Volume 6 • March 2010

News from the CREW

lthough 2009 has been a Asteraceae family) in full flower. REW, the Custodians of Areally challenging year with These plants are usually rather C Rare and Endangered the global recession having had inconspicuous and are very hard Wildflowers, is a programme a heavy impact on all of us, it to spot when not flowering, so that involves volunteers from we were very lucky to catch it could not break the strong spir- the public in the monitoring it of CREW. Amidst the great in flower. The CREW team has taken a special interest in the and conservation of South challenges we came up tops genus Marasmodes (we even Africa’s threatened plants. once again, with some excep- have a day in April dedicated to CREW aims to capacitate a tionally great discoveries. the monitoring of this genus) network of volunteers from as they all occur in the lowlands a range of socio-economic Our first great adventure for and are severely threatened. I backgrounds to monitor the year took place in the knew from the herbarium speci- and conserve South Afri- Villiersdorp area. We had to mens that there have not been ca’s threatened plant spe- collect flowering material of any collections of Marasmodes Prismatocarpus lycioides, a data cies. The programme links from the Villiersdorp area and volunteers with their local deficient species in the Campan- was therefore very excited conservation agencies and ulaceae family. We rediscovered about this discovery. As usual, this species in the area in 2008 my first reaction was: ‘It’s a particularly with local land and all we had to go on was a new species!’ but I soon so- stewardship initiatives to en- scrappy nonflowering branch. bered up (I can’t remember the sure the conservation of key Luckily the leaf morphology is countless times I have been sites for threatened plant quite distinct and Chris Cupido excited about new species that species. could give us a positive identi- turned out not to be new at all) fication, but we needed flower- and thought it might only be a ing material for the herbarium. range extension. I’m not going to give too much information about the Prisma- I showed it to Anthony Magee tocarpus as Vathiswa and Chris have written an article for Veld and he was sure that it was & Flora, so you can read more a new species. Hooray! A new about it in the March 2010 is- species to kick off the year. sue. On this field trip we were trying to map the extent of the Our focus for our C Team field population when we stumbled trips this year was postfire across a Marasmodes (small, monitoring sites. The summer highly threatened genus in the of 2008/2009 was an impor-

 tant one as there were many important areas that burnt. Groot Winterhoek Mountains, Paarl Mountain and Piketberg Mountains were among the top priorities for monitoring. We have written an article about our expeditions in spring for the March 2010 issue of Veld & Flora. Our most noteworthy trip was to the Groot Winterhoek Mountains to monitor Satyrium striatum. Apart from finding the target species, we thor- oughly enjoyed the vastness of the wilderness area. It is quite refreshing to be able to look to the horizon and only see natu- ral veld, something we don’t experience when working in the Marasmodes sp. nov., a new spe- Satyrium striatum from the Groot lowlands. cies found by CREW. Winterhoek Mountains.

It has been a tough year with- out a project co-ordinator but we managed to pull through. Vathiswa has been exceptional in supporting me to cover the gap left by Caitlin. We hope that the 2010 budget will be better and that we can fill that vacancy. Vathiswa gave her first presentation at the Fynbos Forum in 2009. It is always a great achievement to present at this conference because it is the best public- speaking ice-breaker. She gave a fantastic talk and looked very comfortable addressing the Fynmense enjoying the veld during the Fynbos Forum field trip. audience. As a consequence of her success, she will have to present more often. We also success of the year was that www.cepf.net) was to get the managed to meet some of our we managed to train four tour tour guides trained, but unfor- CREW volunteers at the Fynbos guides in Mamre. These local tunately we could not stretch Forum. Cameron, Rhoda and youngsters are extremely pas- the funds to cover the tourism Flora attended the conference sionate about Mamre and of product development as well. and joined us on our field trip course due to the CREW influ- We were approached by the to key stewardship sites in the ence, they have also become Claremont Rotary Club who was Swellendam/Bredasdorp area. passionate about the plants interested in supporting this and the habitats in which they project after reading about it in This year also marked the end occur. the local newspaper. They have of the Mamre project. We have made R50 000.00 available to celebrated so many successes The tour guides successfully complete the development of in this project and it was a completed their training and the project and set up the tour most fulfilling and rich learn- tour guide assessments. They guides’ business. The project ing experience. The project was are now fully certified local will include the construction of a quite different from the usual tour guides. The certification donkey cart, development of an CREW activities but it gave process was the first step to online booking system as well as us an opportunity to explore developing a viable, sustainable further business development new ways of involving people in tourism product. The funding we training for the tour guides. the conservation of Rare and received from the CEPF (Critical They had an opportunity to test  Threatened plants. The key Ecosystem Partnership Fund: their skills when we organised a wonderful year of threatened ‘asclep’ finds – Brachystelma gerrardii, Asclepias concinna, Asclepias bicuspis, Asclepias woodii, Schizoglossum bidens subsp. hirtum being but a few!

Botanical courses by experts have really helped volunteers and CREW staff to increase their botanical understand- ing and knowledge of the KZN flora. In August, CREW hosted a four-day course on introduc- tory botany by Wendy Hitchcock at the KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden in Pieterma- ritzburg. At the end, 20 keen CREW volunteers were ably drawing floral diagrams and identifying families, thanks to One of the tour guides (Charlene, front centre) with the local Councillor Wendy’s fantastic teaching and and Rotary Club members on the back of the donkey cart. her amazing photo microscope. In November, the well-known leg- ume expert Prof. Charlie Stirton special tour for the Rotary Club ciate all your wonderful contri- gave a one-day course on this members. The tour guides took butions. Most South Africans important KZN family, followed them on a tour at the Mamre will remember 2010 as the year by a field trip. In addition, Ashley Flower Show in September and South Africa hosted the Soc- Nicholas’s fascinating talk at managed to run a smooth op- cer World Cup, but don’t forget the September workshop helped eration and hugely impress the that 2010 is also the Year of to solve the mystery of why the Claremont Rotary Club. Biodiversity and I’m sure that Asclepiadaceae are now in the will be our memory of this year. Apocynaceae, followed by an Once this project is complete, overview of the group with many the guides will be able to con- Ismail Ebrahim living and pressed examples. duct tours in Mamre, showcas- ing the rich historical, cultural The second annual Summer- and biological heritage of the rainfall CREW Volunteer Work- area. Watch this space for an- shop was held at Lake Eland nouncements on where you can near Oribi Gorge in southern book a tour to discover Mamre! CREW in KZN in September. The work- The project has been a really shop was memorable for a number of really fantastic talks fruitful experience for us and by experts, including Ashley’s we have learnt so much about KZN Apocynaceae, Neil Crouch on community interaction and de- ne of the most rewarding medicinal plants, Tony Abbott veloping livelihood opportunities Oaspects of the past year on Pondoland, David Styles on for communities. We can now for me was seeing the new his fascinating quest for Orbea, share those lessons and hope CREW group’s field trips gradu- Livhuwani Nkuna on the Millen- to be able to replicate this kind ating from botanical rambles nium Seedbank Project, Lize of work in other areas. We also to well-planned outings focused von Staden on Google earthing, wish the tour guides the best of on specific target species. Reshnee Lala on the Emerging luck – may this be the start of Quite a few of our volunteers Alien Project and Anisha Dayar- am on carbon-dating of mesic a booming, sustainable tourism have progressed with amazing grassland plants. An unplanned industry in Mamre. speed from hardly recognising highlight was the amazing video common and obvious species on forest canopy ecology and The CREW team would like to to happily looking at the finer research brought by Tony Ab- wish you a great 2010. May diagnostic details of some very bott. As in 2008, one of the this year be filled with awe- obscure taxa. Finding our first most rewarding aspects of the some discoveries and amazing critically endangered species workshop was getting so many interactions. The CREW family is (Asclepias bicuspis) was a botanical experts and enthusi- growing steadily and we appre- real high! In fact, 2009 was a astic volunteers together.  students of the Durban Univer- sity of Technology attended a three-day course on monitoring threatened plants and Red-List- ing organised by CREW KZN at the KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium in Durban, and in October the second-year Botany students of the University of KwaZulu- Natal in Pietermaritzburg came on a CREW fieldtrip to monitor a threatened plant population. We hope to continue and ex- pand these links in 2010 and Some of the CREW folk who attended the second annual Summer-rainfall get more students involved in CREW Workshop at Lake Eland. threatened plant conservation in their future careers. Tony Abbott and his team con- helping to provide a quantita- tinue their invaluable work in tive basis for deciding on the Special thanks to Suvarna the Pondoland region and have conservation value of the sites. for her fantastic support and turned up TWO new species of Twelve sites were visited and cheerful company and her truly Aspalathus recently! assessed during 2009, includ- amazing ability to navigate the ing Ncandu (in the Drakensberg maze of administrative channels CREW’s collaboration with near Newcastle), Dargle, Ngele in SANBI. the Biodiversity Stewardship and Bulwer Mountain, among Programme continues, and others. We look forward to seeing you last year we started carrying all at the annual Summer-rainfall out detailed plant biodiversity We established some valu- Workshop at Sani in the Draken- analyses for potential steward- able links with tertiary educa- sberg in November 2010. ship conservation sites. This tion institutions in KZN during information is really valuable for the year. In May, horticultural Isabel Johnson

CREW Tapping into Tertiary Institutions

he CREW KZN node held Ta three-day course with landscape design and horticul- ture students at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in May. Red List officer Lize von Staden presented hands-on training on the theoretical and practical aspects of producing Red List assessments. Stu- dents were also enlightened on ways to gather data, recovery of threatened plants and on field monitoring techniques.

The course culminated with a fieldtrip to Krantzkloof Nature Reserve. Students collected population data on Encepha- lartos villosus by marking out three 200 × 200 m plots within which the basal diameter of  Students of the Durban University of Technology at Krantzkloof. each cycad was measured. The position of each plant was fur- thermore recorded with a GPS. Wendy Hitchcock Presents Data collected were downloaded and analysed and the resulting Introduction to Plant Identifica- population map and age class tion Course in KZN for the First distribution graph presented to the excited students. Time The DUT students excelled in the Red List exercises and thor- oughly enjoyed the field work, learning how to use a GPS and seeing the information they col- lected in map form.

