A group of lucky people explored a part of the reserve few members of the public get to see. Steve Vincent reports back.
Map showing the blocks into which the reserve is divided. These blocks are burned in rotation each year.
As Block 3 (where the offices and staff quarters are situated) and 7 (southeast corner) had been burnt the previous Monday as part of the annual, controlled burning of the reserve, we headed west on the tourist route in a clockwise direction and then peeled off to the south, between Blocks 1 and 7, until we reached the southern boundary fence. Here we headed West again into Block 1, right up into the quartzite ridges of the southwestern corner of the Reserve overlooking the Tonteldoos area. We made two stops along the way, one to admire and photograph a beautiful stand of Aloe chortolirioides var wooliana.
The clumps of Khadia alticola (L) were in full bloom as were the Pygmy Sand Apples (Bridsonia chamaedendrum) (Photographs: Steve Vincent)
The second stop was at one of the seep lines along the southern boundary fence to look at the tiny pink Cloud African Hyacinths (Ledebouria altopaludosa) which were flowering. This was the first two suspected new species of Ledebouria.
Cloud African Hyacinth (L. altopaludosa)
We then parked on top of the Quartzite ridge and explored the ridge on foot. One of the yellow Senecio was starting to flower—consensus was the coronatus species. Further along, we came across a magnificent specimen of a Pigs Ear (Cotyledon oblongata) with its red/orange drooping flowers, and alongside it a yellow flowering one.
Pigs Ear (Cotyledon oblongata), showing the orange and yellow varieties (Photographs: Steve Vincent)
Along the ridge, Frans pointed out another one of the “new” Ledabourias, Ledabouria steenkampsbergensis.
L. steenkampsbergensis (L) and Riocreuxia aberrans (Photographs: Steve Vincent)
There were many other interesting plants up on the ridge but the pièce de resistance was the Riocreuxia aberrans. The rocks along the crest of the ridge proved to host an amazing number of plants.
After a short snack break and refreshments, Gerrit took the opportunity to make a small speech thanking Frans for all he had done for the Friends of Verloren Valei, saying how much the organisation would miss his guidance after he left the area. He presented Frans with two books as a token of gratitude for his assistance and service to the organisation over the years.
Frans Krige with the books presented to him in recognition of his contribution to Verloren Valei
Frans then took us into the area in Block 1 where we could expect to find the only early flowery grass orchid of the Verloren Valei, the Blue Grassland Disa, Disa baurii.
Abundant examples of the delicate Grass or Terrestrial Orchid (D. baurii) were found within 500m of entering Block 1 (Photographs: Steve Vincent)
As one can expect in summer, storm clouds began to build up and we packed up and headed back to the reserve offices with a few brief stops to identify some interesting birds, including African Pipit, Capped Wheat-ear and a Brown Snake eagle. We also took a few moments to photograph what was later identified as Scruffy Cape Saffron (Gnidia nodiflora). a fairly prolific grassland forb that was in flower.
A big thank you to Frans for leading this interesting field trip, and to everybody who came along.
