Spring has sprung; walking at the Red Desert Nature Reserve (Thursday 18 July 2019)

With the first of the usual arson fires at the Red Desert Nature Reserve having occurred about six weeks ago, we decided to walk there to see what had emerged since the fire. The first burned section started just inside the inland boundary fence so we were soon amongst the early spring flowers.

Many blue-flowered Afroaster hispidus were the first found, followed by Lasiosiphon kraussianus. Nestled among the yellow flowers was a very well-camouflaged mantis. There were also a few Ledebouria revoluta and Hypoxis argentea.

Afroaster hispidus

Lasiosiphon kraussianus

A camouflaged mantis hidden in the flower

Ledebouria revoluta

Hypoxis argentea

We crossed the track and descended towards a wetland passing a few Aloe maculata. In the wetland the Kniphofia rooperii were in various stages of flowering and there was a scattering of Dissotis canescens. On the other side of the wetland we came across some Tritonia gladiolaris.

Aloe maculata

Tritonia gladiolaris

In this area there were several species of Helichrysum: H. griseum, H. areum var monocephalum and H. pallidum. There were also a few low Berkheya speciosa, some Lobelia tomentosa and hiding at the base of the tall grass stems, several Ophioglossum reticulatum.

Helichrysum griseum

Helichrysum pallidum

Helichrysum aureum var monocephalum

Berkheya speciosa

Dissotis canescens

Kniphofia rooperii

Ophioglossum reticulatum

Lobelia tomentosa

We climbed a low hill and below this we could see a sea of flowers, a veritable feast of Asteraceae. Ocimum obovatum dotted the area and there were isolated Hilliardiella oligocephala as well as a few Eulophia clitellifera.

Ocimum obovatum

Lasiosiphon kraussianus young leaves

Hilliardiella oligocephala

Eulophia clitellifera

At the bottom of the slope we could see the bright gold flowers of clusters of Berkheya insignis, as well as a a few species of Senecio: S bupleurioides, S discodregeanus and S. oxyriifolius.

Berkheya insignis

Senecio bupleurioides

Senecio discodregeanus

Senecio oxyriifolius

Ursinia tenuiloba

We saw one or two Cyanotis speciosa and small patches of Ursinia tenuiloba. Walking over towards a wetland we encountered Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus, scattered Lotononis bachmanniana (Near Threatened) and some early Wurmbea kraussii.

Cyanotis speciosa

Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus

Lotononis bachmanniana

Wurmbea kraussii

At the top of the next rise we found a host of Senecio and Ascolepis capensis. On the margin of a wet area there were a few early Disa similis, a portent of good sights to come in the next few weeks. Up into the drier hilltop we found Gazania krebsiana and isolated Gerbera ambigua.

Disa similis

Gazania krebsiana 

Gerbera ambigua

Floral splendour

In the next dip we found some Osmunda regalis. Gail captured a closeup of the sporangia and when these were touched they dispersed puffs of green spores.

Osmunda regalis

Closeup of sporangia of Osmunda regalis (Photo: Gail B-W)

Up on the next slope there were some Osteospermum imbricatum and a single Othonna natalensis as well as patches of Oxygonum dregeanum. From the top of the hill we could see the patchwork of random arson burns. 

Osteospermum imbricatum

Othonna natalensis

Oxygonum dregeanum

Scattering of arson burns

Scattering of arson burns

Pelargonium luridum

On these slopes we found a Pelargonium luridum and several Raphionacme galpinii. When we found some Hebenstretia comosa, Tracy came running to see one of her favourite species.

Raphionacme galpinii

Tracy getting up close for a good photo.

Hebenstretia comosa

We found a shady spot under some trees and stopped for lunch. Nearby was another, more recent burn and here we found Cyrtanthus breviflorus, stimulated by the fire. Closer to the track was a patch of Phylica natalensis (Vulnerable). We took time to negotiate the stone maze in the slack between two yardangs of the eponymous "red desert". On the way home we made a brief stop at the Banners Rest triangle where we saw more of the same species we had seen at the Red Desert, apart from a few Cyrtanthus contractus.

Cyrtanthus breviflorus

Phylica natalensis

Posed in front of a Red Deseret yardang

The maze successfully negotiated

Cyrtanthus contractus

Participants: Alf H, Anne S, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Tracy T.

New Hesperantha distributions at Aspalathus Amble (Thursday 11 July 2019)

We decided to walk inland from Smedmore this Thursday to see if we could find other sub-populations of the new Hesperantha species that was flowering when we walked towards the Outeniqua Trail last week. We set off across a NW facing grassland mostly devoid of flowers and dropped down to cross a small stream. We walked parallel to the stream on an east-facing slope and it was not long before we saw the first Hesperantha peeking out above the tall grass. Not far away was a solitary Dimorphotheca fruticosa.