Later in the year, on a bright and sunny day in early October, we set off with eight second- year Botany students from the Pietermaritzburg campus of the UKZN, their lecturer in angiosperm diversity, Dr Benny Bytebier, and Christina Curry, senior herbarium technician and keen CREWite. The aim of the outing was to obtain some baseline plant demographic data for a population of the widely used medicinal plant Merwilla Wendy showing participants some key characters. plumbea in a grassland just outside Pietermaritzburg, while introducing the students to he botanical courses of the various parts was motivating. some basic plant monitoring TCREW KZN node for 2009 She ensured that we concen- techniques. After an introduc- were set in motion in August trated on looking at the diag- tion to the species, its uses with the acclaimed Wendy nostic characters by explaining Hitchcock’s Plant Iden- and threats, the students, the key features of each plant armed with GPSs and tification and Botanical with the aid of her sophisticated tape measures, Drawing Course. The traversed the field, course was held at dissecting microscope connect- marking the position the KZN National ed to a data projector. of each clump, counting Botanical Gar- the number of bulbs and den and was Important family characteris- measuring diameters, well attended tics were highlighted during an and noting any damage by CREW vol- by grazers or tradi- active session of sorting and unteers, amateur tional gatherers. grouping plant material. Wendy botanists, SANBI taught participants how to iden- horticulturists and These data will pro- tify an unknown plant to family landscapers from vide an important the KZN Midlands. and genus level using botanical record for future sur- keys. veys of this population and will enable us to The course introduced Participants definitely went note any changes in its participants to the once size and composition. We feared botanical terminology away far more knowledgeable hope it has also introduced the and to techniques for identify- and, even more importantly, students to the work on threat- ing and recording characters of with new skills enabling them to ened plants and inspired them plants and flowers of a range of identify plants to family and/or to become involved in plant con- families indigenous to KZN. Par- genus level. The course was an servation work in their future ticipants had a range of flower- eye-opener to budding CREW careers. ing plant material to dissect, volunteers who are now more draw and record information. confident in the field. Suvarna Parbhoo & Wendy’s method of ‘hands-on’ Isabel Johnson learning about plants and their Suvarna Parbhoo  Prof. Charlie Stirton’s Legume Course

n Saturday, 7 November, a that require the service of a Osmall (but certainly select) specialist pollinator to get to group of very keen plant lovers the nectary? That Eriosema cor- gathered at the UKZN Botany datum opens earlier in the day Department in Pietermaritz- than E. salignum, enabling them burg to attend a course on to use the same pollinator? legumes, presented by Profes- Even the roots of the various sor Charlie Stirton. Eriosema species are recognis- Argyrolobium stipulaceum. ably different. Using slides and his wonderfully finding a delicate Dumasia and relaxed manner of presenta- After a delightful picnic lunch seeing those big appendages on tion, Charlie led us through in the botanical garden of the the standard, something I had the tribes and genera of the University, it was back to the attempted to draw the previous Legume Family – many from the classroom for more fascinating day but could now really appre- Cape, but all portraying some facts. An array of fresh speci- ciate in real life. important characteristic. For mens allowed us a glimpse into me the sea of pea-flowers that the enormous diversity of this A couple of us attendees are had so confused me started to family and there was time to now attempting to put together fall into some sort of order, with ask questions and make sure we a sort of key to the legumes, recognisable features guid- had correctly interpreted the using the information gleaned ing me on the path to correct mountain of information Charlie from this course. When we’re identification. Did you know that had dispensed. ready, we will certainly share it. the wing petals of Crotalaria are sculptured to give bees a foot- On Sunday morning an even Thanks so much to Isabel for hold? That Zornia bracts have smaller group met up at the organising this event and to Charlie for sharing his knowl- ‘see-through’ glands and always farm Wahroonga where we tried edge and obvious love for the have red stripes in the nectary? very hard to put into practice Legume Family. That Dumasia flowers have large what we had learned the previ- appendages on the standard ous day. A highlight for me was Sally Johnson

A New Way Forward for Plant Monitoring Day (PMD)

lant Monitoring Day is an award scheme that accredits Swellendam, Still Bay and St Pannual innovative educa- schools that make a commit- Francis CREW groups continued tional exercise aimed at making ment to continuously improve to conduct Plant Monitoring Day students and their teachers their school’s environmental in their areas. The CREW KZN aware of the rich diversity of performance. node met with the Midlands plants in their local surround- Meander Education Project ings. Caitlin’s resignation from The national Eco-Schools Co-or- team to integrate PMD into two the CREW programme to dinators believe Plant Monitor- of the high schools with whom pursue her master’s studies ing Day has sufficient curriculum they currently work. meant the loss of PMD’s cham- links for it to work effectively in pion. At the strategic planning Grades 8–12 natural science The CREW programme aims session of the CREW pro- and other learning areas within to make Plant Monitoring Day gramme in December 2008, it the national curriculum. one of the items was decided to include PMD in in the portfolio the WESSA/WWF Eco-Schools The CREW CFR node has linked of activities that Programme so that it becomes up with Loraine Mills, WESSA schools do for well integrated into the school Eco-Schools Co-ordinator based Eco-Schools. curriculum. Eco-Schools is in George, to conduct PMD in  an internationally recognised 2009. Harmony Flats, Mamre, Suvarna Parbhoo Primary School Enjoys First Plant Monitoring Session

first for the Garden Route However, the learners thor- APrimary School in Mossel oughly enjoyed the experience. Bay and a first for WESSA They particularly enjoyed using Southern Cape’s Eco-Schools the manual. What a fun activity Programme: we became in- it is to spin the arrow and use volved in a Plant Monitoring the random number table. We Day session during Arbor had to ensure that each learner Week. had a turn to do the selection. The teachers found the PMD Thanks to Vathiswa and Ismail experience a valuable learning for letting me introduce this session and look forward to do- project to the primary school ing similar activities back on the learners. As they have not been school grounds where they have Learners of the Garden Route Pri- on such an outing before, I ar- a fynbos patch. mary School counting plants in the ranged a pre-site visit at the quadrat. school where the learners and Thanks to Aiden Beck, Conser- teaches were introduced to vation Manager of the Pinnacle the kit. What excitement when Point Conservation Trust, for they saw the beautiful hessian making it possible and for ac- bags and the contents! Our companying us on the outing. practice session on the school Thanks also to Lucretia van der Walt of Coastal Landscaping sports field proved to be very for her enthusiastic assist- valuable as teachers and learn- ance with identifying the fynbos ers got an idea of what was species and the lift back to the involved. As the Co-ordinator of gate, and to Yvette van Wijk and the Eco-Schools Programme in the Southern Cape Herbarium the George area, I was particu- Mr Moses explaining maths con- for initially identifying the plants. larly excited about the learning cepts to the learners during the involved. Use of the equipment Lorraine McGibbon practice session at school. and the manual provided excel- lent opportunities for working with measurements and maths concepts, equipment like a ther- mometer, GPS and a compass as well as for team work and carrying out instructions. To top all this, the teachers and learn- ers were very interested to find out about the plant species we would be monitoring: Oedera uniflora (kalksteen-perdekaroo), Acmadenia heterophylla (goegoe) and Ficinia truncata (sedge/bie- sie). The special species are Hypodiscus procurrens (spread- ing miniature restio) and Protea lanceolata (lance-leaf sugar- bush).

Of course, getting out into the veld at the Conservation Area of Pinnacle Point proved to be quite different from the flat ter- rain of the school sports field! Learners with Lucretia having a closer look at Protea lanceolata.  Plant Specialist Group (PSG)

he membership of this or- Later in the year, the monitor- Tganisation formed in 1994 ing site of the very localised and is wide, in terms of geography heavily harvested muthi plant and experience. While many Dioscorea strydomiana (ms) was members live and work in visited for the third year running Mpumalanga, there are many and seeds were collected and others who come from further planted close by to assess the afield. The experience that germination in the wild. Another members bring to the group muthi tree, Ocotea bullata, was Rare Brachystelma minor flowering ranges from conservation, the subject of a day’s outing horticulture and taxonomy to in a rock crevice at Hermansburg, to a forest in the Sabie area Blyde area. general botanical interest. For in July; the harvesting activity the monthly meetings at the here seemed to be mercifully Lowveld National Botanical low. collections made here included Garden, members are encour- new records for the grid square aged to research, prepare and With southern Mozambique and 2731AA, for example Cerope- deliver an illustrated talk on a Swaziland so near, PSG enjoyed gia linearis subsp. linearis and botanical topic of their choice. a very pleasant weekend at the Raphionacme procumbens. In addition, field trips are regu- coastal region of the Milibangala Indeed, a hitherto undescribed larly organised with the aim Elephant Reserve with two Mo- species of Callilepis was discov- of either looking for specific zambicans from the Herbarium ered on the quartzite slopes! (threatened) plants or doing a (LMA) in Maputo. general botanical survey of a PSG is looking forward to more particular site. The year 2009 exciting finds on field trips in has seen a number of excur- Very recently, at the behest of 2010 and, along with CREW, sions to interesting localities, one of PSG’s Swazi members, a contributing to the knowledge some of which are outlined general plant survey took place of plants in this magical corner below. in the wooded grasslands of the breathtakingly beautiful Ma- of South Africa. Right at the end of 2008, PSG hamba Gorge. The trip proved to Barbara Turpin members spent a day in the be very special, as some of the dolomites near Blyde on a pro- posed open-cast goldmine site and came across the tiny, rare Brachystelma minor flowering in a rock crevice and Streptocar- pus actinoflora.

In January 2009 the group walked through the delightful Robin’s Kloof at Verlorenkloof Nature Reserve near Dull- stroom to the type locality of Gladiolus cataractarum and watched with bated breath as two intrepid chaps inched their way on to a high, narrow ledge to collect a perfect specimen for botanical artwork. Both the plant and collectors arrived safely on solid ground!

