Noisome Sunday Flower Walk

Yes, noisone because we couldn't seem to get away from the stench that the southeaster was bringing from the stinky dam of Oude Molen Distillery!

The smell was even stronger than these Helichrysum foetidum, which thankfully are nearly over. They are well named!

Helichrysum foetidum. Hold your nose!

The water level of the dam on the Experimental Farm is dropping, making it easier to get to the Nymphaea nouchali:

Nymphaea nouchali

Here the difference between them and the smaller-leaved yellow-flowered Nymphoides indica can be seen:

Nymphaea nouchali left and Nymphoides indica right

The Buchu Agathosma betulina flowers are shy, just about three on one branch on quite a big bush. However, seeds must be spreading because there are about eight or ten small plants doing well around it.

Buchu Agathosma betulina flower

We have recorded six healthy Roella incurva plants, far away enough from the ones in danger of being washed away.

Roella incurva, a safe distance from the wash-away

We had another look at the Butterspoon, Rooi Els Cunonia capensis we found last week. The new growth looks vigorous and healthy.

Butterspoon Cunonia capensis Rooi Els

The 'spoon' is slightly hollow on one side and the other is veined like this. The next two are forming in the axils on each side.

Detail of the back of the 'spoon'

This year's flowers are forming on the Brunias, last year's are turning brown.

Brunia, new flowers and old

All year we've been watching for this Erica to flower. It has us stumped.

Unknown Erica

Another view:

Unknown Erica

The flowers are like E. coccinea, but the leaves are not, as can be seen from this one growing close by. Its leaves grow distinctly in tufts and the new flowers are not so advanced:

Erica coccinea

Another large Campylostachys cernua we haven't seen before:

Campylostachys cernua

Pity we didn't find it before, it must have been impressive covered in flowers. There were just a few left. Campylo means bent over, that must refer to the flowers, but stachys means grain, as in wheat:

Campylostachys cernua flowers

Looking up from that, I saw a mass of blue! No less than 22 flowers on this group of Agapanthus walshii!

22 Agapanthus walshii flowers!

One might wonder why they're so rare, but look at this, it seems that there is only one viable seed on each flower, the rest don't seem to have formed, or are completely missing.

.... but very few seeds!

We were on a road we haven't checked for many weeks. The pink Ericas there form large patches of colour in the veld.

Pink Ericas colouring the veld

What is this, with its long bare stalks and tiny five-petalled flowers?

What is this?

Flower detail from the top:

Flower detail

... and from the side, and a spent flower:

Flower and spent flower from the side

Another happy-looking bunch of Agapanthus walshii, with eight flowers. I remember this one from before, it may have had one or two flowers maximum.

Eight Agapanthus walshii flowers

The Watsonia schlechteri are past their best now, we seem to have missed the peak flowering season in this area, while we were concentrating on them on the other side.

Watsonia schlechteri

Flower on the tip:

Flower detail

This Erica pulchella was worth stopping for!

Erica pulchella

Another healthy looking group of Agapanthus walshii, on the way down in an area we haven't seen them flowering before.

More Agapanthus walshii!

From yesterday, on the way to the Water-Mill in Bot River, on Houw Hoek Pass, the Aulax umbellata are in flower!

Aulax umbellata in Houw Hoek Pass

Detail of the male flower:

Male Aulax umbellata flower

:-) A

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Butterspoon Sunday Flower Walk

There was a fresh northwester blowing on what would have been a scorcher, so we stayed in the wind.

But first, during the week, I took a short cut through the farms and saw two Blue Cranes strutting down the road in front. I switched the engine off and coasted down, because, between their legs, something else caught my eye, a baby! They struggled to walk through the undergrowth, but the baby had no problem. Down to the water, and away they went. I'm told the babies can swim straight out of the egg!

Mom, Dad and baby Blue Crane

Back to today, the Nymphaea nouchali take their time to open! It looks as though the dragonfly is prying it open!

Nymphaea nouchali and dragonfly

Erica longifolia, spent flowers under the new ones:

Erica longifolia

We followed our patterans to find the little Erica similis, and as expected, the flowers are finished. 

Erica similis

What is this bush with the green berries, turning now to red?

Unknown shrub with berries

Erica pulchella are all over, vividly pink.

Erica pulchella

Erica coccinea in its yellow form

Erica coccinea

This is a different Erica, the pink is lighter, but the flowers are more dense.

