Two work parties in the Umtamvuna NR (Thursday 16 May 2019)

On this occasion we were joined at Beacon Hill by SANBI taxonomist Robert Archer and UJ Masters student Andani Madzinge who wanted to look at any Clutia species we might have in flower in the reserve. After we decided to walk up to Mr. Nic's gully, four of our group elected to done their Honorary Officer hats and go on an Invasive Alien Plant eradication work party.

Tracy describes what followed with the IAP group: After deciding to split up, four of us headed off to Manilkara Meander to tackle alien invasive plant species along the fence between Umtamvuna Nature Reserve and a neighbouring farm. After a very brief debate we decided it would be better to test whether the newly erected electric fence was switched on using Dorothy's hiking stick as we would be working right next to the fence. Tools in hand we started removing Ageratum conyzoides, Chromolaena odorata, Phytolacca americana, Rincus communis and Solanum mauritianum.

Mark pulling out khakibos (Photo: Tracy T)

Tagetes minuta (khakibos) (Photo: Tracy T)

Tecomaria capensis (Photo: Tracy T)

In amongst the Bidens pilosa and Tagetes minuta there was Delosperma subpetiolatum trailing across the rocks and Gerbera piloselloides ready for winter with its woolly stem. The deep orange flowers of Tecomaria capensis offered a strong contrast against the winter grass and the yellow flowers of Aspalathus chortophila. There were some sizeable tracts of Lantana camara which Anne sprayed enthusiastically and some large Acacia dealbata that Mark and Tracy ring barked and then sprayed just to make sure. It is a seemingly never-ending task; we are often asked why we bother with alien invasives and the simple answer is “how can we not”. 

Aspalathus chortophila (Photo: Tracy T)

Anne tackling some of the larger invasive plants  (Photo: Tracy T)

Lantana camara  (Photo: Tracy T)

Once the other group reached Mr. Nic's gully it did not take long to find flowering specimens of an un-named Clutia and this kept Andani and Robert busy for a while. After they had collected the material they needed, we crossed the watercourse and headed down to the rock outcrops overlooking the Bulolo River gorge.

Andani and Robert getting a closer look at our Clutia sp. nov.

i

Andani collecting DNA material

.

Clutia sp. nov

On these rock outcrops we found several Anastrabe integerrima in flower, accompanied by shrubby Apodytes abbottii sporting red and black fruits. We found Brachylaena uniflora about to flower. Perched on a rock pinnacle was a cluster of Caputia medley-woodii and nearby, Cassine pergua had an impressive coating of white flowers.

Anastrabe integerrima

Apodytes dimidiata

Brachylaena uniflora

Caputia medley-woodii

Cassine peragua

Further down was Cassipourea gummiflua with seed capsules just bursting open to display the yellow-orange flesh inside. We reached Mr. Nic's gully again and after crossing we found Rhynchocalyx lawsonoides and Peddiea africana, both in fruit. Draped over a dead Protea was a Smilax anceps with several flower clusters.

Cassipourea gummiflua fruits

Rhynchocalyx lawsonoides 

Peddiae africana

Smilax anceps

On another rock outcrop we found Erianthemum dregei with clusters of fruits. On nearby branches we found a few of these fruits deposited by birds - as intended by the plant - and starting to germinate and parasitise anew. Also in this bush clump was Robsonodendron eucleiforme with many flowers and a few fruits..

Erianthemum dregei fruits

Erianthemum dregei seeds germinating on a nearby brnch

Robsonodendron eucleiforme

We stopped for lunch and here found some windrows of fluffy seeds from a nearby Secamone alpinii caught up against a small patch of moss. Walking back to the office at Beacon Hill we encountered a few Disa polygonoides in a depression and in a small dam there were flowers of both Nymphaea nouchali subsp caerulea and Nymphoides thunbergiana.

Windrow of Secamone alpinii seeds against moss

Secamone alpinii fruits

Disa polygonoides

Nymphaea nouchali subsp. caerulea

Nymphoides thunbergiana

We got back to the office to join up with the IAP working party. Anne set off to deal with some guava trees we had seen on our way back, and Andani and Robert deided to head down into the Bulolo river gorge to look for Erythrococca natalensis.

Participants: Alex V, Andani M, Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Mark G, Robert A, Tracy T.

Western Heights on a clear autumn day (Thursday 9 May 2019)

A visit to the Western heights was due, after a relatively long delay occasioned by concerns over the possible state of the access roads after the heavy rains in April but these fears were unfounded and we made our way to the gate with relative ease (given the normal state of Pondoland roads). With a brisk, cold wind blowing, we found a grassland area to walk in where we would be sheltered from the worst of the wind. Dorothy had rejoined us after recuperating from a knee replacement and she wisely decided to wander around near the vehicles rather than trying to keep up with the rest of us in the long grass. We were also joined for this walk by Nokothula Mfeka, a KZN staff member from Maphelane in Zululand.

Flowers are relatively scarce at this time of the year but it was not long before we found Exochaenium grande and not far away was the similar-looking Thunbergia atriplicifolia. Growing near a weathered sandstone outcrop was a tall Hibiscus trionum and nestled against the shelter of the rock were Rabdosiella calycina with sprays of pink-tipped flowers.

Exochaenium grande

Thunbergia atriplicifolia

Hibiscus trionum

Rabdosiella calycina

Crossing a shallow watercourse we found a single Habenaria filicornis and then saw several long-leafed Moraea spathulata extending their flowers above the grass. A small clump of Aristida junciformis (ngongoni grass) made an interesting picture huddled in a rock cleft and the dried seed heads of a Berkheya speciosa provided some interesting texture. We found a small patch of the fern Davallia chaerophylloides in a cleft in a rock.

Habenaria filicornis

Aristida junciformis

Moraea spathulata

Berkheya spathulata seed heads

Davalia chaerophylloides

Nestled in amongst the grass were a few heads of Erica aspalathifolia still in flower, with many others with only withered old brown flowers. At the edge of a rock sheet was a single Erica cubica with some remnant flowers. Another plant favouring a rocky habitat was Helichrysum lepidissimum and between the rocks we found several long stalks of Inulanthera leucoclada. Also tall enough to protrude above the grass was Senecio rhyncholaenus.

Erica aspalathifolia

Erica cubica

Helichrysum lepidissimum

Inulanthera leucoclada

Senecio rhyncholaenus

Debating a tricky ID

Needing a closer look

Precariously perched on the edge of a large boulder was a cluster of Caputia medley-woodii proudly displaying their bright yellow daisy flowers and nearby was a stunted Alectra sessiliflora growing in some trapped leaf-litter.

We then made our way staggering through tall grass and sedges and boggy ground, through the Swamp Forest, where we found several tangles of Cuscuta gerrardii in flower on their chosen host Anthospermum shrubs.  Apart from our recent collections of this Cuscuta, it was last collected over a hundred years ago.

Alectra sessiliflora

Caputia medley-woodii

Cuscuta gerrardii

We reached the access track and headed back towards the vehicles, stopping for lunch where we could shelter from the wind. We walked back across the grassland, finding Raphionacme palustris with an erect fruit follicle and a bright red flash of Disa polygonoides. Athrixia phylicoides shrublets provided scattered splashes of pink flowers.

Raphionacme palustris

Disa polygonoides

Athrixia phylicoides

Participants: Alf H, Anne S, Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Nokothula M, Tracy T.