Nature notes My Karoo koppie Illustrations and text by Yvonne Quenet, Worcester As the seasons come and go, so the plant displays and colours change from the different shades of green in winter to the silver grey and deep russets of summer. Twenty kilome­ One of my favourites is the ever-chang­ ters south of ing concertina bush or sosatiebos Worcester is Crassula rupestris with its thick, fleshy Draaivlei, 516 ha maroon, red and orange edged leaves of land that my threaded in rows along the stems. The family (seven flowers are crowded in clusters and Cotyledon orbiculata grandchildren change colour from light pink to a included) regards deep, dark russet in the heart of sum­ as our own spe- mer. Crassula atropurpurea and shrub with tiny yellow, button-like Adromiscus filicaulus cial corner of the Crassula subaphylla are lovely dwarf flower heads. Long wandering roots Karoo. For most shrubs with delicate clusters of flow­ send out branches that bend over and of the year this ers. Plakkies Cotyledon orbiculata are take root where they touch the soil. stretch ofveld at first glance appears to plentiful; their leaves have a waxy layer This is the well-known Karoo bush that be grey and almost devoid of life but a to reduce water loss, and the flowers gives Karoo lamb that subtle herb closer look reveals a treasure trove of are suspended like tubular bells on flavour. interesting and unusual plants, all of long stalks. The euphorbias remain Our koppie has four species of the which have had to adapt to the extreme green throughout the year, giving a extremely hardy, drought resistant climate. As the seasons come and go, softness to the hillside. Geelmelkbos Pteronia, a low growing groundcover so the plant displays and colours Euphorbia mauritanica has yellow that provides a protective habitat for change from the different shades of green stems with the most unusual other plants. Pteronia paniculata (gom­ green in winter to the silver grey and flowers appearing in May. In contrast, bossie) is a woody shrub with resinous, deep russets of summer. soetmelkbos Euphorbia burmannii has tightly rolled, olive green leaves. The Karoo rocks form a background a darker green stem and despite its Pteronia jasciculata (parafienbos) is a to the plants, some pinnacled and oth­ milky latex is well grazed by our nine more rigid shrub covered with narrow, ers smooth and rounded. Lichens grow gemsbok. sticky bright green leaves that contrast on their surfaces giving a melange of The plants grow mainly in colonies, with the small grey leaves of Pteronia colours from white, green, orange and closely interspersed, protecting one incana that give this plant its common black. Everywhere there are magnifi­ another from drought and heat. An Afrikaans name of asbossie (little cent combinations of texture, colour interesting shrub is Tylecodon panicu­ ashen bush). Pteronia ovalifolia (grys­ and form. latus, commonly known as botterboom. bos) is a beautiful rounded, silver grey, Succulent This miniature tree stands up to 2 m soft bush with large yellow flowers at Leaf succu­ high with a peeling, papery, thick suc­ the branch tips and bracts that are lents such as culent trunk. The leaves are fleshy, white and woolly. All of these species of Crassula, Aloe smooth and bright green, changing as Pteronia have bright yellow flowers. microstigma and summer approaches when water is A very interesting shrub, looking like Cotyledon are conserved by shedding leaves before a bonsai, is Othonna retrofracta. Its dotted around. producing tubular flowers that open in stem is swollen, fleshy and dark grey, (Crassus is a late spring and early summer. The and it bursts into yellow flowers at a Latin word flowers are dull and red-streaked with time when there is very little colour in meaning thick, re-curved lobes, similar to the plakkie. the veld. After flowering, soft blue green referring to the Tough and drought resistant leaves appear in tufts. Aspalathus fleshy leaves The drought resistant 'anker Karoo' Scented quinguedentata that store water.) Pentzia incana is a low lying, grey green On the lower slopes, many of the 150 December 2004 Veld&Flora bushes are strongly scent­ ed. The wild buchu Diosma ramosissima has Helichrysum volatile oils stored moeserlanum Euchaetis pungens in glands found dotted in rows on the under leaf. Euchaetis pungens with its Crassula subaphylla tiny white flowers emits a strong pep­ their shade. Mistletoe Vis cum capense pery smell if its sticky leaves are and Moquiniella rubra favour the Rhus crushed. The rather unusual