More Mushrooms Sunday Flower Walk

Well, this is certainly the time to forage for mushrooms! Pippa's course with Gary Goldman was perhaps a few weeks too early!

But first, our query from last week, the crudely broken-off plant growing between two Brunias; Jenny Simpson came to the rescue with Agathosma, probably A. crenulata, one of the two main Buchus used for medicinal and flavouring purposes:

Agathosma spp

The young flowers are mauve and they become paler as they develop. Rick says they're very difficult to propagate, so we were particularly pleased to find several plants growing up around it!

Agathosma seedling

The leaves give off an unforgettable smell if rubbed between the fingers. The oil glands can be seen on the underside of the leaves. Here is a picture from the web:

Agathosma crenulata

Growing in the hard gravel of a farm road, this Earth Ball seems to be thriving!

Fungi - Earth Ball

We decided to have our forest mushroom hunt at the beginning of our walk and we weren't disappointed! Almost every step of the way was something interesting. If one of us said, 'not much around here,' we'd come across a whole lot more a few paces away!

Russula sardonia

Purple Russula sardonia

Bolete spp

We think these above are Peppery Bolete or Granular Stalk Bolete. Both are edible.

Slippery Jack (left) and Peppery Bolete(right)

Compare the difference between the Slippery Jack Bolete on the left and the lighter Peppery or Granular Bolete in Pippa's hand.

Tropical Cinnabar Bracket

Growing on the fallen pine, what could be a Tropical Cinnabar Bracket Pycnoporus sanguineus.

Fungi spp

We are still trying to work out what these are!

We seem to be between seasons now, the bulk of the pink and mauve Ericas which have been colouring the veld since Christmas are over, but they're still impressive in their rust colours:

Erica spp

.... and the yellow Daisies are only just starting, we think this is a Euryops:

Here is another yellow Daisy type, with just three petals:

We found this impressive Ficinia on the side of the road, not sure which of them, it looks too tall for the F. radiata or Stergras which we found in the forest a few weks ago.

Ficinia radiata

The Ericas are far from over, though. This little sprig was growing out from under another plant:

Erica spp

And the whitish green one we have been watching for weeks now is coming into full flower:

Erica spp

 

The pictures from Fernkloof on the web for the white Erica coccinea seem to correspond with these, the flower as well as the leaves which grow in tufts.

Erica coccinea

This Protea cynaroides is the only one on this plant open yet, so we'll be treated to a fine display for many weeks to come!

Protea cynaroides

Felling and extraction is almost complete on the top of 'our' hill and we're hoping that the Leucadendron here and a Mimetes cucullatus higher up on the right will not be damaged.

Leucodendron

What we thought was a pink Helichrysum, but which is in fact a Phaenocoma prolifera or Cape Straw Flower, has only one flower left which is remotely pink:

Phaenocoma prolifera

The spent flowers form an interesting-looking seed pod:

Phaenocoma prolifera spent flower

Growing right in the middle of the road is this plant which we don't recognise, any ideas?

As usual, there was lots more!

:-) A

Gardening Day at Max Harris Park 24th May

Hello all,

The weather forecast might have frightened people off, but apart from the strong Northwester, we had sunshine! The rain came later, hopefully extinguishing the veld-fire on De Rust, of which we had a grandstand view.

Since last Gardening Day on 7th May, Lecia and Talitha have mapped the garden out and today Lecia staked out the various areas they demarcated on their map, Street Garden, Link, Kiddies Playground, etc with plastic markers.

Markers for different areas in the garden

Also during the week, Graeme sent one of his diggers to rip out some of the densely growing aloes and sisals:

Graeme's digger clearing Aloes and Sisal

Harold and Deborah have now laid out a wonderful succulent garden on the west side of the hill.

Succulent Garden takes shape with baby watching

...... incorporating the Babiana sambucina:

Babiana sambucina among the new succulents

A set of steps was discovered on that side of the hill, so rocks are now packed to guide visitors to the base; at the top one can turn left or right to inspect the variety of plants they put in.

More succulents

If they establish as well as those they have planted outside Bear Trap Lodge, then this will soon be spectacular!

Tannie Elma was cutting back on this shrub to make room for the Protea below, the name of the plant is still a mystery to us!

Omalanthus (or Homalanthus) populifolius

Detail of one of the red leaves:

Leaf detail Omalanthus populifolius

Someone suggested Bleeding Heart, but nothing with that name seems to match up with this!

I did some weed-eating on most of the western half of the park and managed to tidy where the piles of cuttings were. These had been removed by the Municilality. But my actual job for the day was marking the shrubs. I couldn't find anything commercial to attach to the plants, so I cut up a sign made of corrugated plastic and attached them with clout nails or cable ties (loosely!).

Crataegus phaenopyrum

Above is our now-identified Washington Hawthorn or Crataegus phaenopyrum.

Cupressus sempervirens

This is well-known as a Graveyard Cypress Cupressus sempervirens. It has other common names including Pencil Pine and Italian or Tuscan Cypress. I had to lie down to take this picture!

