Summer Walk on Gartmore

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Peter Warren joins the regular Midlands walks often, delighting in the differences each season brings to our grasslands and forests.  He reports on some of the flowers spotted during the February walk on Gartmore in Karkloof.

Water mint (Mentha aquatica). I have only ever seen this growing in the water, previously.

(). Robyn's Yarrow Falls Walk.

Leafy Flowered  Ipomoea ( Ipomoea crassipes var. crassipes) is one of the indigenous morning glories. Sometimes the flower is mauve as well.

(). Robyn's Yarrow Falls Walk.

The next two are interesting because both are KZN endemics (as Gareth suggested) and concentrated in the Midlands. The first is  Small White Poker (Kniphofia buchananii). I do not know what the bugs are but it would be very interesting to find out. (Ed’s note: Beetles are probably Fruit Chafers)

(). Robyn's Yarrow Falls Walk.

The second is Slender Poker (Kniphofia laxiflora). and not K. gracilis as I wrongly thought while on the walk. I have only seen these in the boulder fields around Yarrow Falls although it is not considered particularly rare. (Ed: learn more about K. laxiflora at http://www.dargleconservancy.org.za/wildflowerarchive/wfa032013.php)

Slender Poker (Kniphofia laxiflora). Robyn's Yarrow Falls Walk.

The Hibiscus is what you correctly identified as Common Dwarf Wild Hibiscus (Hibiscus aethiopicus)

(). Robyn's Yarrow Falls Walk.

The grass parasite is always very pretty – Silvery Sopubia (Sopubia cana var. cana)

(). Robyn's Yarrow Falls Walk.

Fishbone Dwarf Cassia (Chamaecrista mimosoides) Very much indigenous but has a global widespread distribution.

(). Robyn's Yarrow Falls Walk.

The next is a puzzle to me because there appear to be only two Thunbergia creepers, Back Eyed Susan (T. alata) and  White Thunbergia (T.pondoensis). It is not the former, so it must be the latter however it is not reported in this region. I have tracked the controversy back to 1906 and there does not appear to be any progress since then. Until it can be resolved I will stay with my tentative identification. (Ed’s Note: What about Thunbergia dregeana?)

(). Robyn's Yarrow Falls Walk.

There were lots more I did not photograph including the small yellow pea with the red stripes.  I thoroughly enjoyed the walk.

Next walk to Yarrow Falls in Karkloof will take place on Wednesday 5 March. Contact Robyn to book 082 802 8949  www.karkloofconservation.org.za

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About Midlands Conservancies Forum

Welcome to the Midlands Conservancies Forum Blog. The conservancy movement in South Africa has its roots in KZN Midlands with Balgowan being the first conservancy established in 1978 by landowners in the area who were concerned about the reduction in the number of game and general degradation of the environment. Today there are 14 conservancies within or overlapping the Umgeni Local Municipality. In keeping pace with international environmental issues and the ever-increasing threat to our dwindling biodiversity the conservancy movement has expanded its influence to include challenges way beyond the founding concerns for the reduction in game and general degradation of the environment. The fact of the matter is that, at the very least, the state of the environment in the KZN Midlands is of vitally and direct importance to well in excess of 3 million people who depend largely on this region for their fresh water. In terms of global the planet has 34 biodiversity hotspots which are the Earth’s most biologically rich and threatened areas. These hotspots hold especially high numbers of unique species, yet their combined area now covers only 2.3 percent of the Earth's land surface. South Africa is home to 3 of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots and the Midlands not only falls into the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot but is one of the 21 priority nodes that have been identified by the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund for investment aimed at securing existing biodiversity. The Midlands Conservancy Forum is proud to have been awarded a two year grant that has been used to establish the MCF Biodiversity Stewardship project that is working closely with KZN Wildlife. The reality of the Conservancy movement is that it has until know been championed by volunteers who are landowners and, in many cases, have precious little time and therefore this needs to be used to the maximum potential. This has lead to the establishment, and current success, of the MCF. It is an ideal forum to share knowledge, experiences and collectively tackle common issues in the most co-0rdinated and effective way possible. It is also a forum that has the capacity, through its landowner support base, geographical influence and biological inventory, to attract funding for critical environmental projects. It is also a forum for any and all government departments, NGOs and industries to engage with environmentally minded landowners. Through this blog we hope to promote the aims of the MCF in general and the sharing of information in particular. It is your platform to express and respond to ideas and concerns. Please use it wisely and respectfully!

6 thoughts on “Summer Walk on Gartmore”

  1. David Clulow

    The commentary with photos is thoroughly enjoyable and to be commended. The interaction from the editor is welcome and the dialogue is most sympathetically received as being exactly what one experiences while out wildflower fossicking

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  3. Karkloof Conservancy

    Thanks Peter! You are such an asset to the Midlands. You are incredibly thorough, take gorgeous pictures and document the biodiversity wonderfully. Robyn really appreciates the input that she receives from her regular walkers who have a botanical heart and mind.

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  4. Peter. R. Warren

    The confusion between T. dregeana and T. pondoensis goes back a long way to 1906 in NATAL PLANTS V4.BY J.MEDLEY WOOD. My observations show a plant that twirls around sticks and tree trunks and is a creeper while Pooley refers to T. dregeana as scrambler, But is shown as a creeper in Flora of Zimbabwe. So I starting to come round to Nikki’s point of view.

    And thanks Nikki for the comments, it makes the blog a alive discussion.

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