Together with some CREW members from Pretoria, PSG spent a weekend in February in the grasslands in the Wakker- stroom area, doing a general  survey of threatened plants. Mkhondvo River, Mahamba Gorge, Swaziland. CREW Visits Maputaland

he Maputaland coastal flats Brachystelma tenue. Although Thave some of KwaZulu-Na- part of EKZN Wildlife’s exten- tal’s highest concentrations of sive network of coastal reserves plants of conservation concern, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, with around 45 species record- the grasslands at this site ed in this area. This is because, appeared to be overgrazed and sadly, very little of the unique plant diversity coastal grassland habitat of was very low. this area remains. In Novem- We then trav- ber 2009 Isabel Johnson and elled south along I, together with Livhu Nkuna a sandy track and Walter Mabatha of the following the nar- Millennium Seedbank Project row strip of land and Karin van der Walt of the between Lake Sibaya Lowveld National Botanical Gar- and the coast – luckily den, visited the area in search Isabel knew the way very well of some of the more elusive and we were able to explore this remote area. specials such as Raphionacme elsana (EN), Pachycarpus mack- The dainty wetland plant Asclepias enii (DDD) and Brachystelma We ended the trip with two gordon-grayae in the St Lucia East- tenue (EN). days of exploring the grasslands ern Shores Grasslands. of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Our first stop was at Usutu Park around Cape Vidal. This Gorge, a potential Biodiversity part of the reserve contains Stewardship Site adjacent to large sections of rehabilitated Ndumo Game Reserve, where former forestry plantations, and Umvoti we surveyed the general state natural grasslands were rather of the site and vegetation. hard to find! The highlight was Although not many threatened accidentally stumbling upon a CREW species could be found, the veg- large population of white-flow- t has been a very trying etation is in good condition and ered Asclepias gordon-grayae spring and early summer worthy of conservation. I (EN) after stopping to look at a – spring began with unsea- possible Dierama sertum (NT). sonably hot weather, then the We then headed for the coast, to Lala Nek, the type locality of Lize von Staden rain came and forgot to go away!!! With side roads in al- most impassable condition and thick mist, we had to abandon several planned outings, but all was not lost – we did achieve one momentous highlight!

Our first major outing was to the York Commonage, a large area of grassland in various states of care. It is a legacy from the early settlers and to- day the neighbouring land own- ers have grazing rights to the area; some act responsibly but, sadly, some do not! However, we did establish that Kniphofia lati- folia and Leucospermum gerrar- dii grew in the area but our local contact was reluctant to show us the exact spot! We hope for better luck next time.

Walter, Livu, Karin and Lize examining a possible Pachycarpus mackenii at Our next scheduled trip was to Usutu Gorge. Greenwich in the Rietvlei area.  It proved to be challenging in more ways than one, not the least of which was a very irate man who claimed he was the person to whom we ought to have sought permission to visit the area! We had tried, but it was very challenging as it is now a community farm paid for by Land Affairs and there is con- flict between the families living on the farm and the man who claims to be in charge!

Initially we found very little, quite a number of Boophone disticha in flower and other more common plants; the group had almost given up and settled down to have coffee when Vic Schutte asked Isabel whether the specimen he had found, an Asclepias, was of interest. The two of them went back to look and take photographs. On the way home, Isabel and Suvarna discussed the find and Isabel Asclepias bicuspis, Critically Endangered. later followed it up with Prof. Ashley Nicholas: YES, an Ascle- pias bicuspis had been found – a Plants of Watsonia canaliculata Critically Endangered species! were spectacular on the hill- Botanists have been trying to sides and various proteas, some locate this species in the highly in bud, also need further atten- transformed Midlands grass- tion. lands for many years without success, so it was a great An added activity for Umvoti find! We returned to the area was Plant Rescue – Jenny Cowie some three weeks later in the of Greytown did her good Sa- hope of finding seed, but there maritan act for the eulophias was absolutely nothing. We did, and kniphofias growing in the with great difficulty, find eight road reserve just outside plants, which were GPS’ed Greytown on the Muden road. and photographed, but no The road is being widened and seed whatsoever. An unopened apparently without any consul- Asclepias inflorescence stem tation with anyone knowledge- collected on this trip turned out able, big machines had moved to be the Vulnerable Asclepias in to clear the area. Jenny got woodii when it flowered a few together a group of her staff days later! and they relocated the plants to a stretch of private land adja- The last outing of the Umvoti cent to the road. Post-script to Group prior to completion of this report, authorities appear to this contribution was to a have abandoned the road-widen- Mondi property in the Kranskop ing project! area, Bavianskrantz – a wild grassland overlooking the Umvo- A big thank you to the Umvoti ti River. We didn’t find anything Team – Vic, Patsy, Jacqui and special, but it has potential for Julie. further investigation, which will Sue Swan marking a plant on a cold 10 be done later in the season. Sue Swan Midlands day. Mkhambathini CREW Group

he year 2009 has been was it confirmed to be E. simii, Ta busy one. Although it which was on the second list. seemed that we didn’t find too The problem was that because much on the CREW list we we didn’t recognise E. simii, were given, there were some we didn’t take readings – i.e. very exciting other finds. And we didn’t count the number of considering that we have to plants or take GPS markings. cover an area of 90 000 hec- So we would have to return tares of farmland with relative- to the site. We did find about ly little other development, we 100 Diaphananthe millarii plants shouldn’t get despondent. hanging in some Pittosporum viridiflorum trees, looking very Tilla, Isabel and Suvarna gave us vulnerable. More plants were two lists to work through. One found on other host plants along was an ominous list of almost a different tributary. hopeless cases – things like Cin- eraria atriplicifolia and Riocreuxia Some plants on the second list woodii which haven’t been seen were easier to find and monitor. for so long they could almost One was Helichrysum pannosum. Diaphananthe millarii precariously surely be extinct. Sometimes all In every grassland we visited, hanging from host plants in a nar- we had to work on were photo- we would find at least one row ravine. graphs of old herbarium speci- plant – most quite old, judging mens. However, two items on by the size. We then counted the list weren’t too elusive. One the number of plants, looking was Diaphananthe millarii which particularly for signs of young some of our member landown- ones – a sign that the species ers were keen to show us. The has a healthy, growing popula- other was Argyrolobium longifo- tion. Unfortunately in the south lium of which there were recent of our territory, i.e. where the collections by Trevor Edwards. population is less threatened, there were few signs of young The second list contained some plants. In the northern range better known plants that would of our observations they were be quite easy to spot and find sometimes quite common – but but that are quite threatened, this is a seriously threatened mainly by habitat loss and area as it is along the proposed Helichrysum woodii, a cliff dweller. muthi harvesting. This list had economic corridor between plants we would have to monitor Pietermaritzburg and Durban. – species such as Haemanthus deformis, Hypoxis hemerocallidea Another visit in the Eston area pictures in the books and and Helichrysum pannosum. in November proved very excit- which then eventually come to ing. Argyrolobium longifolium was life on our walks, make it all So our first spring walk took us in full flower on a tiny firebreak. worthwhile. Threatened plants down an amazing little ravine. During the same outing we growing in grasslands that are The problem of our small group came across some Helichrysum too rocky, steep or remote to was our knowledge of the trees woodii hanging on the cliffs and cultivate, harvest or develop as we had been concentrat- as we were racing back to other are probably safe in the mean- ing our learning efforts in the appointments we stumbled onto time. Future threats would be grasslands. Eugenia simii was an extremely rare, bright neglect, being smothered by new to us, we didn’t recognise orange-flowered Satyrium woodii. invasive alien weeds and over- it and it wasn’t even in the grazing. However, the more book. Okay, that was the first Every grassland visited might accessible grasslands are under hint that it had to be taken not produce the plants CREW serious threat of development home for further investigation. want, but we have never been pressure, sand-winning, cultiva- It keyed out to Eugenia easily short of the satisfaction of tion and harvesting. enough. Only by careful compari- finding more plants new to us. sons with herbarium specimens Plants of which we’ve seen Alison Young 11 Boston CREW

he year 2009 began with TBoet and Hester Venter welcoming a large group of flower enthusiasts to Palmer Four’s annual extravaganza in the Impendle area. CREW, BotSoc and members of the local Boston community rev- Data Deficient Schizoglossum bi- The declining Sandersonia auranti- elled in the fifth day spent in dens subsp.hirtum. aca, Christmas bells. the area where the Venters are conserving indigenous Amauropelta oppositiformis (sec- sum bidens subsp. hirtum on the flora on the farm. It comprises ond sighting in KZN). Thanks, slopes of Mt Ashley above the grassland, rocky cliffs above Neil, for getting us interested Midmar Dam in December. It is a small gorge, a stream and a in this very neglected group of known from only one specimen wetland area, so a wide range plants! collected in the area many years of flora is found in a relatively ago and we were therefore small area. On the day, 96 dif- On 24 November, a work- hugely excited when we man- ferent plant species were seen ing group consisting of Isabel aged to locate a single speci- on Palmer Four, of which 13 Johnson, Suvarna Parbhoo and men! Another asclepiad had to had not been seen before. This Dave Clulow visited the Impen- be photographed hurriedly as an brings the number of species dle Nature Reserve on a very impending thunderstorm was seen over five years to 159. All hot, sunny day. They were richly chasing us away – it turned out the outings were in the first rewarded in their search for fur- to be the Vulnerable Asclepias half of January, so there is no ther evidence of the Vulnerable woodii. Other delights on the doubt that many more species Asclepias concinna populations trip were the beautiful luminous are still to be found. when they found a new sub- population! It had initially been orange-flowered Sandersonia A very productive planning collected during a Boston Con- aurantiaca (Christmas bells) and meeting was held at Sitamani servancy visit to the Reserve in Bowiea volubilis, sadly declining 2007, but CREW failed to find it in August, led by Isabel John- in numbers as a result of habi- in 2008. son. Having familiarised our tat loss and collecting. Boston CREW group with basic search and identification skills, The year ended with a quest for Christeen Grant we are now going to focus on the Data Deficient Schizoglos- finding particular species, with fieldtrips planned around the list compiled by the CREW KZN Team.