blomkool­ species, and their orange berries (much malva Pelargonium alternans grows sought after by birds) look as if they are between the Euclea and Rhus trees, the here, as does Pelargonium radulifolium part of the Rhus. wolwedoring Lycium oxycarpum, pro­ with its subterranean tuber, and thick, Sand olives Dodonaea viscosa var. duces leaves after the first rains. Birds rigid, prominently veined, dull green angustifolia are evergreen many are attracted to the tubular mauve leaves. lts flower gives off a cinnamon stemmed shrubs with narrow shiny flowers and shiny red fruits. There is a scent as evening approaches. light green leaves that are a paler green superstition that when the leaves fall A variety of geophytes (plants with on the underside, often sticky and off this tall and hardy shrub, drought is underground storage organs) are scat­ resinous. They are used medicinally to around the corner. tered amongst the shrubs and these allay fevers, sore throats and the com­ Another fynbos species that grows in come ablaze in the spring. Lapeirousia mon cold. It is a useful shrub for con­ loose sandy soil here, is the sandveld jacquinii is found on the lower slopes; solidating sandy areas. Their seed cap­ pincushion Leucospermum rodolentum. and the naeltjie L. pyaimidalis grows on sules with their papery wings give them It is an erect shrub with silvery grey­ stony ground, the pyramid-shaped a soft and pretty look. This small tree is green leaves that are covered in hairs, buds opening to form a cluster of fra­ regarded as an indicator of an ecotone and the flowers are a deep yellow and grant, white to pale blue or pink, tubu­ between fynbos and Karoo veld types. occur in clusters. lar flowers. The sweet thorn or soetdoring Acacia In May, the veld comes alive with Trees karroo is a commonly occurring, palat­ many different Oxalis species and then, There are not too many trees on able small tree that grows up to 12 m. in August the brilliantly coloured Draaivlei. The ghwarrie Euclea undula­ lts round yellow ball flowers, sickle vygies take over. The Worcester vygie ta is a very slow growing tree, its name shaped seed pods and slender white Drosanthemum speciosum has leaves derived from an old Khoi Khoi word spines make it a very attractive Karoo that consist of large water-filled cells meaning berry. Its umbrella shape pro­ tree indeed. causing it to glisten in the sun, and vides shade and many animals eat the Fynbos in the Karoo flowers that are orange or red. Ruschia nutritious berries when they ripen and On the lower slopes of Draaivlei kop­ caroli with its splendid purple flowers, turn black. The leaves are wavy, hard pie, where the karooid scrub meets the is plentiful. The daisy family is repre­ and dark green. The water-seeking root fynbos, a different plant community sented here by Helichrysum hebelepsis, system has lateral roots that extend in occurs. Large stands of plants belong­ H. ruWans and H. moeserianum, all a wide circle around the tree. The ing to the Restionaceae (sometimes with grey felted leaves and bright ghwarries here, although small, are known as Cape reeds) dominate the yellow flowers. said to be well over a hundred years veld. When the sun falls on the 2 m tall And last but not least is the renos­ old. stems of the sonkwasriet Willdenowia terbos Elytropappus* rhinocerotis, the Rub rub berry or baardbossie Rhus incurvata the dark green colour of the dull olive green bush that dominates incisa is deciduous with trifoliate dark stems contrast spectacularly with the the veld. It has no grazing value, no green leaflets with bronze colour of the bracts. The male pretty flowers and is highly inflamma­ toothed margins. and female plants of the 'restio' species ble. It is however, a Taaibos Rhus undu­ are strikingly different making identifi­ pioneer plant that lata is aromatic and cation very complicated. provides a habitat evergreen, with tri­ As spring approaches, many dead for the numer­ foliate leaves that looking shrubs are transformed. The ous geophytes. are distinctly wavy. geelstertjiebos Lebeckia cytisoides These small trees becomes a soft-stemmed shrub with ·See note about are the largest of silvery grey leaves and, in August, yel­ the name change the shrubs to be low honey scented flowers. Wiborgia of this genus from found in our obcordata, and W. mucronata produce Elyfropappus to ~ veld and we yellow flowers in small sprays typical of Dicerothamnus on Aloe microstigma Crassula atropurpurea welcome the Fabaceae or pea family. Growing page 165. December 2004 Veld&Flora 151.