While we had initially intended to take the path down from the offices to the Bulolo River, and if it was hot enough we might have swum in the river, overnight rain made the rocky climb down to the river risky and we decided instead to travel up to Gogosa to see if we could find any Indigofera gogosae in flower.
One of the first flowers we came across was Aloe linearifolia, a Near Threatened South African endemic. This species proved to be flowering well and we saw many of their yellow inflorescenses protruding above the grass. We also found several bushy Indigofera but these turned out to be Indogofera pondoense (ined.). Another tall flowering plant was Searsia pondoensis. Once over the brow of the hill we found some Pachycarpus grandiflorus and many Indigastrum fastigiatum
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| Aloe linearifolia |
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| Indigastrum fastigiatum |
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| Indigofera pondoense |
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| Searsia pondoensis |
Dotted around were tall plants with usually only one or two terminal white flowers; these were Syncolostemon parviflorus. We also found scattered Hybanthus enneaspermis - the only herbaceous genus in the family Violaceae.
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| Syncolostemon parviflorus |
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| Hyabanthus enneaspermis |
We reached some rock plates and there found a number of the tiny-flowered and very unobtrusive Drimia uniflora. For a small-flowered species like this the only option for a photograph is to get right down to ground level as Gail can be seen doing.
We dropped down to explore the forested fringe along a small scarp and in the long grass found a single Exochaenium grande, some Endostemon obtusifolius and a very impressive display - both visually and olfactorily - from several Hyperacanthus amoenus. Looking over the edge of the scarp, we saw a number of very large Clivia robusta - unfortunately not in flower. A bit away from the forested edge we found Acacia (Vaschellia) natalitia and on the edge there was a Combretum kraussii displaying its reddish fruits. Hanging down over other trees was a Grewia lasiocarpa with a few flowers.
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| Exochaenium grande |
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| Exochaenium sp. nov. |
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| Acacia (Vaschellia) natalitia |
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| Combretum kraussii |
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| Grewia lasiocarpa |
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| Hyperacanthus amoenus |
Walking further along the forest edge we found a Searsia carnosula bearing large grape-like bunches of fruits. A bit more grape-like, was the cluster of fruits on a Cyphostemma rubroglandulosa. On the way back to the vehicle, in a small wetland we found one Exochaenium sp. nov.
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| Searsia carnosula |
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| Cyphostemma rubroglandulosum |
Participants: Anne S, Dorothy M, Elaine L, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G.
