Pink Daisy Sunday Flower Walk

A 'new' Daisy (to us!) was our first of several surprises today!

Is this Senecio hastifolius or does it have too few petals?

Could it be Senecio hastifolius?  From the back:

Flower from the side

.... and the leaf:

Leaf detail

These were on a south-east-facing sandy slope and we found four examples. Then we found one which we thought was a fifth, but it was very different, both in flower and leaf.

Different Daisy!

The petals are split into two-and-a-halfs or threes and the leaves are totally different:

Different leaf!

On the way, at the railway cottage ruins, firewood sawyers have been active and we thought the Ornithogalum saundersiae had been crushed, but it was still there, weighed over by the flowers!

Ornithogalum saundersiae

In the burnt areas the Helichrysums are gradually growing back. This in an unburnt area reminds us of what we would be looking at!

Helichrysums

The Star-grass Ficinia radiata, which we've never seen in this area before are as bright yellow as the Daisies! We found singles, then two on a plant then several, but this one takes the cake!

Star Grass Ficinia radiata

Flower up close:

Flower detail

At last! The Wachendorfia paniculata with the upward-growing leaves are putting up buds, while those which came up soon after the fire with sickle-shaped leaves on the ground, have all finished flowering now.

Wachendorfia paniculata, buds at last!

Here, one has opened:

.... and this one is open!

Soon, this hillside will be covered with these candelabras!

We have been seeing these red clover-leaves in tiny patches, but this made such a splash of red, I had to go and look!

Red Clover leaves

We were pleased to see this burnt Protea cynaroides re-sprouting from the stem. Others we looked at were too.

Protea cynaroides, re-sprouting

The raptors were busy, we saw a group of four, then three Yellow-billed Kites doing aerobatics, then we got up and were able to look down on a pair of Jackal Buzzards. One settled on this distant rocky outcrop, then another landed next to it....

Two Jackal Buzzards

....then one flew off:

One flew off!

There is a lot of this plant, now in full bloom, which we haven't pinned down yet:

What is this? 

Flower detail:

Flower detail

Another surprise was a 'new' Pelargonium with a slightly scented leaf:

Pelargonium with slightly scented leaf

We'll have to wait a week or so for its flowers!

Bud of scented Pelargonium

Whereas the more widespread type, possibly Pelargonium cucullatum are already opening.

Is this Pelargonium cucullatus? 

On the subject of 'hooded', we had hoped that the small plant at the base of a burnt Mimetes cucullatus would be a 'baby', well it certainly looks like it!

Re-seeded Mimetes cucullatus

Close by are several more:

Many more!

Then on the way down, our next surprise, a Moraea which we've never seen before! Just a single example, with many buds waiting to come out behind this first flower!

Moraea lurida? 

It is truly exquisite! Could it be one of the forms of Moraea lurida?

Another view of the flower

We weren't finished with surprises! Near where the film shoot people have denuded the recently burnt veld, we found this with tough strap-like pointed leaves, about to open.

Is this an Aristea? If so, A. bakeri or A. capitata?

Could it be an Aristea capitata? A. bakeri? We will have to go back and check when it opens!

The plant with the fleshy snake-like leaves is pushing up buds (or flowers?) very slowly! These leaves have been eaten off, but the flowers are the most advanced we have found. 

What are these? 

:-) A