Umtamvuna - The Pont (11 February 2021)

One begins a field trip with urban frenzy and then like a volcano that erupts so does the noise cease after excited banter that occurs when friends meet, and then in the quiet of the forest a peace descends as if one is in a meditation.  One hears the bird’s song, the step of one's foot on padded leaves  and become  acutely aware of the sacredness of  the forest. 

Escaping the heat of February, we sought refuge the forest of the Umtumvuna at The Pont, and our Honory officers took measurements of the area that was required to control with herbicides as the invasive Bramble invaded 35 m x 5 m deep along the hiking path that leads into the reserve.

Dorothy with her passion and knowledge took our newest members under her wing and taught us about trees.  

Our dear Maggie Abbott's walking stick that has a a fork on the end which is
useful when gently pulling a branch down to observe the leaf and flower.

A Stink bug that reminded me of an Aborigine in its distinctive markings.

Lucia Widow dragonfly female

  Colossal majestic rocks that lie protected on the forest floor.

  

A mushroom the size of one's hand nestled behing a giant boulder. 
Perhaps this is where the fairies meet...

Slime mould. 
It reminded me of a chocolate Flakey.

Justicia adhatodoides  (Duvernoia adhatodoides)

Justicia adhatodoides  (Duvernoia adhatodoides)

Commelina diffusa

Aneilema aequinoctiale

Buxus natalensis  

An unusual but unknown fruit/calyx/flower

Suregada procera 

Buxus natalensis 

Celtis gomphophylla

Macaranga capensis - River macaranga 

Drypetes arguta

Laportea peduncularis

Cassipourea gummiflua

The image cannot capture the scale of the enormity of this tree that's having a little lean. 
 It could easily have seen a century go by.

Lloyd listening to the birds song and simply enjoying looking up at the canopy of ancient trees.

Lloyd ascending the steep slabs of rocks, his singing of a lyric left us all humming happily as we slowly  paced ourselves higher up into the forest.  One foot in front of other, Dorothy's wish came true.

Flagellaria guineensis

Lloyd with his cultural knowledge told me of the many uses of Flagellaria guineensis.  The strong supple stems which can grown 10m long are commonly used to make fish-traps, the stems are used in hut-construction, basketry and weaving and are even made into writing pens.  The seeds can be used as porridge.  In East Africa it is said be to resistant to herbicides and is a weed invader in rice-rice fields in Nigeria.

Drypetes arguta

Excoecaria simii 

Anne debarking an enormous Solanum mauritianum (Bug weed). 
Little useful pen knives always come in handy.
  

Margaritaria discoidea 

Maggie told us the little trick of her leaning this tree's name in that it was she saw a Margaret in there. What incredible bark it has.
 

Maggie standing next to an old hollowed out tree that reminded me of Africa's mokoros. 

Tracy feeling kinship with the vibrancy in the hue of a fallen tree trunk.

 

A  towering wall  of Quisqualis parviflora.

Quisqualis parviflora 

Nectaropetalum zuluensis

A humorous photo of our tribe as we relaxed at lunch time. 
Mark looking a little like he was guillotined...

C.R.E.W.  Gail Bowers-Winters, Lloyd, Mark Getliffe, Dorthy McIntyre, Simon, Maggie Abbott
Anne, Tracy Taylor, Anne Skelton and Alf Hayter.

 A special thanks our teachers and and for their dedicated time and sharing their knowledge with those of us who are learning.