Category Plants

Jun 24 2012

Interesting find – Lindernia nana

UPDATED

Family: Linderniaceae

Species: Lindernia nana

It is said that I don’t have patience. But I do. Just not with people, I have patience in other ways… Late April 2011 I found a small little plant with a single white flower just off a huge granite outcrop. When I say small, I mean I had to lie on my tummy to photograph it. With small things it is difficult to see on the camera view finder if the photograph was successful, and I marked the place properly in case I had to come back. I don’t have fancy filters for my camera, and I found the photo to be over exposed. It is HARD to photograph white flowers! I went back late afternoon and took several pictures before I had a single usable photograph. Since then I have found another plant, a few metres away on the granite within a hole filled with soil and humus. My books didn’t contain anything like my little flower, and without a family not even the internet could be used as a source of information. But… I found a wonderful biodiversity website where one can share your findings and someone on iSpot suggested that my little flower might be a Craterostigma species. Searches about the genus came up with several similar looking species, but so far I haven’t been successful with mine. Someone else (in a private email) suggests that it is a Lindernia species The most interesting fact about Crateristigma plants is that they can survive desiccation (severe water loss to the point of drying out) and are called ‘resurrection plants’. Desiccation‐tolerant plants have the ability to tolerate severe water loss and resume normal physiological functioning on rehydration. Most ‘higher’ plants (unlike seeds) do not survive desiccation to an air-dried state. It is said that they are able to stay in this desiccated state until water becomes available and then immediately resurrect, grow and reproduce before other species can do so. It has been identified since as Lindernia nana. Similar looking species include Craterostigma plantagineum and Craterostigma wilmsii For further reading about desiccation:

Jun 13 2012

Luckybean Creeper

Family: Fabaceae

Species: Abrus precatorius africanus

The Luckybean creeper has always been one of my favourite plants with the bright red and black seeds. I used to collect them on the farm where my mother-in-law’s stayed in the Barberton area and put the seeds in various shapes and sizes of small glass bottles. Back then I was not interested in the flowers, my only concern was the seeds.

You can keep a pod ‘bundle’ like this for a long time if you can protect it against handling. It makes a magnificent display with other seeds. BUT BEWARE!!! the seeds are poisonous when consumed. KEEP AWAY from small children!! If you want to keep it, then keep it in a safe place.

From my research I knew it was from the family Fabaceae and that the flower was pink, but it took almost eight years on the farm to eventually find a plant with flowers in bloom.

Please take care – The seeds are EXTREMELY poisonous, and there is no antidote available. It contains abrin, a chemical that penetrates the cells of the body and inhibits cell protein synthesis. Symptoms and the severity of the effects depend on the way of exposure and the dosage.  Death could take place within 36-72 hours of exposure and the dose received.

If the intact seed is ingested, it might pass through the gastrointestinal tract without any harm, due to the hard shell of the seed. Rather be safe than sorry and when ingested accidently, find help at your nearest hospital or toxicology desk as soon as possible.

For more information:

May 17 2012

Doll’s Sugarbush

Order:   Asterales

Family: Asteraceae

Species:           Dicoma anomala subsp. anomala (Spiky Doll’s bush, )

                        Macledium zeyheri subsp. zeyheri (Was Dicoma zeyheri)  (Doll’s protea)

The first time I saw these flowers I immediately thought they are from the sugarbush (protea) family. However, they are not remotely related and fall within the Asteraceae family. The resemblance to proteas is used in the general names.

Dicoma anomala subsp. anomala

The leaves are lanceolate with serrated, spiky edges. It is dark green on the upper side and the lower side lighter and velvety.

Found only once in a rocky area.

According to one of my sources it is also called:

fever bush, stomach bush (English); maagbitterwortel, kalwerbossie, koorsbossie, gryshout, maagbossie (Afrikaans); hloenya, mohasetse (South Sotho); inyongana (Swazi, Xhosa); isihlabamakhondlwane, umuna (Zulu)

The plant is utilized in traditional medicine, as can be deducted also from the general names used.

Another subspecies is being researched scientifically for its medicinal properties. Mosquitos are becoming resistant to anti-malaria drugs, and one of the plants selected for investigation is Dicoma anomala subsp. gerrardii, based on its ethnomedicinal profile.

  

Macledium zeyheri subsp. zeyheri

This plant is very prickly as you can see from the photos. Flowering takes place in late summer to autumn. I find it mostly in rocky areas.

According to one of my sources it is also called:

skaapdissel, maagbitterwortel, maagbossie (Afrikaans); toy sugar bush, doll’s protea (English); mahlabane, somanheva (Swazi); umlunge, umqele (Xhosa); isihlabamakhondlwane, ububendle (Zulu)

This is how I often observe the species.

 

And this was a once off sighting, and it was long ago and I can’t remember the exact spot to look for it again.

  

For further reading:

Species

Medicinal value of Dicoma anomala

May 16 2012

Launaea

Order:   Asterales

Family: Asteraceae

Species:           Launaea nana

                   Launaea rarifolia var. rarifolia

This is a very low-growing plant and often overlook. Leaves are absent at the time of flowering and it is usually only a small spatter of colour that catch my eye. The plant has milky latex.

I have found both species in the same area, with the Launaea nana the dominant species.

They flower during early spring, in grassy areas fully exposed.

Launaea nana

  

Launaea rarifolia var. rarifolia

 

May 15 2012

Gerbera daisies

Order:   Asterales

Family: Asteraceae

Species:           Gerbera ambigua

                        Gerbera jamesonii  (Barberton daisy)

                        Gerbera piloselloides

                        Gerbera viridifolia var. viridifolia

What I like most about the Gerberas is their colour variation. It is always important to observe the leaves very thorough.