We continued following the forest margin as it turned into a cliff-edge forest. Here we found Diospros villosus with flowers and fruits and Combretum kraussii with substantial clusters of reddish brown fruits.

Dimorphotheca fruticosa

Hesperantha sp. aff grandiflora

Diospyros villosus

Combretum kraussii

A view down into the Umtamvuna River gorge

A bit further along we found Acokanthera oblongifolia with many axillary clusters of buds. We came to another stream and as we headed down to cross it, it appeared possible to walk down the stream in the forested gully. In the stream bed we found a suitable spot for lunch and then continued on boulder hopping down the stream.  The water disappeared below the stream bed for a while and then reappeared at a dry "waterfall" with a 30 m drop into the forest below.

Adjacent to the "waterfall" was a colony of Clivia robusta still with some in flower and others in fruit.  A low-hanging branch of  Mimusops obovata displayed some flowers. Also overhanging the stream bed was a flowering Carissa bispinosa.

Acokanthera oblongifolia

Mimusops obovata

Carissa bispinosa

A view down the dry waterfall into lower Smedmore forest

Clivia robusta

As we could follow the stream no further, we scaled the slope on the west bank and emerged on the grassland again. Here we found Diospyros scabrida on the cliff edge, in flower and with a few new fruits. Not far away was Pterocelastrus echinatus in bud and scrambling through the shrubs was Osyridicarpos schimperianus with one open flower.

Diospyros scabrida

Pterocelastrus echinatus

Osyridicarpos schimperianus

A Schrebera alata displayed its empty woody capsules pointing towards the sky, while a small group of Eulophia parviflora huddled amongst the grass. Here we found Dichrostachys cinerea with two tangles of fruits.

Schrebera alata

Eulophia parviflora

Dichrostachys cinerea

Participants: Alf H, Anne S, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Jean V, Tracy T.

Hesperantha populations revisited at Outeniqua Trail (Thursday 4 July 2019)

Having first checked that our destination, the Cubica Heights area, was not scheduled for firebreak burning, we set off and for safety, parked in the farmland adjacent to the reserve boundary. Today, in cotrast to our usual habit at this location, we set off westwards down towards the stream dividing this grassland from the Smedmore grasslands. Across the gorge we could see the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve fire team busy doing firebreaks in block 10.

On the way down we saw Buchnera dura and Cephalaria oblongifolia in flower as well as Searsia pondoensis with a terminal cluster of fruits.

Buchnera dura

Firebreak burning in operation

Cephalaria oblongifolia

Searsia pondoensis fruits

At a rock outcrop just before the forest alongside the stream we found one Dianthus mooiensis, Gerradina foliosa covered in flowers and a neat cluster of small Crassula nudicaulis.

Dianthus mooiensis

Crassula nudicaulis

Gerrardina foliosa

Walking along the forest edge we found  Allophylus dregeana in fruit. In the cleared trace line in the adjacent grassland there were a few Pentanisia prunelloides. Following the forest margin further along,we found the plant we were hoping would be flowering on this outing: Hesperantha sp. aff. grandiflora, an as yet unpublished species. Over the course of the day we found several sub-populations of this species  - so far only known from this and the adjacent Smedmore grasslands. In all today, we probably saw at least 100 of these plants flowering on the Cubica Heights grasslands. One had a white crab spider lurking in wait on the flower.

Allophyllus dregeana fruits

Pentanisia prunelloides with butterfly visitor

Hesperantha sp. aff grandiflora

Hesperantha sp. aff grandiflora with crab spider in readiness

Further along the forest edge we came across several Neocussonia umbellifera (the new name for Schefflera umbellifera) with ripening fruits, much appreciated by a large flock of Red-wing Starlings. From here we had a good view down into the Umtamvuna river gorge.

Neocussonia (Shefflera) umbellifera

Umtamvuna River gorge

We reached the entrance to the Outeniqua Trail and walked some distance down until we found a suitable set of rocks on which to perch for lunch. We found ourselves sitting under a fairly large Podocarpus falcatus and the understory was filled with Buxus natalensis, Garcinia gerrardii, Ochna arborea and Clutia abyssinica var nov. On the way back out of the forest we came across a single splendid example of Holothrix orthoceras in flower.

Clutia abyssinica var. nov. fruit

Holothrix orthoceras

Participants: Alf H, Anne S, Debbie K, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Jean V, Mark G, Tracy T.