Red-berried Cotoneaster

This is a really magnificent Cotoneaster!

Eugenia

An impressive Eugenia, right in the middle of the park.

Protea spp

We seem to have (at least?) two kinds of Protea, this one above has curled-in petals (or bracts?) and the leaves have red rims.

Protea spp

This one has opened fully and has plain leaves.

What is this? 

What is this, with its yellow flowers, long leaves and brown seed pods, something Australian?

Lagerstroemia indica or speciosa, Nandina domestica to the right

Pride of India Lagerstroemia indica or L. speciosa? (I wrote both names on the card). There are several in that area. To the right, almost in line with the Church spire is the Sacred Bamboo Nandina domestica.

Marble-chip Coprosma

Marble-chip Coprosma. There are two examples.

Yucca filamentosa or gloriosa

Adam's Needle, Palmlelie, Spanish Dagger, Yucca filamentosa or Y. gloriosa; take your pick!

Camellia

Now trimmed into tree shape, this Camellia is about to burst into flower! The one open flower I saw is white. Let's hope some of the rest of the plants produce pink flowers! There are several of them and they will flower from now, all winter.

Late-maturing Apple

This is an apple, but which? Not a commercial variety, the red and greeny-yellow fruit is only ready to eat now, so it's a late one.

Oleander

Not everyone's favourite, Oleander, but a great specimen! Don't use the wood to braai with, it's poisonous!

Abelia

I thought I'd spotted Abelia on my first rainy visit! Here it is, much cut back. It will flourish, I'm sure, judging from those in our own garden. It carries sprays of small whitish-pink flowers over a long period. Some can be seen at the top.

Virgilia oroboides

This Keurboom Virgilia oroboides has been trimmed to turn into a well-shaped tree. They grow quickly!

There were lots more to mark, another Cotoneaster, more Pride of India, Camellias, the Strelitzia, a Syringa Melia azedarach (listed as invasive, but not badly so in our part of SA), more Keurbooms, but there's plenty more not identified yet, so we're waiting for the experts to come and fill in the gaps! But already a visit to the park can be an edifying experience; I've enjoyed looking all these ones up!

I'm progressing on the baboon-proof (for which read vagrant-proof) dust-bin:

Baboon (and vagrant) proof rubbish bin

... and the locking system for it:

Locking mechanism for bin

The next Gardening Day is scheduled for 16th June, so make a note of the date! There are still garden beds to allocate! Or just turn up and do some planting or weeding!

:-) Andy

Mushroom-time Sunday Flower Walk

The first fungus we found was on a road in the experimental farm, a Common Earthball Sclerodermia citrinum. Don't eat it! Sclerodermia citrinum This Prickly Pear, Opuntia continues to flower, but only one or two are open at the moment: Opuntia I asked for identification on this shrub a few weeks ago, growing between two Brunais. It has been crudely broken off on most of the stems, leaving only the base of the plant! This is what it looked like a few weeks ago. Who would do this, why, and what is it? At last, the light green / white Erica we have been watching for several weeks has started to show its full colours! Erica spp The whole plant will be covered in these little orange stamens (?) in a week or two! Could it be an E. plukenetii? Erica plukenetii? There are carpets of these Oxalis, particularly the pink ones, the bright yellow ones are seen just here and there. Oxalis A white Erica, still in full bloom. Some of the pink and mauve ones have turned a rusty red colour with spent flowers. Erica spp In the same area is another white one with a flower-within-a-flower, which looks like an E. lutea (apologies for the poor photos!) Erica lutea? Erica lutea? This plant growing against a rock looked interesting, with tiny serrated leaves: Up close, the flowers show a Lobelia arrangement of petals. We have seen this before and it looks like L. jasionoides: Lobelia jasionoides A cry from above, a Jackal Buzzard! Jackal Buzzard After a long wait, the Protea cynaroides are looking at their best now; they really are photogenic! Protea cynaroides And they live up to their common name, King Proteas! Protea cynaroides They are found here in the yellowy green above and pink: Protea cynaroides One of the first Liparia splendens or Mountain Dahlias we found is now looking considerably different from the rest! The flowers don't hang as much, they are smaller and more regular in shape: Liparia splendens? Liparia splendens? Compare that with what we are more used to, a short distance away: Liparia splendens Is it the same species? Another fungus, growing amongst the dead pine sticks, gilled with a longish stem: Fungi And another on the way home in an orchard: Fungi I wouldn't be in a hurry to eat either! A bit of feedback on the shrub with red berries and Maple-shape (and colour!) leaves which we found in Max Harris Park last week: Crataegus phaenopyrum It had us guessing and the nearest was one of the Crataegus or Hawthorns, particularly C. Phaenopyrum, or Washington Hawthorn. I went back to look for the thorns and wasn't disappointed! Crataegus phaenopyrum Whether the Phaenopyrum, meaning 'looking like fire' refers to the leaves in Autumn or the berries themselves, we shall have to wait a week or two to find out! :-) A