We were warned by Pat that we'd only have to wait two weeks after the fire for the Fire Lilies Cyrtanthus ventricosa to come up. Well it's only a week and a half and they're out, literally all over!
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Fire Lily Cyrtanthus ventricosa |
This below is the group next to the cycle path which we've known about for several years. I've moved the path away from them gradually over the years, but now that a stump opposite them has burned away, I've been able to kick away at the upper bank and pack more stones around these on the lower edge to protect them. There was no sign of these this time last week, I looked!
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The group of Cyrtanthus ventricosa we've been protecting for years! |
But this one is right in the middle of the cycle-path a short distance away!
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Lone Cyrtanthus ventricosa in the middle of the cycle track! |
Not surprisingly, the other one we have known about and had marked with a ring of stones, has also come up:
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This is the other one we knew about and marked with a ring of stones |
The fire is not out yet..... fanned by a brisk South-easter.
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Fire still burning after a week and a half. |
These burning stumps can throw up burning embers in this brisk South-easter and spread into unburned areas. But they are being watched by the tireless Working on Fire staff!
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Working on Fire staff still on duty! |
Otherwise, the regeneration is spectacularly quick in some cases as with this Restio:
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Restio recovering quickly! |
Another Restio was interesting, possibly an Elegia persistens. It had partly burned and fallen flat on the ground:
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Elegia persistens (?) collapsed but spreading seeds |
Yet all around, seed-heads had been blown into the now nutrient-rich holes of burned-out stumps:
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Seed in hole from burned stump |
... and:
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Another.... |
.... and:
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And another! |
The Ways of Nature! At about this stage, we were treated to an aerial display of Formation Flying by two raptors, too far away for us to identify, and not looking like our normal Yellow-billed Kites or Jackal Buzzards. I captured a few seconds of their flight on this link: http://youtu.be/GOmIAgvuizs
I went to look at the remains of the Leucospermum oleifolium which we found recently.
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Burned-out Leucospermum oleifolium |
A bit sad to see, yet the flowers were interesting. There had been many spent flowers lying under the bush which I commented on, those are dispersed or burned, but those still on the bush look as if they will set seeds and disperse them. Comments, please!
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But look at the flower! |
This is the burned-out Cape Rockwood Heeria argentea we found at the same time. We will be watching it, but this shows it growing in rocks as Dominic said he normally finds them!
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Burned out Cape Rockwood Heeria argentea |
We walked on beyond the burned area.......
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The far edge of the fire |
The first unburned beauty we found was a Protea cynaroides, in bud now.
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King Protea Protea cynaroides in bud |
We crossed a stream, still just flowing at this time of the year completely overgrown with the shrub which Jennetta kindly identified, Water White Alder Brachylaena neriifolia, all in flower. They are said to like river valleys, these do!
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Water White Alder Brachylaena neriifolia growing happily in a ravine |
On the other side, we were treated to a completely different mix of Ericas from our normal stamping ground, yet we were only 500 metres beyond!
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Unknown Erica |
Flower detail:
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Flower detail |
Another:
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Another unknown Erica |
The flower looks like Erica pulchella, but the rest of the plant doesn't!
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Its flowers |
This one with round urn-shaped flowers:
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Another 'new' Erica |
Closer up:
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Flower detail |
This one has longer flowers:
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Another unknown pink Erica with longer flowers |
Flower detail:
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Flower detail |
On the way back, we recognised the burned out pink 'Helichrysum' Phaenocoma prolifera, even like this, it's impressive. Even burned, it's beautiful!
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Burned out Phaenocoma prolifera |
We walk back through the Experimental Farm. Not sure what Experiments they are doing besides perhaps seeing how many Codling Moths can live in one apple, but it's grossly unfair that this can be found on a Government Institution, next to a commercial orchard!
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Codling Moth on Golden Delicious on Experimental Farm |
Back at home, the March Lilies are looking splendid! There are more coming up!
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March Lilies Amaryllis belladonna |
:-) A
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Amazing after just a few days, flowers again. Amarylllis look nice, Not sure about the Golden Delicious though.
ReplyDeleteI was frowning after I read and published Bernard's comment, but only after reading the blog this evening, I have to agree! Thank you Andy for superb photo's! I went to a Cape Orchid talk last year and hope that we will see some of those beauties appearing here after the fire!
ReplyDeleteMaybe a Nerine sarniensis like we saw over Houw Hoek a few years ago?
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