The following pictures were taken the last two days on the Denver Botanic Garden sponsored trip to the Drakensberg organized by Guillermo Rivera. We have stayed two days at the terrific accommodations at Witzieshoek in the Orange Free State, basking on the northern Slope of Mount-aux-sources, the second highest peak of South Africa. The pictures (unfortunately) are not in order--but give a smattering of what all we have seen: I will be adding more accurate names (and commentary) when I have access to books locked up in our bus this morning!
Mystery Delosperma sp. on road between Witzieshoek and Sentinel parking lot |
Wahlenbergia cf. undulata |
Xerophyta viscosa |
Jamesbrittenia pristisepala |
Zaluzianskya sp. |
Jamesbrittenia pristisepala |
Brunsvigia sp. |
Brunsvigia sp. |
Berkheya sp. |
Kniphofia porphyrantha |
Crocosmia pearsei |
Harpochloa falx |
Shrubby Fabaceae |
Crassula setulosa ssp. setulosa |
Kniphofia porphyrantha |
Helichrysum marginatum |
Eucomis autumnalis and Bulbine abyssinica |
Erica sp. |
Scabiosa sp. |
Moraea vigilans |
Euphorbia sp. |
Diascia sp. |
Helichrysum sp. and Rhodohypoxis |
Eucomis bicolor |
Eucomis autumnalis |
Bulbine abyssinica |
Hebenstreitia sp. |
Geranium cf. drakensbergense |
Alepidea sp. |
Ranunculus baurii |
Helichrysum aureum |
Eucomis schifii |
Hebenstreitia and Rhodohypoxis |
Streptocarpus |
Lobelia cf. presleyi |
Rhodohypxis baurii, Oxalis obliquifolia and Alepidea sp. |
Moraea ?alpina |
Albuca ?humilis |
Romulea sp. |
Crassula setulosa ssp. curta |
Crassula setulosa ssp. curta |
Helichrysum sutherlandii |
Themeda triandra |
Parasitic scroph (Sopubia?) |
Helichrysum montanum (below) H. sutherlandii (above) |
Did you hear that thud?
ReplyDeleteTwas me.
Fell off me chair in a swoon of utter delight ....
p.s. yeah, you're right - this is a really lousy post because the photos aren't in order & the plant names/descriptions are sorely lacking due to those locked up books. Really, dunno why you bothered!
Keep 'em coming please, Panayoti …another must visit destination.
ReplyDeleteBreathtaking, nice way to wake up today with my morning tea and see all these lovely flowers while school is closed due to bad weather here. Ernie
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! Thank you for posting these photos. A great way to start the workday...with plants that are new to me. I'm inspired for the day.
ReplyDeleteoooohh! so jealous. Counting on a slideshow someday in a theater near me...
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Panayoti. NOTHING beats seeing them in habitat, except if I were there!
ReplyDeleteFun trip, worth a thorough read / feast later. A plant w/ a genus "Xerophyta"? Ha, looks quite lush for that! The Harpochloa falx looks like a cross of a Zephyranthes and Bouteloua. That's one green place...their wet season?
ReplyDeleteIs South African grassland maintained by fire like Midwestern American ecosystems?
ReplyDeleteIt sure is, James...more later!
ReplyDeleteGreat, Panayoti.
ReplyDeleteMarek
I was there a week later, with Elsa Pooley. Indeed a great place to look for indigenous plants. I uploaded a few pics on https://500px.com/herbertfrei
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting that, Herbert! Your pictures are simply spectacular: I hope others will click on your URL. Thank you again!
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