The 2009 flowering season began on 7 September with a working group that included Neil Crouch, Isabel Johnson, Suvarna Parbhoo, Dave & Barbara Clulow and Christeen Grant exploring the forests of Seven Mile Bush in search of the rare fern Micro- sorum pappei. Although they did not find this fern, a clearer idea of where to search next has been formulated. On the same outing we found some very in- teresting ferns in the sinkholes in the grassland at the Impendle 12 Nature Reserve, for example Dave Clulow and Christeen Grant examining the find! Underberg CREW

he Underberg CREW Group tor of the Bews Herbarium and Tis gathering momentum, an orchid expert, so folk were with many potential members treated to an informal informa- keen to join. There have not tion session on this fascinat- been many fieldtrips so far as ing group of plants. The large the flowering season tends population of Eulophia welwitschii to start later at these higher was particularly interesting as Benny explaining some orchid intri- altitudes, However, one of the it had both the usual purple- cacies to Julie and Suvarna. highlights of this season was blotched flowers and some pure white to intense deep pink. An- an outing to look at some popu- yellow-flowered forms. Next other fascinating sighting was lations of ground orchids. visited was a wetland with many the intensely sweetly scented different colour forms of the en- Disa cooperi. The group was accompanied dangered Satyrium hallackii, with by Dr Benny Bytebier, Cura- flowers ranging from almost Isabel Johnson

Pondoland CREW

he ‘Thursday Walkers’ con- athus (near A. gerrardii). The Ttinue to enjoy our outings hairy ‘true’ form of A. gerrar- and seek out suitable sites for dii occurs in the Umtamvuna CREW reports. Finding suitable Nature Reserve (UNR), but grassland sites that haven’t it seems clear that the near been too damaged or over-de- glabrous form occurring else- veloped is a serious challenge where in the area is a different species; Prof. C.H. Stirton is in our region, as other CREW New Pondoland endemic Aspalathus groups will understand, but we working on this. We visited the sp. A. are determined to persevere. Nilsen farm near Port Edward to see four clusters of the Three visits over the last year glabrous form. In addition, As- were of particular interest for palathus sp. A was collected in CREW. The first was to the Gol- the Oribi area. It is another new weni River Conservancy, a patch species and will be the focus of of vacant municipal land that an upcoming CREW report. local residents Mick and Frieda Critchlow are working hard Like many other grasslands to conserve and rehabilitate. within the Pondoland Centre of Indigofera sp. A. The area is a patch of Msikaba Endemism, the Nilsen farm site formation sandstone grassland is threatened by alien invader included in Indigofera tristis but in a developed area close to plants, the potential for devel- now believed by Dr Brian Schrire Margate and it has proved to opment as well as the absence of Kew to be a separate taxon. be unexpectedly diverse. Spe- of fire or the danger of unman- Both Indigofera sp. A and Aspal- cies of interest include Eriosema aged run-away fires. CREW athus sp. A appear to be new umtamvunense, Eriosemopsis provides us with an excellent Pondoland endemics. subanisophylla and the fragrant opportunity to gather informa- Syncolostemon rotundifolius. The tion about these threatened As the most junior member of grassland has become moribund habitats and thus contribute to the Pondoland Group, both in due to the exclusion of fire but their conservation. years and knowledge, I find it so our hopes are on a planned burn exciting and a privilege to be a and we look forward to discov- Most recently we did a CREW part of CREW and the ‘Thursday ering more species of interest report within the UNR itself Walkers’ and to feel that we next season. and any walk within this beauti- are in some way contributing to ful reserve is always a pleas- the understanding of our South The second visit of note was to ure. On this occasion it was to African flora. a farm close to Port Edward to collect Indigofera sp. A, to our investigate a species of Aspal- current knowledge previously Ruth Mathias 13 Fourcade Botanical Group ll our work has been done the plants were eye-catching, Ain the Humansdorp district dotted about in their dry sur- in the Eastern Cape where we roundings. have been looking for rare and Near the Mpofu Dam on the threatened plants and record- Krom River we found another ed the general vegetation on population of Brunsvigia litoralis each site, always on the look- (Endangered) and also, we hope, out for new species. at last, Bobartia macrocarpa (Vulnerable). We are awaiting Who, besides Anthony Magee, positive identification from the could ever get excited about Compton Herbarium. the Apiaceae family? Well, we can, and to add to the excite- Plant Monitoring Day was very ment we have been collecting successful, with our enthusias- specimens exactly where Carl tic youngsters and volunteers. Thunberg collected 236 years The children had another year of ago and where Henry Fourcade talks, walks, work and fun. They collected in 1935. Anthony has can never get enough. opened our eyes to these, dare I Godfried Potgieter potting a spe- cies of Chamarea. say, rather uninteresting looking Spring 2009 was a very good little plants and to our amaze- season for the orchids in St ment we have found that they Francis Bay. Our October are actually very interesting, Ramble was arranged to see right down to their root sys- Satyrium princeps (Vulnerable). tems. We have found Lichten- This year they were bigger steinia interrupta, Alepidea cap- and better than ever before, ensis, Anginon difforme, Itasina the two flat leaves sometimes filifolia, and Annesorhiza thun- measuring more than 30 cm. To bergii – collected by Thunberg in see a hillside of 300 flowering S. 1773, and a species of Chama- princeps is a wonderful sight. In rea – still to be described. Prior the dune system some Satyrium to our Annesorhiza thunbergii hallackii subsp. hallackii (Endan- find, it was known only from a gered) reached a height of more single collection by Thunberg than 60 cm. Also in the dunes, along the Loerie River. The spec- plants of Acrolophia cochlearis, imen is housed in a herbarium in normally no more than 1 m high, Stockholm. were higher than 1.4 m, with a head the size of a soccer ball. November is the month for our Cyrtanthus obliquus to flower. It We look forward to a new year is marked as ‘Declining’ on the with more new discoveries. Aquim Browers and Quinton Moses list of Species of Conservation taking co-ords and photos on Plant Concern. Despite the drought, Caryl Logie Monitoring Day.

14 After 236 years, the second known collection of Annesorhiza thunbergii. Acrolophia cochlearis. From the Still Bay CREW

ctivities of the Still Bay ACREW group have been rather erratic. The most com- mitted of our members are the alien plant eradication team (Esbe Roussouw, Jilian Abra- hams, Anna Saaiman, Louisa Saaiman and Maria Williams) who look out for specials while clearing aliens in the Still Bay Nature Reserve and other nat- ural open spaces. When some- one asks our group to look out for a plant, these members are always very eager to search and they usually find it!

Drought in our district has been getting progressively worse. We started the year 2009 with The Melkhoutfontein ladies with rotstert. the worst drought in 17 years. By the end of 2009, the Eden district had experienced its Nature Reserves are being reg- worst recorded drought in 150 istered under the CapeNature years. This unfortunate situa- Stewardship Programme. Our tion forced the municipality to town planner, Hendrik Visser, declare the district a disaster arranged transport and finances area; as a result there was no to collect the seven herbarium Riversdale Spring Flower Show cupboards that the Compton this year. On the environmental Herbarium had replaced and is front there were major con- cerns for us. The post of the now storing them in his office Hessequa Municipal Environ- until we get a suitable centre mental Officer remained vacant to house them. We thank Ismail and there was no progress with for alerting us as to their avail- the development of the Pauline ability! Werner Voigt, Curator of Bohnen Interpretation Centre the Harold Porter NBG, visited to house the Herbarium and at- the Melkhoutfontein Plant Res- tract visitors to this unique re- cue Nursery and Pauline Bohnen serve. In addition, the Hessequa Nature Reserve in late March Environmental Advisory Commit- in search of representative tee was disbanded in July, with plants for their new limestone no signs of revival. garden. There was a very dry (in terms of terrain, but certainly Rotstert opposite the municipal of- Despite this doom and gloom, no drought of enthusiasm here!) fices. we took the over-60s for a fieldtrip to Kranskop with the walkabout around Skulpiesbaai Outramps early in April. Nature Reserve in March. We met Bruce Bayer and his wife Daphne in May, when they found The new Pentzia in the Pauline Moraea tricolor (see the article the invisible Haworthia mirabilis Bohnen Nature Reserve has by P. Goldblatt & J.C. Manning, near Klipfontein Private Na- been described as Pentzia ‘New species of Moraea (Iri- ture Reserve and identified the trifida. Thank you to Dr Anthony daceae: Iridoideae), with range red- to yellow-flowered Drosan- Magee, who now has us moni- extensions and miscellaneous themum at Klipfontein as D. toring a possible new species notes for southern African spe- micans. of Annesorhiza in the Pauline cies’ in Bothalia 39,1: 1–10, Bohnen Nature Reserve. The published in May 2009). Thanks to our enviro-conscious mystery Moraea that flowers in Hessequa Executive Mayor, the coastal sands from mid-May Likewise, the Geissorhiza that Chris Taute, all seven Hessequa to June has been identified as Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok found 15 in the Werner Frehse Nature Reserve has been identified as the recently described Geis- sorhiza tricolor (see the article by P. Goldblatt, J.C. Manning & I. Nänni, ‘New species of Geissorhiza (Iridaceae: Crocoi- deae) from the southern Afri- can winter rainfall zone, range extensions, taxonomic changes, and notes on pollen morphology and floral ecology’ in Bothalia Moraea macronyx at Melkhoutfon- 39,2: 123–152, published in tein. October 2009). Peter Goldblatt and John Manning also asked (who supplied free bus trans- us to search for a possible new port), Stilbaai SPAR (free hot subspecies of rotstert. The Team dogs and fruit juice), Vathiswa, was in top form and we can add Lize and the Team, and for as- Babiana ringens subsp. australis sistance from Rico (CapeNa- Erica platycalyx bursting with flow- to our own growing list of geo- ture) and Naomi van Schalkwyk. ers. phytes. Another of our special Our spring highlight was the discoveries was huge range sight of fresh Erica platycalyx extension of Moraea macronyx, (Vulnerable) flowers at Klipfon- and I were fortunate to get a which is known from the Klein tein Private Nature Reserve. slot at the talks in October and Karoo area. we told them all about CREW. There are exciting moves afoot Over the December holidays, I Ann Hiemstra and I attended to create a huge Gouritz Clus- opened an Enviro Centre at my a wonderful Erica workshop by ter Biosphere that includes house in an attempt to attract Connie Smit at the Southern Fynbos, Thicket and Succulent some committed CREWites as Cape Herbarium in George. We Karoo and is divided into four well as potential sponsors for are now armed with a refresh- nodes: Hessequa, west of Ca- the Interpretative Centre at the ingly simple Erica key and suf- litzdorp, east of Calitzdorp and Pauline Bohnen Nature Reserve. ficient courage to take on those part of the Garden Route. Erica identifications ourselves. We look forward to an exciting When Vathiswa and Ismail We thank Drs Anne Lise & Jan 2010 and we hope that it will be visited in August, we went on Vlok who organise very stimu- filled with great opportunities. a joint field trip with the Out- lating Gouritz Initiative talks ramps group from George to throughout the year. Di Turner Janet Naudé the Reins Private Nature Re- serve. We found masses of in- teresting things in the Reserve, for example the Albertinia Sand Fynbos special Lachnaea axillaris News from Napier CREW and the CREW special Cliffortia longifolia at Borrelfontein, one of the neighbouring farms. There Gladiolus acuminatus were found on steep, rocky and had been an extensive fire along am pleased to report that we rather degraded west-facing the Gouriqua road in December Irecently found a few sparse slopes. Because they are small 2008. We went to monitor the populations of the rare Gladi- and rather cryptic, they are Critically Endangered Loboste- olus acuminatus. Odette Curtis, difficult to spot and not many mon belliformis and found 26 who is doing research on the plants were seen at each loca- plants resprouting nicely. The management of renosterveld, tion. According to John Manning great surprise was the giant found these plants in late Sep- (1998, Gladiolus in southern new species of Cullumia already tember during the course of Africa, by Goldblatt & Manning), flowering profusely. routine survey of a number of the species was first seen on renosterveld fragments west of the Caledon Wild Flower Show in The Melkhoutfontein Grade 9 Napier. 1916 but it was not until 1932 learners had a productive Na- that it was recorded in the wild tional Plant Monitoring Day in We photographed some flowers from plants found by J.L. Sidey the Pauline Bohnen Nature Re- and since the species is listed in renosterveld between Caledon serve on 7 September. We are as endangered, we submitted and Napier. No precise loca- 16 grateful to Suid-Kaap Karweiers a record to CREW. The plants tion was known and it seems that since then it has only been the massive granite slabs above seen sporadically on the Caledon provides a moister environment Wild Flower Show. The popula- than the surrounding area. I tions we found are by no means estimate that there could be secure as the renosterveld about 30 plants in the popula- fragments where they occur tion. They are big robust plants, are small and unfenced, expos- occurring as large clumps, ing them to grazing livestock. sometimes as much as 70 cm We hope that as land owners in diameter. The leaves, which become aware of these rare could be evergreen (although I plants, they will be more proac- am not sure of this), grow to tive in conserving these special a height of about 80 cm and species. some of the flower spikes we saw were 2 m tall. The flowers Crocosmia fucata are bright orange to red, with I recently undertook a trip to a yellow throat and darker red Kamieskroon with the sole and sometimes green mark- purpose of checking on the ings on the lower tepals. In size status of the enigmatic plant and appearance they are very Crocosmia fucata. This is the similar to Crocosmia paniculata, only member of the genus found which occurs in northern Kwa- in the CFR, all the others being Zulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. inhabitants of the moist sum- Because of its limited distribu- mer-rainfall area of the eastern tion, the species is listed as regions of South Africa where Vulnerable in the Red List. There Gladiolus acuminatus. they are found in grassland, was evidence of predation by woodland and forest from the porcupines and also damage by coast to the high Drakensberg. grazing livestock. close enough to Kamieskroon The single species of Crocosmia for the reserve to be under the that occurs in the semi-arid I believe that this is another supervision of the Succulent Kamiesberg is restricted to two species that merits the at- Karoo Knowledge Centre run by small populations separated tention of IBSA (Indigenous Annelise le Roux and there are a by thousands of kilometres Bulb Society of South Africa). number of other very interest- ing geophytes such as lachenali- from the other members of The population we saw is small enough to be enclosed in a re- as and massonias that would be the genus in a similar manner serve – primarily to exclude cat- included in the reserve. No more as the disjunct occurrence of tle, but that could be a problem than 500 m of fencing would be Clivia mirabilis at Nieuwoudtville. in the future. The population is required, the cost in the region It has the narrowest range of any of the Crocosmia species and flowers months earlier, an adaptation to its winter-rainfall habitat.

