Sometimes when you least expect it, Mother Nature will surprise you with a significant find. And that is exactly what happened when members of the Lowveld Branch of the Botanical Society visited Mountainlands on Saturday morning. They did not travel far before coming across the terrestrial orchid, Habenaria barbertoni .
Habenaria barbertoni
With its white and light green inflorescence it stood about 30cm tall. It is “Recorded from a scant number of localities (majority from pre-1960) within just two adjoining provinces. At some localities plants may form a small colony, but it is a sporadic and rare species.” (McMurtry et al.) According to the Red List of South African Plants its status is Near Threatened and its numbers are declining. Luckily it is protected in Mountainlands.
As summer is progressing on the reserve, the riotous colours of spring blooms have made space for fruit which are anything but dull. Drawing one’s eyes up in the understory, the green winged pods of Pterocarpus angolensis’s (Transvaal teak), the yellowish and pink winged fruit of Combretum krausii‘s(Forest Bushwillow) and the distinctly large, green fruit of Combretum zeyheri (Large-fruited Bushwillow) hang like Chinese lanterns from the trees. Other plants that drew the attention of the Botsoc members were the purple blooms of Barleria ovata and cream white inflorescences of Watsonia watsonioides. The mountains here are home to more than 2000 plant species and seeing the endemic Searsia pygmae was also a treat. As the balmy early morning fog made way for a clear warm day, the group retreated more and more into the shade.
Botsoc members enjoying the outing
“Every year we have an appointment with a specific Marula tree – to collect fruits to make fruit preserves – and that appointment is this afternoon, ” said one of the Botsoc members. That was the subtle signal to head back to the gate and call it a day until the next visit.
