Text & photos by Hazel van Rooyen
Attendees: Herbie & Jeanette Osborne, Stan & Val Culley,
Doug & Angie Butcher, Barry Willis & Sue Hansbury, Margaret Jones, Irma
Smook, Keith & Maureen Roach, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen
Plant experts: Dorothy McIntyre, Graham & Kate Grieve
Plant experts: Dorothy McIntyre, Graham & Kate Grieve
The main purpose
of our visit to the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve at this time of year is to see the lovely
spring flowers which carpet the veld and grow in between the pretty sandstone
rock formations around the Beacon Hill entrance. Plant experts Dorothy McIntyre, and Graham
& Kate Grieve kindly joined us and led us through the veld and boggy areas,
sharing their vast knowledge of all the flowers, many of them endemic to this
area. These experts are members of the
Pondoland CREW (Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers) and if you are
interested in seeing what plants are currently at their best in the reserve and
other interesting information, their blogspot is Pondolandcrew@blogspot.com.
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| yellow daisies (Berkheyas) and white everlastings (Helichrysums) |
The weather was
very misty with rain threatening and a cold breeze so we bundled up and began
with a walk southwards. We saw tall yellow daisies (Berkheyas) and white everlastings (Helichrysums)
nodding their heads amongst the long grasses.
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| white everlastings (Helichrysums) |
Looking in another direction swathes of blue Asters greeted us. As
we got closer, hiding shyly amongst the taller flowers were delicate hairbells, Gladiolus and the endemic rarity Eriosema umtamvunense.
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| blue Asters |
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| hairbells |
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| Gladiolus |
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| endemic rarity Eriosema umtamvunense |
After our
coffee, the “experts” arrived and after some interesting information on the
geology of the area, took us over a rocky outcrop pointing out Cyrtorchis arcuata from the orchid
family, explaining that the yellow petals indicate that they have already been
pollinated which tells the insects not to waste their precious energy.
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| Cyrtorchis arcuata from the orchid family |
A tiny but beautiful plant is Brachystelma australe. Keith pointed out a variety of Hypoxis which is the famous African
Potato and another plant used in traditional medicine is Ledebouria revoluta.
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| Brachystelma australe |
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| variety of Hypoxis which is the famous African Potato |
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| Ledebouria revoluta |
In the
grasses next to the rocks the bright red and yellow splashes of red hot pokers (Kniphofia coddiana)
caught the eye and brightened up the misty day. My own favourite was the Doll’s Powderpuff (Cyanotis speciosa).
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| Kniphofia coddiana |
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| Doll’s Powderpuff (Cyanotis speciosa) |
Further down
the valley, the ground became damper and this was favoured by Watsonia umtamvunae, the Orange Ifafa
Lilly and Disa stachyoides (a type
of orchid) and lower down became quite boggy underfoot which was enjoyed by
another Disa called similis.
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| Watsonia umtamvunae |
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| Disa stachyoides |
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| Disa similis |
In the
meantime some of our party had got side-tracked and actually did some
birding! A Gurney’s Sugarbird attracted
some attention and Stan took the attached great photo.
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| Gurney’s Sugarbird (Photo Stan Culley) |
Species seen
(18):
Boubou,
Southern
Bulbul,
Dark-capped
Canary,
Yellow-fronted
Cisticola,
Croaking
Goose,
Spurwing
Harrier Hawk,
African
Oriole,
Black-headed
Pigeon,
African Olive
Pipit, African
Seed-eater,
Streaky-headed
Starling,
Red-winged
Stonechat,
African (M&F)
Sugarbird,
Gurney’s
Sunbird,
Amethyst
Sunbird,
Greater Double-collared
Weaver, Cape
Widowbird,
Fan-tailed
Widowbird, Red-collared