According to the book Crocos- mia and Chasmanthe by Gold- blatt, Manning & Dunlop (2004), the plants were first recorded in 1829 by Carl Ludwig Zeyher at the same locality where they are still found today. Prompted by the flowering time listed in the book, I contacted Lita Cole and Annelise le Roux in Kamieskroon and the three of us set out to check their sta- tus on 1 November 2009. Lita was familiar with the area and knew just where to find them. The plants are confined to a small area in thicket along the banks of a stream and further up the slope where runoff from Crocosmia fucata. 17 of R2 000 per 100 m. I believe Rivier Zonderend’ and the sheet IBSA should give serious consid- was wrongly named Romulea eration to such a project. tetragona. CREW John Manning came to see the A new species of Romulea in plants in situ on 16 August Swellendam: the Riviersonderend district When the IBSA spent a weekend and confirmed that while they in Napier this spring, we took matched the specimen recorded 2009 them to Fonteinskloof, a farm in by Miss Neethling in 1933, it the Riviersonderend district be- had in fact not yet been de- longing to Ian Bester. There was scribed and that he would duly a particularly rich fragment of proceed to do so. We are keenly renosterveld that had recently waiting to see what its name been burned in terms of Odette will be. The sparse population Curtis’s renosterveld research of these plants was confined programme. On a flat, dry, rocky to a small area of less than 50 area we stumbled across a few m in diameter. I returned to very showy romuleas in flower. Kids involved in the Plant Moni- They were very distinctive in the site on 24 September to toring Day activities at Bontebok having large orange flowers with photograph the fruit and found National Park. a yellow centre and very broad, signs of severe predation, pos- sickle-shaped leaves with hairy sibly by porcupines or baboons. hat is true when one margins. Although there are Fortunately, some plants lodged works in this amazing a few species of Romulea with W between rocks in the shale floral region, is that ‘one is such a distinctive leaf, Rhoda strata had survived and I was never too old to learn some- McMaster, using the key, could able to find two mature seed not identify it. Rod Saunders thing new every day’ – in fact capsules, which I photographed, every couple of minutes when took a specimen for pressing taking one to add to the speci- and gave it to John Manning the on hands and knees in the men sheets in the Compton following week, who pronounced Renosterveld. it to be a new species. Further Herbarium. investigation revealed that it Ian Bester is a keen conser- Our main focus continues to matched a record in the Bo- vator who is anxious to look be monitoring the fragments lus Herbarium. The Herbarium after the valuable fragments of and potential corridors of record made by Miss Neethling renosterveld on his farm. The renosterveld on farms identi- on 24 August 1933 had one area where the new species of fied through the CapeNature pressed leaf, six pressed petals Romulea was found is fenced and two bracts, plus the style stewardship programme. This off. He is aware of the discovery year a very exciting develop- and stigma separate. She had of these plants on his property ment was the establishment also attached a painted drawing and will certainly do his best to of the petals to illustrate their ensure their protection. of the Renosterveld Working colours. The only information on Group by Odette Curtis who this sheet was ‘Swellendam Div. Cameron McMaster continues to manage this programme in the Overberg region.

It was a great privilege and an inspiring experience to have attended the Fynbos Forum in Bredasdorp sponsored through the programme.

Working with the Napier CREW group on surveys between Swellendam and Bredasdorp was helpful as it was a year during which the Swellendam CREW members travelled a lot and were not always available for outings.

The Barrydale group has been on several outings this year. The area offers both mountain 18 New species of Romulea from Riviersonderend. fynbos and renosterveld in- Bartholina etheliae.

The plant monitoring technique dam this year there has been was also used as an exercise much interest in water-wise Pelargonium tricolor. for the Suurbraak Junior Rang- planting. A highlight for us was ers to count Protea decurrens that Dr Rob Hazell very gener- plants inside and outside the ously donated his large collec- cluding wonderful quartz patch- Park fence. The fence was tion of bulbs to the garden. We es of succulents. It is always a moved for the development of will have a most interesting thrill to see Pelargonium tricolor the new entrance to the Park display next year. It is indeed in flower (September to Janu- last year. As a result, 25 plants serving the purpose for which ary). An exciting discovery of a are now on municipal land and it was established – to create population of Bartholina etheliae only two plants were found awareness of the amazing floral was made in renosterveld on a inside the Park. We will use this kingdom in which we are privi- farm on the outskirts of Bar- method to monitor the situation leged to live. rydale. and, if necessary, fence off the population. We look forward to a better One of our highlights was meet- planned 2010 to cover all our ing up with the Outramps in The indigenous plant garden at target areas more effectively Marloth Nature Reserve. We the Museum is more estab- and for more enthusiastic learnt so much in too short a lished now. It has started to CREW members drawn from the time with them. We certainly draw attention and talks and hiking groups in Swellendam and plan to meet up again with this walks have been conducted with Barrydale. very experienced group in the interested groups. As a result Langeberg in 2010. of water restrictions in Swellen- Flora Cameron Work continues at Bontebok National Park, monitoring and providing GPS points for mainly previously recorded rare and Exciting finds with CREW’s C Team threatened species. t was one of those Septem- up the koppie than the rain Another very successful Plant Iber mornings in the Cape came down and we were rapidly Monitoring Day was held at the when one is unsure whether it soaked. However, we are made Park on 4 November. We again would rain or not as we headed of sterling stuff in CREW – we invited the Grade 8 learners north towards Malmesbury and proceeded to search the area from Swellendam Hoërskool. An Mooreesberg. Lize was at the for the next hour or two, only to find that the northern side of wheel, giving Ismail some rest Honorary Rangers group has the koppie was pretty uninter- been formed at the Park and from leading the field trip. esting and that the southern one volunteer from this group In due course we arrived at the side had been terraced, con- assisted on the day. We were research farm. There was a toured and cultivated some time also filmed in action on the day koppie, supposedly uncultivated in the past. by Swellendam TV. It is so inter- and unburnt, that we were esting to see how much the plot going to explore for specials, After a hurried lunch and shel- has changed in three years. but no sooner had we started tering under the tail gate of 19 the canopy, we were off to the Not the most successful day, next site at the Malmesbury but I was due to be in Riebeeck commonage where it was about Kasteel, only 16 km from Malm- 12°C , with a stiff sou’westerly esbury, the following weekend and intermittent rain. We were and the weather just had to be better. And it was, quite the excited to find a Babiana blanda most perfect day, sun, 22°C in bud at this very late stage. and no wind. The commonage was full of specimens, and the late buds had opened into what I thought were Geissorhiza malmesburiensis, a population of The stunning white form of Moraea more than 20 plants. However, tulbaghensis in full flower. with no photographic references of the Geissorhiza and only her- barium specimens, we can only Kirstenbosch Research Centre verify it positively when we col- to submit the photographs for lect specimens next spring. the attention of John Manning. Then the waiting, then a phone Flowers of Moraea tulbaghensis On my way back to Riebeeck call to ask exactly where I had with their iridescent centres. Kasteel, I turned up the Rie- found the moraeas, and there beeck Valley road and just over and then, as far as I know, the the neck found a colony of great experts were on their moraeas with beautiful white, peacock-centred flowers – out way. Eventually I learnt that I with the camera and 20 photos had photographed an unusual later, I was on my way. white-flowered variety of Mo- raea tulbaghensis. Monday morning, early, found me at the CREW offices in the Patrick Fraser

CREW at Kenilworth and Youngsfield

Babiana blanda. he conservation area within In the past, our activities Tthe Kenilworth Racecourse concentrated mainly on alien is a little gem of almost vir- clearing within this area. How- gin and unspoilt veld situated ever, in February 2009 a golden entirely within an urban set- opportunity presented itself ting. What makes it even more for a more than doubling the remarkable is that it is one of size of this vegetation type. An the last remaining fragments of open piece of land (somewhat the critically endangered Cape over 50 hectares) adjacent to Sand Plain Fynbos – a once the racecourse and belonging extensive vegetation type that to the Youngsfield Military Base covered much of the low-lying burnt in a spectacular natural areas of the Cape Peninsula. veld fire, leaving the site re- The preservation of this small sembling a barren moonscape site (just over 40 hectares) of ash. What makes Youngsfield was completely fortuitous as so interesting and special from it lies within the oval of the a conservation point of view, is racecourse – an area which, that it too has lain relatively un- by the nature of the sport, is touched for many decades – i.e. of no use and has therefore no agricultural activity, building remained essentially untouched or removal of topsoil. Sadly, over Possibly Geissorhiza malmesburien- over the century or more since the years, alien vegetation was 20 sis. its establishment. allowed to infest the area com- and fingers grubbing between the ‘locals’ as those pesky little Port Jacksons come flying out.

