkheya acanthapoda

Bersama swinnyi

Berula repanda

Bowiea volubilis

Brachycorythis inhambanensis

Brachystelma australe

Brachystelma rubellum

Brunsvigia grandiflora

Buchnera dura

Ceropegia carnosa

Chaenostoma floribundum

Chironia albiflora

Chlorophytum modestum

Cineraria dryogeton

Combretum kraussii

Crassula capitella subsp. meyeri

Crocosmia paniculata

Crocosmia pottsii

Crotalaria globifera

Cryptocarya wyliei fruits and flower (inset)

Cryptolepis capensis

Cucumis hirsutus 

Cyanotis robusta

Cycnium racemosum

Cyrtanthus sp.

Cyrtanthus epiphyticus

Dalechampia capensis

Delosperma caesiptosum

Delosperma lavisae

Dianthus mooiensis (white form)

Dichilus reflexus

Disa chrysostachya

Disa cooperi 

Disa cornuta

Disa oreophila

Disa polygonoides

Disa rhodantha

Disa scullyi

Epilobium salignum

Erianthemum dregei 

Eriosema parviflorum

Eriosemopsis subanisophila

Erythrina humeana

Eucomis comosa var striata

Eucomis humilis

Eugenia capensis subsp. guenzii

Eulophia angolensis

Eulophia ovalis

Eulophia zeyheriana

Euphorbia pulvinata

Euryops evansii 

Galium capense

Gladiolus ochroleucus

Gladiolus papilio

Gnidia baurii

Habenaria clavata

Habenaria dives

Habenaria laevigata

Habenaria lithophila

Haplocarpha scaposa

Helichrysum confertifolium

Hermannia woodii

Holothrix thodei

Indigofera abbottii

Indigofera coronopifolia

Indigofera dimidiata

Indigofera dregeana

Indigofera herrstreyi

Indigofera rostrata

Indigofera woodii

Ipomoea mauritiana

Kniphofia angustifolia

Kniphofia laxiflora

Kniphofia parviflora

Lampranthus fugitans

Lasiosiphon anthylloides

Lasiosiphon macropetalus

Leobordea eriantha

Lichtensteinia interrupta

Lippia javanica

Lotononis lotononoides

Manilkara nicholsonii

Melasma scabra

Micrococca capensis  fruits

Miraglossum pulchellum

Monsonia grandifolia

Moraea brevistyla

Moraea inclinata

Pachycarpus asperifolius

Pachycarpus campanulatus

Pachycarpus coronarius

Pachycarpus dealbatus

Pachycarpus grandiflorus

Pavetta bowkeri

Pavetta galpinii

Pelargonium zonale

Phylica natalensis

Phyllanthus meyerianus

Phytolacca heptandra 

Polygala capillaris

Polygala gerrardii 

Polygala virgata

Polystachya modesta

Protea caffra

Psammatropha mucronata

Rafnia elliptica

Rhamnus prinoides

Relhania pungens

Roella glomerata

Satyrium hallackii

Schizoglossum elingue

Schizoglossum hamatum

Schrebera alata

Secamone alpinii

Senecio macrocephalum

Sideroxylon inerme

Sopubia simplex

Streptocarpus formosus

Streptocarpus porphyrostachys

Tephrosia bachmannii (creeping form)

Teucrium kraussii

Thunbergia purpurata

Ursinia alpina

Vaschellia natalitia

Viscum triflorum

Volkameria glabra

Watsonia gladioloides

Xysmalobium sp. nov.

Xysmalobium stokenstroomense

Xysmalobium tysonianum