First Winter Sunday Flower Walk

Yes! Winter is here! We watched the rain forecast all weekend before deciding to risk walking at our normal time of Sunday afternoon. And we stayed dry!

Before we were off the farm we noticed our tenant has planted a Psoralea pinnata, which is flowering well out of its 'normal' time. We saw another 'in the wild' and it certainly wasn't flowering!

Psoralea pinnata in Steen's garden

There are still many mushrooms and other fungi to be found. Whether this is a particularly good year for them, or whether we're just more observant, remains to be seen!

Unknown fungus

These brackets were growing on the full length of a fallen and rotten apple tree stem next door:

Unknown Bracket Fungus

A brightly coloured Russula sardonia:

Russula sardonia

Wouldn't eat this one in a hurry! We were actually looking for the bright red warty ones we had seen in this area before.

Unknown Fungus

Next to the railway line we came across two large patches of these Chasmanthe (aethiopica?):

Chasmanthe (aethiopica?)

... and , keeping it in the family, Arum lilies Zantedeschia aethiopica:

Arum Lilies Zantedeschia aethiopica

Could this be where the expression 'Up a Gum Tree' comes from? I wouldn't like to have to try and climb down!

Bluegum Eucalyptus spp

We decided to walk diagonally across an area which was cleared of large pines about five years ago and again of re-growth recently, to see what's coming up away from the roads. We were very pleased to find another two examples of what we now think is the pale version of Erica coccinea, on a rough North-west / South-east line (our prevailing winds) to the one we have been watching for weeks now, each about 30 metres apart.

Erica coccinea

Both had been damaged by the tree clearing, but will no doubt survive. I collected a few of the many spent flowers which had spread on the ground below one during the damage.

Erica coccinea

We were surprised to find a Tritoniopsis still flowering in this area: 

Tritoniopsis (lata?)

We're noticing more and more of what we think is Wild Almond Brabejum stellatifolium:

Brabejum stellatifolium?

Although, looking at the flower, we're now not sure!

Flower detail of above plant

On the Slangbos, Stoebe plumosa or Seriphium plumosum, the tufts of white on some of the flowers (or buds?) are quite noticeable at the moment:

Flower detail on Seriphium plumosum

The first bud of a Helichrysum in 'our' area?

Helichrysum spp bud

A magnificent Wachendorfia paniculata plant, all we now need is a flower!

Wachendorfia paniculata

There are still pink Ericas around, this one stands out with the white of a Helichrysum behind:

Erica spp

The wind was blowing this Saltera sarcocolla around so much I had to hold it to take a photo!

Saltera sarcocolla

In the week, Gay mentioned how impressive the mosses are in her garden now. I said we would look out for them.

Moss

Walking back through the forest, we found plenty more fungi, Slippery Jack:

Slippery Jack Suillus luteus

Not sure yet what this one is, with rain caught in its cup:

Unknown fungus

This was on a pine stump:

Fungus on pine stump

Close by, on another:

Fungus on pine stump

And another!

Fungus on pine stump

All this within a couple of kilometres walking from our back door! :-) A