The plant-monitoring group have been enjoying a very exciting time. Every week as we traverse the site, new gems are discov- ered. Already approximately 120 indigenous species within about 35 families have been positively identified, not least of which was the astounding appear- ance in great abundance of the Ixia calendula. very beautiful Ixia maculata var. intermedia – now known as Ixia calendula. This is the first ever pletely, thus outcompeting the record of this endangered spe- natural fynbos. However, it is cies on the Peninsula – being well known that the fynbos seed known only from a few localities bank can survive intact, re- along the West Coast, all but maining viable for a great many Ixia calendula. Notice all the Port one of which are under threat of decades (80+ years), and fire is Jackson seedlings in the back- development. Thus, this repre- a wonderful awakening stimulus. ground. sents a significant extension of its range. This is where Maya Beukes, Ke- nilworth’s Conservation Officer, their density began to resemble This abundant regeneration of the Friends of Kenilworth Race- a lawn! However, being the ever the original vegetation is won- course Conservation Area and cheerful little team that we are derful to see and extremely CREW jumped in. Permission – the enormity of the task is encouraging for the long-term was obtained from the Com- completely ignored and every complete restoration of the manding Officer and a weekly Monday thousands of saplings area. Were this to be achieved, alien-clearing group as well as are pulled, the soil shaken from it would be an invaluable exten- a weekly plant-monitoring group their roots and then uncer- sion to the Kenilworth Conser- were formed. emoniously stuffed into black vation Area and thus a contribu- bags. If ever you are seeking a tion to the long-term viability The alien-clearing task is ex- de-stressing exercise, this is it and gene pool of the vegetation tremely daunting. With the won- – out in the open, bottom cush- type. derful winter rains, as the Port ioned by the alien seedlings, legs Jackson seedlings came up, stretched out, weeding fork Margeret Kahle

Friends of Tygerberg (FOT) CREW

OT CREW has been go- Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve From June, we visited the Fing for six years now and (PMNR). Louise de Roubaix, mountain on a regular basis. although our members have Reserve Manager at PMNR, Our visits never went unre- varied over the years, we have approached us to assist with warded! We have added more established a good core group updating the Red List for the than 30 specimens to their over the last two to three reserve, to help her manage herbarium collection and many years. I sincerely believe and these species better. A spe- more species to their species hope that this group has many cies list and herbarium had been list. The most exciting definitely more productive years ahead! established at the PMNR over was finding a population of the the years, but very few data tiny Disa longipetala (=Schizo- Every year we tend to take on were collected after fire events dium longipetalum), which had things a little differently. Not and since just about the whole last been seen on the mountain intentionally, it just seems to mountain burnt down in March by Chris Burgers in the 1980s! work out that way. In 2009 we 2009, this was an ideal oppor- Then, a few months later, we became quite involved at the tunity! found Disa physodes, an orchid 21 that flowers only after fire. I must add here that if it wasn’t for Rupert Koopman alerting us to the possibility of finding these species here, we wouldn’t have been on the lookout for them! From Chris Burgers’s photo record, he knew that Disa longipetala had been seen on PMNR before. As for Disa physodes, he knew that these two species co-occurred in the Tulbagh area … Thanks Rupert!! Both species are listed as Criti- cally Endangered, Paarl being a new locality for Disa physodes.

Other listed finds were Mon- sonia speciosa, Babiana vil- losula (including a completely white-flowered form), Gladiolus recurvus, Moraea versicolor, Schizodium longipetalum in the Paarl Disa physodes in the Paarl Mountain Aspalathus stricticlada and Oxalis Mountain Nature Reserve. Nature Reserve. pardalis. Ismail and Vathiswa accompanied us on a few Paarl Mountain trips and poor Ismail Last year our attempt had been had a hard time on his first trip mistimed and we found Hesper- as he had just started fast- antha in seed. So this time we ing and we found several very made sure we went out earlier fragrant species on this excur- in the season and also timed sion. A special mention has to the outing for late afternoon. be made of Moraea ciliata with The excitement was great when its spicy fragrance, which re- more than 100 flowering Hes- minded him of Malay koeksisters, perantha sufflava were found at and then Disa longipetala with this site! Early in the year we a fragrance between vanilla and had found the endangered As- fresh figs! In November, we went palathus wurmbeana here purely out to look for Argyrolobium by accident. It is said to be angustissimum. There is only mostly overlooked because of its The spicily fragrant Moraea ciliata. a single collection of this spe- flowering time in the hot month cies from Paarl Mountain in the of February. We hoped to find late 1800s and it is listed as the dwarf Watsonia humilis in ‘Critically Endangered, pre- November as there are old PRE- eral farms and remnants in and sumed extinct’. We did find an CIS records of W. humilis with around the northern and north- Argyrolobium that might fit the salmon-coloured flowers from eastern parts of Cape Town. description, but it could turn that area. We did not find it, out to be Argyrolobium filiforme. but instead came upon a great I would like to thank everyone We’ll have to wait and see what stand of Leucadendron thymifo- in our group for their dedica- the experts say! lium and Serruria incrassata. In tion. We have so much fun on our outings and everyone adds that same remnant patch we value to the group! I have to Klipheuwel in the Malmesbury also found Aspalathus lenticula, mention Hedi Stummer as being district is another site that A. aculeata and A. muraltioi- an exceptional member though, we visited on several occasions des, three Red-Listed species having accumulated many files during the year. Our first aim amongst the eight different of dissected, scanned, sketched here was to establish whether Aspalathus species we collected and photographed specimens. the Critically Endangered Hes- on the day. She has collected material on perantha sufflava occurred on every outing and painstakingly the site. Again it was Rupert Ongoing initiatives of our group dissected it and identified many who mentioned a previously are constantly adding speci- species for us!! THANKS TO YOU misidentified specimen of Hes- mens to the herbarium of the ALL! perantha sufflava from Klipheu- Tygerberg Nature Reserve and 22 wel in the Compton Herbarium. updating species lists of sev- Karen Marias News from the Darling Flora Group

he group at Darling have Tbeen active since June 2002 after some Wildflower Society members decided it was time to really find out what was growing in the area. We joined CREW as one of the first groups shortly afterwards, and have come a long way since. We now have good premises for the herbarium, with nearly 2 000 individual specimens in Babiana leipoldtii Disa draconis. the cupboards and a separate collection of specimens for population of Babiana leipoldtii, standing knee-high among the each farm we have visited. Last which has never been recorded restios. Our next trip during that week took us to Rondeberg year we finally purchased a in the Darling area before. Private Nature Reserve where microscope from funds raised Last season Caitlin von Witt we found a healthy stand of Disa at the annual wildflower show. (former CREW Project Co-ordi- draconis. This has greatly increased our nator) had found a new popula- Our monthly walks were well at- capacity to identify our own tion of Geissorhiza darlingensis tended as we went to different plants. (CR) about 20 km north of the sites, depending on the month Tienie Versfeld Reserve, which and the species likely to be in Highlights for 2009 was the only known site for flower. The last walk was at the Early in June our members that species. This season I was Tienie Versfeld Reserve, with our in Yzerfontein found Gladiolus so excited to see this site and ‘resident’ botanist Pixie Little- griseus, a Critically Endangered it definitely did not disappoint. wort answering questions. The species restricted to the West We found hundreds of plants in muggies (midges) were also in Coast region. We found 15 pristine veld. During a revisit 10 abundant attendance, as seen healthy plants in a small mu- days later we found Lachenalia on the photo! nicipal conservation area. After purpureo-caerulea (CR) at the more searches in the area, we same site. This farm has not Thank you for all the support found another population on the been ploughed and the land- from the CREW team, from the municipal commonage in Lange- owner has not grazed this area Committee members of the baan. for the flower season, so there Darling Wildflower Society, and were populations of Ixia framesii, from the land owners of Darling The following week a friend found Gladiolus quadrangulus and who do not mind the flower la- an unusual Gladiolus on a farm Nemesia strumosa with flowers dies in the Land Rover spending near Yzerfontein. After some in shades of orange to deep red the day on their properties. careful scrutiny, we decided to deep pink. In late October that it was Gladiolus brevifolius, we found a solitary Disa cornuta Helene Preston a first for us and not recorded in the area for a long time.

In August we found a new site for Babiana pygmaea about 5 km from our only known site at the time. Next season we will focus on finding more populations in this area. The new site is only about 50 m2 in size and is in the middle of a wheat field, fortu- nately with plenty of rocks, so it cannot be ploughed. The plants were plentiful, even occurring on a recently cleared road verge.