Gerbera ambigua

The brilliant white Gerbera ambigua was very difficult to photograph, as I don’t have fancy lenses. I have found it in only two locations on the farm. The upper side of the leaves are green with a velvety white underside.

  

This particular plant is very strong and produces flowers throughout the year, although I have found that the flowers are in a better condition in summer. Both plants that I have encountered grow fully exposed.

Gerbera jamesonii

And then there is Gerbera jamesonii. The red variations are just as difficult to photograph. The pictures always look over exposed. I usually encounter them in semi-shade, under trees.

The upper surface of the leaves is dark green, the lower surface is waxy green. The leaves have very ragged edges, distinguishing it from similar species.

The colours vary from white to dark red with all variations in between. The most prominent colour is orange-red and I haven’t found white ones yet.

      

The pappus is creamy white to dirty white.

The pink variation is the only plant that I have found so far, and is quite different from the above-mentioned colour variations.

 

Hybridization between G. jamesonii and G. viridifolia has led to the cut-flower industry of Gerberas.

Gerbera piloselloides

The Gerbera piloselloides is a very inconspicuous species, and it is only when you photograph it that its magnificence shows. It almost seems as if the flower never opens completely. The outer petals are often tinged with pink.

    

Gerbera viridifolia var. viridifolia

The Gerbera viridifolia var. viridifolia also show great variation in colour. From white to pink to maroon. I always see them fully exposed, espesially in rocky areas.

             

Mar 21 2012

Orchids found on our farm

Family:               Orchidaceae

Species:               Ansellia africana

                              Eulophia streptopetala

                              Habenaria epipactidea

                              Habenaria caffra (Habenaria falcicornis caffra)

The first orchid that I found was Habenaria caffra. That evening when I downloaded the pictures I decided to go back the next morning to get better pictures. The next morning I set out on my mission only to find that the flowers had been eaten during the night by one of the many game species on the farm.

Habenaria falcicornis caffra

Since then I have scrutinized the area every year in that time frame but have never found it again in that exact spot. I had to wait a few years to see another one and also haven’t found it again on the same spot.

I have found for a third time last year and have often visited the site, but so far nothing.

In 2009 my husband found Eulophia streptopetala in bloom while clearing Lantana camara. Knowing that I have seen the plants since we bought the property in 2003 but never seen the flowers, I set out to confirm for myself. I have confirmed the plant in three different localities, and in each locality the plant is growing in the shade underneath dense bush.

Eulophia streptopetala

Sometimes you have to look up also! My eyes are usually on the ground searching for specimens, and it was my husband who spotted this splendid orchid in a tree. The first time he found it, it only had a few flowers left and I couldn’t photograph it. I had to wait for the next season…  Ansellia africana is an epiphyte and has fragrant flowers.  It flowers every season during early spring and the flowers stays for quite a while on the plant.  I had to climb into the tree and very peculiarly balance myself to take the close-up pictures. This one grows in a shady dense bush.

Ansellia africana

In January 2010 I found the fourth species, Habenaria epipactidea. The unsuccessful search for Habenaria epipactidea in the spots where I found them didn’t deter me from looking for Habenaria epipactidea. I was very happy to find it in bloom again in February 2012 in the original spot. My happiness was extended when I found that there are now two plants in that spot.

Habenaria epipactidea

Over the years I have learnt that you have to be in the right spot on the right time to see some flower species… I hope to be in the right spot for many more species waiting to be found.

Habenaria epipactidea
Habenaria epipactidea
Habenaria epipactidea
Habenaria falcicornis caffra
Habenaria falcicornis caffra
Habenaria falcicornis caffra
Ansellia africana
Ansellia africana
Ansellia africana
Ansellia africana
Ansellia africana
Eulophia streptopetala plant
Eulophia streptopetala
Eulophia streptopetala
Eulophia streptopetala
Eulophia streptopetala

Update on 12 Oct 2014 – It is with great sadness that I have to tell that the Ansellia africana plant has been poached off 0ur property.

Updated 08/04/2015

Mar 13 2012

Patience is a virtue

Patience is a virtue that I don’t have when dealing with the species Homo sapiens. But sometimes I do have patience…

Some days spent in the veldt are just different than others. Yesterday was a very special day for me. Not only was it the first time in more than a month that I have spent time in my beloved veldt, but I have also found two flower species that I have been waiting for… and one new sighting.

About a year and a bit ago I saw these seeds on a climber. Usually books only have pictures of the flowers, without even mentioning seeds.

Beautiful… beautiful… beautiful…

With seeds it is always difficult to determine the flowering time… sometimes you have to patiently wait for a next season… and hope that the plant will sprout again!

The leafs have been out for a while

Since spring I have occasionally visited the place in anticipation that the plant will make its appearance. My hope was not in vain and the plant slowly started to make shoots with healthy leafs. But the flowers weren’t coming… weren’t coming…

Can you help me to identify this bug?

I photographed the bug and its nymph on the plant in December 2011.

Nymph of the bug above

And then yesterday… I could eventually see which flower makes these beautiful little seeds! It proved to be Sphedamnacarpus pruriens var. pruriens from the family Malpighiaceae, a flower that I had photographed a few years ago for the first time; but never before had I seen it’s seeds.

Sphedamnacarpus pruriens var. pruriens

The second flower is also a climber, the leaf structure and flower indicates that it will fall in the Fabaceae family, the species unknown to me.

Unknown species, family Fabaceae

It is a tiny, tiny little flower.

Unknown species, family Fabaceae

The climber caught my eye because of the interesting formations that the barks make. Might this be a distinguishing feature for the species?

Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder…

The third one is a species from the family Asteraceae, genus Dicoma anomala subsp. anomala

Dicoma anomala subsp. anomala

Can you now understand why patience is a virtue when it is about my beloved?