Although the burned veld looks grey from a distance, now after seven weeks, the colour is returning, although it's mostly green leaves. Here and there a splash of colour is visible from a distance, like this Tritoniopsis, in a crack in the rock which escaped the worst of the fire, Possibly T. antholyza. It looks as if we're in for a good showing of them in the next few weeks, judging from the leaves coming up.
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Tritoniopsis in a crack in the rocks |
Jennetta wrote in for more details of the Buchu Agathosma we have been watching. We have assumed it's A. betulina, but she's wondering whether it could be A. crelulata ?
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Agathosma, but betulina or crenulata? |
Some of the guide books don't show the leaves, which apparently distinguish them. Here is a close-up of them. Comments, please! However, there's no mistaking the Buchu aroma! We are also watching its babies growing all around it, getting bigger by the year!
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Leaf detail of the Agathosma |
The re-growth of the Lanaria lanata has reached about 400mm in most places, and the leaves are beginning to hang down. Here the tips are describing arcs in the bare sand.
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Lanaria lanata leaves making arcs in the sand |
One would expect a shrub like this to be very dead after suffering a 'hot' fire like this, but Fynbos is resilient! Not sure yet what this is:
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Re-growth from the base of a burned shrub |
We went to see the large Leucospermum oleifolium we found just before the fire.
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Burned Leucospermum oleifolium plant |
Close inspection of the spent flowers shows there might be life in the seeds yet!
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Detail of the seeds in the burned spent flower. Is there life? |
Here, a Liparia splendens which was burned, is shooting from its base:
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Liparia splendens with re-growth at base |
..... and another, we remember that's what was growing here, formerly within the forest, now it'll be in full sun. This one was totally burned-off:
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Liparia splendens re-growth where it was completely burned off |
Amazingly, there are still a few seeds to distribute from this Protea cynaroides!
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Still a few seeds on the Protea cynaroides |
Palmiet, recovering:
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Palmiet |
Pink Oxalis are to be seen here and there, and more to come, judging from the clover-lile leaves to be seen all over.
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Oxalis |
The Fire Asparagus, Asparagus lignosus isn't growing as fast as it did in the first few weeks, but it makes a pretty plant with its little white flowers (and sharp thorns!).
Recovering Agapanthus walshii:
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We counted 24 flowers on these Agapanthus walshii before the fire |
Had we not packed rocks around this plant, the two bicycles might well have ridden right over them! Can't they stick to the tracks?
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Two bicycles narrowly missed this rare Agapanthus walshii plant |
Back in the Village, outside Grabouw Auto Electrical, the Silk Floss Tree Ceiba speciosa (formerly Chorisia speciosa). For some reason only a high branch is flowering this year.
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Silk Floss Tree Ceiba speciosa in flower in the Village |
Apparently the seeds were imported in the stuffing of a pillow from South America many years ago and planted in Rondebosch, and grew! Related to the Baobab and Kapok Tree, I read. You only lean on this trunk once!
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Sharp spines on the Silk Floss Tree trunk! |
Last weekend I visited the Eastern Freestate, where one comes across different plants. Here on the farm, a field of Cosmos, which is much darker than the roadside specimens, is the result of selective breeding:
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Deep pink Cosmos as far as you can see! |
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More Cosmos! |
Every day we went out on a Military Vehicle convoy near the Lesotho border....
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Very different terrain in the Eastern Freestate! |
and on the stops, we were able to observe what was growing next to the track:
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Unknown flower on the side of the track |
Any guesses?
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This is what the plant looks like |
Another, there were several more unfamiliar plants:
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Glossy leaves and a tall flower head |
Shiny leaves above and spent flowers below:
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Spent flowers on the head |
:-) A