Then, not much further from the Babiana pygmaea site, while marvelling at a magnificent stand of bright red-flowered Drosera cistiflora, we found a Monthly walk in the Tienie Versfeld Reserve. 23 Jacobsbaai CREW

ie jaar het vir ons op ’n was Moraea inconspicua, vo- Dpragtige noot begin. In lop van Namakwaland tot Port 1865 het Admiraal Grey ’n ek- Elizabeth, maar nog nooit so ’n semplaar hier in Saldanha ver- kleur gesien nie. Ek kry ook ’n samel wat 75 jaar later Phylica baie interessante Tripteris op greyii geword het (die wiele het granietgrond wat ietwat anders amper nie gerol met die naam as Tripteris calcicola lyk en kry gee-ery nie) en 140 jaar later, ’n interessanter brief van John in 2005, het Nick Helme weer terug oor ‘edaphic, phenotype drie plantjies van Phylica greyii and genotype’. naby Swartriet gekry, ’n vonds wat hy in 2007 opgevolg het Gelukkig is alle swangerskappe met die ontdekking van nog ’n nie net skyn nie. Sukkel nou al paar plante naby Saldanha. jare met ’n eensame Romulea, Wiborgiella dahlgrenii wat op kalk- deur ons gedoop as Weeskind, grond naby Saldanba groei. By Hoedjiesbaaikop se natuur- waarvan ons nie haar maters reservaat in Saldanha is daar ’n kan kry nie. Bestuif toe maar ou verwaarloosde begraafplaas self die plant in 2008 en tot met ’n opskrif op een van die my vreugde gee sy toe vir die grafstene ‘Soos jy daar staan eerste keer saad. Dertien van het ek ook daar gestaan, soos hulle. Ek stuur dit vir Graham ek hier lê sal jy ook hier lê.’ Dit Duncan en kry vanjaar ’n brief was die eerste persoon wat van van hom dat daar tien kleuters anderkant af met my gepraat is. Dit was beslis my hoog- het. Hierna het ons nog 70 tepunt van die jaar. Hou nou styf plante by verskillende lokaliteite duim vas dat daar volgende jaar op kalkgronde gekry, en op een een of meer wulpse tieners is koppie ’n groep van 148 plante. wat wil blom. Sal Kaap toe ry Nog was dit het einde niet – ’n om dit te gaan kyk. Ongelukkig is verdere ± 200 plante is op die stammoeder intussen wreed granietgrond gekry. deur ’n mol vermoor.

In April was Anthony Magee en Ek verneem van John Manning Moraea inconspicua. Dit is die Stephen Boatwright hier om dat daar dalk nog ’n baba op eerste keer dat die blou blomkleur na anyswortel 5 se blom in die pad is, ’n Moraea met mooi opgemerk is. natuur te kom kyk (dit het toe klein blou bolletjies by die eerste Annesorhiza calcicola geraak). nodus wat hy nie ken nie en Met die besigtiging van al my graag wil kom skets wanneer dit Apiaceae (nege) kom Anthony blom. agter dat anyswortel 2 ook ’n onbekende spesie is (genus My dank aan CREW en die Glia). Ek wys toe vir Stephen ’n plantkundiges van SANBI vir ertjie wat ons nie ken nie. Dit hulle geduld, hulpvaardigheid, blyk toe Wiborgiella dahlgrenii te vriendelikheid en dit wat hulle my wees wat gereken was dat dit al leer oor die interessante mede- uitgesterf het in die natuur en bewoners van ons aarde. Ek kan waarvan daar net twee eksem- nou beter in die veld rondloop en plare versamel was, in 1905 en die plante op hulle name groet in 1960. Ons was gelukkig om en vra hoe dit gaan en kyk waar nog drie lokaliteite daarvan deur hulle bly en wat al hulle maniere die jaar op te spoor. en gewoontes is. Ons aan die Weskus groet mekaar en ver- Daar was ook ’n paar skyn- neem na mekaar se welstand swangerskappe. Ons kry ’n (plante ingesluit). Moraea met pragtige bloupers Moraea sp. Ons was altyd onder blomme. Baie in my skik, word Weskus-groete. die indruk dat dit Moraea tripetala die foto na John Manning ge- is, maar dit is waarskynlik ’n spesie 24 stuur. Die antwoord van John Koos Klassens sonder naam. Bringing Locals and Scientists Together: Nieuwoudtville Eco Talks

s part of a long-stand- Aing tradition, the Nieu- woudtville Biodiversity Support Group again facilitated inter- action between local inhabit- ants, farmers and scientists in 2009.

It was another wonderful flower year, and with the Hantam Na- Nieuwoudtville is also a pollinator Diascia cardiosepala is pollinated ex- tional Botanical Garden provid- hotspot – a solitary bee approach- clusively by oil-collecting bees, using ing an additional attraction, ing an Albuca maxima flower. their elongated forelegs to harvest many tourists and scientists the oil droplets in the spur. undertook the annual botanical pilgrimage to Nieuwoudtville to admire splendid and rare bulbs the biology of oil-collecting bees port Group and the Indigo Team and to study special pollinators. (Hilke Hollens), wild rooibos fire would like to thank all present- We were especially impressed trials (Nils van Rooijen and Tho- ers for their contributions! by the number of young scien- mas van Goethem), and Climate If you are visiting the Nieu- tists who were keen and willing Change (Moritz Engbers). woudtville area and would like to to share their findings with a give a presentation as part of wider audience – pending final We enjoyed the stimulating the Eco Talk series, please con- analysis of the data of course! discussions and realised that tact Estholene Moses for fur- the presentations in the flower ther arrangements: etsholene@ Amongst others we had pres- season were also well attended indigo-dc.org. entations on bee diversity and by fellow visiting scientists! The evolution (Michael Kuhlman), Nieuwoudtville Biodiversity Sup- Bettina Koelle

Learning and Monitoring Rare Species

Facilitating learning At the same time the Biodiver- concerning the environment in The aim of the Biodiversity Fa- sity Facilitators also monitored the widest sense, showing that cilitators Project is to create a populations of rare plants in the learning can be fun! co-ordinating structure to raise Nieuwoudtville area for long- awareness of biodiversity in the term data collection and a bet- The Winter School was held Nieuwoudtville area, through ter understanding of the impact from the 6–9 July 2009 and facilitation of exchange between of environmental factors such sparked a lot of enthusiasm local communities and research- as climate change or human among the young learners. At ers and interactive learning management on rare species. the end of the week they com- events for school children. The mented: ‘Why can’t we also two Biodiversity Facilitators are Winter and Summer have a Spring and Autumn School?’ working with local learners and School – environmental adult land users to raise aware- ness. They are also a point of learning with a long tradi- Some of the activities we of- entry for local scientists to tion fered: share their research findings There are two special weeks • Excursion in the Nieu- and to access local knowledge. on the Nieuwoudtville Calendar woudtville Flower Reserve. every year: the Winter School • PowerPoint or poster feed- During 2009, the Biodiversity in July and the Summer School back on the excursion. Facilitators organised a range in December. During these of activities offering rich learn- times the Indigo Biodiversity • Origami (facilitated by one of ing experiences to a variety of Facilitators organise a week- the children who attended groups in Nieuwoudtville area. long programme around issues the Winter School). 25 • Design your own jewellery – offered by a local resident. • Treasure hunt across Avon- tuur – a new WWF conser- vation area with loads of action. • A visit to the Hantam Na- tional Botanical Garden. • A children’s movie. • A creative group collage.

The Summer School in Decem- ber 2009 focused on a day-long hike in the Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, an excursion to the Matsikamma Waterfall and a visit to the succulent nursery, a mapping exercise in the Nieu- woudtville quiver tree forest, and setting up scorpion traps and monitoring them with UV lights.

If you would like to contribute to the next Winter or Summer School, please contact Donna Treasure hunt – with environmental quiz and loads of action. Kotze, [email protected].

Long-term population monitor- ing of rare and endemic species in the Nieuwoudtville area We also decided to start a long- term monitoring series as col- laboration between the Hantam National Botanical Garden (HNBG) and CREW. We chose two species: Euryops virgatus, a Visit to the Botanical Garden – ex- yellow daisy bush, and Bulbinella ploring an insect trap and discuss- latifolia var. doleritica or as the ing pollinator diversity. locals call it, orange bulbinella. These plants occur only on Eugene, Tilla, Estholene and Donna dolerite soil and seem to have monitoring the first Euryops bushes erratic population dynamics. As – in cold wind with occasional heavy this is long-term monitoring, we rain … documented the methodology to ensure that we follow the same procedures every year. cies to be germinated at the We marked all the bushes with HNBG – and we are looking for- a tag and then measured the ward to the results once winter plants and documented specific is here… features (e.g. length of flower of the Bulbinella, percentage We thank Eugene Marinus, of flowering in the Euryops). A Curator of the HNBG, Ismail and photo and a GPS reading were Tilla for supporting us in this documented for each plant. endeavour. We will report back This is supported by fixed point once we have our first results. Estholene and Donna monitoring photography to allow an annual the orange bulbinella (Bulbinella impression of the population. Bettina Koelle, Estholene Mo- latifolia var. doleritica) in the Hantam 26 We collected seed of these spe- ses & Donna Kotze National Botanical Garden. The Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) Programme

he Early Detection and cies was generated. The KZN TRapid Response (EDRR) team have invested much time Programme is positioned in in thorough research on these the South African National species to facilitate decisions Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) on those that have to be dealt and funded by the Working for with first. The team are cur- Water Programme of the De- rently involved in constituting partment of Water Affairs. The a panel of IAP experts in KZN rationale behind the EDRR Pro- who will review the workshop- gramme is to tackle Invasive generated species matrices and Alien Plants (IAPs) at an early provide feedback to the team. stage, i.e. before they become well established. In addition to this ‘methodical’ approach, the EDRR Programme Several governmental and non- also relies on keen plant ob- governmental organisations are servers, and ad hoc reports of already dealing with the well- suspicious species from mem- established weeds, but focus bers of the public are therefore on new ‘EMERGING’ IAPs is always welcome. The current lacking. If the spread of these top priority species of the EMERGING IAPs is stopped Programme are Triplaris ameri- Triplaris americana (ant tree). at an early stage, i.e. when cana (ant tree), Campuloclinium they are just starting to show macrocephalum (pompom weed), invasive potential, it will prevent Cylindropuntia sp., Hydrilla verti- these species from becoming cillata, Melaleuca sp. and Acacia too widespread, and too costly paradoxa. to control. The EDRR Programme can be The EDRR Programme was contacted at alienplants@sanbi. initiated at the end of 2008 org.za. and now comprises 17 staff members in five provinces (KZN, Reshnee Lalla Cylindropuntia tunicata Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Gauteng). Re- gional co-ordinators are operat- ing in each of these provinces to ensure smooth functioning of the Programme locally. The national co-ordinator, based in the Western Cape, oversees the overall functioning of the Programme.