Unknown Erica

Also all over, these Lobelia tomentosa make splashes of violet in the veld.

Lobelia tomentosa

The Star-grass Ficinia radiata are turning brown:

Ficinia radiata

The Watsonia schlechteri stand out in the veld like British soldiers in the Boer War!

Watsonia schlechteri

Another Roella incurva!

Roella incurva flower

Jenny says the name comes from the leaves which curve inwards:

Roella incurva stalk

And what is this shrub? There are lots of them. We thought they were Wild Almond Brabejum stellatifolium but the flowers are wrong!

Unknown bush

We did our check of the Agapanthus walshii, all look well. Close to the plant with two flowers picked, I noticed that the Helichrysum bushes had been stripped of flowers, so I suspect it was human activity :-( A bee was busy on these.  

Agapanthus walshii

I found a third Erica obluqua very close to the other two we've found, but combed the area and found no more.

Erica obliqua

Pippa stopped to sketch another pair of A. walshiis, these are much paler than the others. Last year this was forest.

Pippa and Blondie sketching Agapanthus walshii

Meanwhile I went off to check on the Fire lily Cyrtanthus ventricosa in the cycle track. The leaves look fine and the rock we put there is protecting them, but we'll have to wait for their striking flowers yet!

Cyrtanthus ventricosa leaves

The wind was making this bush show the undersides of its leaves, which looked out of place. It was quite far off the road, but it seemed worth going to look:

Butterspoon, Rooi Els, Cunonia capensis

The 'Butterspoon' gave it away immediately! Cunonia capensis! We've seen them growing next to a river, but here in the middle of a dry patch is unusual. It must be about 600mm (2') tall now, and it's surprising we haven't noticed it before.

Detail of the underside of the leaves and spoon-shaped stipule

It has some growing to do to reach the five or ten metres it can grow to!

The dogs were ready for a swim by the time we got back!

:-) A

Another Saturday Sunday Flower Walk

A Vintage Engine display at the Classic Car & Bike Show at Timour Hall on Sunday, meant a walk on Saturday.

In the week, I just had to stop and take a photo of these four Blue Cranes in Paul Wallace's vineyard:

Four Blue Cranes

I have had trouble picking up the detail in the flowers of the Prickly Pear Opuntia, so I used my own shadow. This is the first of a new flush of flowers:

Opuntia flower detail

We've got to the time of year we see the Stoebe flowers open. This is the one with the round yellowish flowers and grey leaves.

Stoebe in flower, but which one? 

Hanging on for dear life, this Roella incurva is in danger of being washed away. There were many more further up along the road, either they have been washed away or the grader caught them.

Roella incurva on a bank about to be washed away

There are others, further from the road which are well established:

Roella incurva in a safer place!

Is this why it's called 'incurva'?

Flower detail

There are still some enormous Purple Powder Puff Pseudoselago serrata flowers open!

Purple Powder Puff Pseudoselago serrata flower

I have included close-ups of the Erica pulchella in the past. This is how they grow, not densely packed with flowers like some, but still vivid splashes of pink in the undergrowth.

Erica pulchella plant

We were delighted to spot the first Liparia splendens flowers open!

Liparia splendens

The veld is dotted with these which we think are Watsonia schlechteri, sometimes singly, often in clusters like this:

Watsonia schlechteri (?)

We wanted to check the area we call the ravine, particularly for the two Agapanthus walshii we know of there. We were pleased to spot a third we have never seen before, with two flowers on it this year, even though they're a bit sparse:

Two weak flowers on an Agapanthus walshii we have not seen before

At the top we were rewarded by finding the Mimetes cucullatus in full flower

Mimetes cucullatus flower

It's a magnificent specimen!

Mimetes cucullatus plant

At last! A picture of the Gnidia anormala in focus!

Gnidia anomala

The Leucospermum oleifolium next to the cycle track is doing well despite being badly damaged by the felling. It's now in the open and we look forward to some flowers!

Leucospermum oleifolium

Also damaged; in fact we had to uncover the plant, was this Liparia splendens. We knew there was an Agapanthus under it, but we've never seen it flower. There's another bud in the foreground:

Liparia splendens and Agapanthus

On the way back we checked on the 'new' Erica obliqua we found last week and were pleased to find another, growing up through other plants:

Another Erica obliqua!

And that brought us to the place where we saw the 11 Agapanthus walshii flowers on one plant, looking their best now!

Eleven Agapanthus walshii flowers on one plant!

:-) A