The Programme relies on the South African Plant Invader Atlas (http://www.agis.agric. za/wip), a useful database for information about IAPs. A suc- cessful stakeholder workshop to prioritise EMERGING IAPs in the province was held in KZN early in 2009. The level of participa- tion was very stimulating and as a result, a list of 70 spe- Aquatic species, Hydrilla verticillata. 27 Outramps – Braving the Cold and Heat to Find Special Plants

xtreme weather seems Eto be the thread running through our away trips in the last six months of the year. Snow, mist, strong winds, tor- rential rain and searing heat have all contributed to a very tough six months in the field. Here are some of the stories we have to tell.

Blesberg – Swartberg May ’09 Packed up and ready to go at the crack of dawn on Friday, we headed for the southern slopes of Blesberg. The Swart- berg Mountains were shrouded in mist and rain, so we headed through Meiringspoort and then took the road to Middelwater. The Buchu Bus decided she had had enough and the wind- Extreme cold and snow in the Swartberg Mountains on the summit of screen wipers stopped work- Mount Aristata. ing. Raw potato rubbed on the windscreen made no significant difference, so we turned round ramps and there are many spe- party went off to see if they and went straight to El Yolo on cies occurring on the northern could find any signs of the three the northern side of Blesberg. slopes. When called to see what rare ericas, namely Erica dys- A lovely farmhouse and a blazing plant was hiding in a rocky crev- antha, E. ixanthera and E. tenu- log fire greeted us. ice, a rather exasperated Jean ifolia. They had no luck, so next muttered, ‘It’s just another year we will return and dedicate In the afternoon, we clambered ducking faisy.’ a full day to the search for up the slope behind the house these species. Bill did find Geis- and had some amazing finds. Bill and Anton came back in soloma marginata, making the Paranomus dregei was profuse good time, but with the rather excursion worthwhile. on a south-facing slope togeth- alarming news that they’d only er with Protea lorifolia. We were seen one large plant of Protea First thing in the morning the extremely excited to find Erica pruinosa. They hunted around main party set off for Sleeping schelpeorum, our first sighting the summit a bit, but it was too Beauty. Gail and I walked back, of this species. cold to linger. fetched the Buchu Bus and recorded all the rares on the The next morning we set off in Langeberg – Sleeping Beauty lower slopes of Kristalkloof. Mo- the Buchu Bus to the CapeNa- October ’09 ments later there was a spec- ture gate, where we parked the Our Sleeping Beauty trip start- tacular downpour and we were car. Bill and Anton were detailed ed in the most dramatic fashion lucky to be back at the hut dry to reach the summit and do a when torrential rain stopped and warm, identifying our speci- count of Protea pruinosa and us from exploring Kristalkloof. mens. The main party returned Leucadendron dregei. The rest Instead of abandoning the field bedraggled, sopping wet and of us walked up the jeep track, trip, we drove up the Gysman- dripping water everywhere. They fascinated by everything we shoek Pass and met an ex- didn’t make it to the top of the saw. The cold weather was tak- tremely friendly farmer, Matie peak because of horrific weather ing its toll as Veronica found it Taljard, who gave us free reign conditions. difficult to fill in the sight record on his property. sheets with her stiffly frozen Tineke Kraaij (SANPARKS Veg- fingers. Jean Purcell identifies The next day we headed off to etation Ecologist) asked if we 28 the Asteraceae for the Out- Rooiwaterspruit. Some of the could do demographic monitor- Sleeping Beauty from the south. Outramps Team doing demographic Our latest toy – a dissecting micro- monitoring of Disa procera at Dune scope that makes identification of Molerat. our specimens so much easier. ing on the Disa procera popula- Manning. We did not manage climb 12-uur Kop in search of tion at Dune Molerat. Ismail to find villarsias or gladioli, but some orchid pictures for William drove up all the way from Cape there were many other finds Liltved. They returned to Glen- Town to show us how to do the such as the endangered Protea stroom totally exhausted and monitoring as well and bring decurrens. The temperatures drenched from a sudden thun- the equipment for the activ- were hovering around 40°C derstorm. In Hildegard’s words, ity. Johan Baard, Tineke, Rusell, and we were deeply grateful ‘That was the hardest hike I’ve Jenny and I went along, with that The Plaat is dissected by ever done.’ Pam Booth able to stay long streams every few hundred It has been a very busy year, but enough to learn how. We tagged metres. Hatfuls of water were there is very little doubt that and recorded data for about 30 sent streaming over our heads we will have reached our rather plants. Rusell (Mrs Sharp-eyes) and down our backs to keep ambitious goals by the CREW found three D. hallackii, of which body temperatures under con- annual workshop. This has been one plant was in full and glorious trol. helped mightily by the acquisi- flower. tion of a very fine microscope. It was great teaming up with It has given a huge hupstoot to Langeberg – Marloth November CREWites Flora Cameron and our ability to do our own IDs. To ’09 Hildegard Crous from Barrydale our very generous sponsors, we This time, it was heat rather on the Wednesday. Hildegard is say a very big thank you. We are than cold that made conditions an orchid expert and has agreed looking forward to an exciting difficult. We were at Marloth to help us with any problems and productive 2010. with the intention of hunting for that we have with the family. villarsias and gladioli for John Flora and Hildegard decided to Di Turner

The greatest discovery of the decade

rica jasminiflora is one of ISEP (Information System for in 2003 and we could find only Ethe long-tongue fly polli- Endangered Plants) from Cape- two plants in flower. nated species in the Ericaceae Nature. We managed to extract family. For many years this monitoring data for this spe- In 2005, Adriaan Hanekom, a species has been regarded as cies and could assess how this CREW volunteer from Caledon, one of the most threatened population had declined over revisited the population and plants in the country, with found five plants in flower. We time. In 1977 when the first only two individuals left in the also noticed that the plants ISEP monitoring of this species wild. E. jasminiflora occurs on were not being pollinated and took place, there were at least Shaws Pass Outspan, which is the following year Adriaan a municipal commonage in the 150 individuals. That number hand-pollinated two plants Caledon area, where it once decreased to 15 individuals in and successfully managed to was fairly common. The plants 1982. The population recov- harvest some seed. In Janu- occur on a very special ferri- ered well after a fire in the late ary 2010, I visited the site and crete outcrop on clay shale 1980s to between 80 and 90 recorded two plants. The future soils. individuals. In 1998 the popula- of Erica jasminiflora was look- tion was monitored again and ing extremely bleak. The low CREW was fortunate to ob- only 17 plants remained. CREW population numbers, the rapid tain a historic data set called started monitoring this species degradation of the site owing 29 to alien invasive species and the area not having any protec- tion status (despite numer- ous attempts to convince the municipality be proactive about the conservation of this site) were a dangerous combina- tion of threats to this species and extinction seemed a likely scenario. Erica jasminiflora flower. On 25 January 2010, I received an e-mail from Lee Burman, a would sink in. The Shaws Pass BotSoc member in Hermanus, Outspan site is degrading rap- informing me that one of their idly and it seems to get worse members had recently pur- each year. To stand amongst chased a property in the Hemel 2 000 plants was like having one and Aarde Valley and after an of my greatest plant fantasies alien-clearing operation on the come true. It also gave us the farm discovered several hundred greatest sense of satisfaction E. jasminiflora plants. At first Anthony van Hoogstraten (left) and in that we could think about the I could not believe that it was Thys de Villiers talking about the stunning E. jasminiflora without true…… discovery of Erica jasminiflora. being overly concerned that it would go extinct at any time. Several hundred plants! We The discovery of this population immediately arranged a field makes a massive difference to trip to see this new population. our conservation options to en- Ross Turner, Rupert Koopman, sure the survival of Erica jasmini- Vathiswa Zikishe and I went flora. Anthony van Hoogstraten through to Hermanus on the is a very keen conservationist 28th to see what would prob- and he is committed to the ably be the most significant conservation of this property as discovery of the decade. In Her- well as the species that occur manus we met with Anthony van there. The habitat on the farm Hoogstraten (landowner), Thys is very similar to Shaws Pass de Villiers and Lee Burman and Outspan and we are positive drove to the farm. Anthony took that we will find many other us directly to the area where special plants when we visit he had found the plants and it the site in spring. Shaws Pass was the most incredible sight I Outspan has two other endemic had ever seen. There they were species, namely Otholobium – several hundred plants of Erica lanceolatum and Leucadendron jasminiflora bursting with mag- cryptocephalum. We did find nificent long-tubed flowers. We an Otholobium that fits the could hardly contain our excite- description of O. lanceolatum ment and immediately dove in to occurring with Erica jasminiflora count the population and take but we will have to wait until it as many photos as we could. flowers to confirm its identity. If We decided to explore the area we can find the other rare and and make sure that we do a threatened plants that occur proper count of the species. We Lee Burman in the field, searching at Shaws Pass Outspan on this found three main patches and for more plants. farm it will be one of the most estimated the population to be critical sites for conservation in at least 2 000 plants. It was the area. certainly a momentous occa- sion because I had ever seen We would like to extend our only two plants of E. jasminiflora greatest appreciation to the flowering. committed BotSoc volunteers Visiting the population (if you who make such amazing contri- can call two plants a population) butions to the conservation of at Shaws Pass Outspan always our species and a special thanks used to be a slightly depress- to the landowner for making the ing exercise. We were excited discovery and for conserving to see that the plants were still this species. there and hanging in, but then 30 the reality of its dire situation Ismail Ebrahim Habitat of Erica jasminiflora. The Red List of South African Plants 2009 – a Must Have for CREW Volunteers

or the past seven years, FSANBI’s TSP has worked on the Red List of South African plants 2009. The book has now been published and is available from all three CREW offices as well as from the SANBI Book- shop in Pretoria at a price of R300. This book marks the first time that all 20 456 plant species of South Africa have been assessed. It is also the first data-driven, comprehen- sive conservation assessment in South Africa. Furthermore, South Africa is the first of the 17 ‘megadiverse’ countries (countries that collectively hold 70% of the world’s plant spe- cies diversity) to comprehen- The Red List of South African plants One of the 95 photo plates of sively assess the status of its 2009. species of conservation concern entire flora. The book includes included in the book. contributions by 159 botanists. Data sampled by the CREW analysis of threats to the South volunteers over the past six African flora. These introductory years were extensively used to chapters also include trends update the Red List of South on how the status of species African plants 2009. has changed since previous Red List assessments. Most useful The Red List book consists of to conservation practitioners three main sections. Firstly is likely to be Chapter 4, which there is a complete list of all provides guidelines for the ap- South Africa’s species along plication of this Red List for use with their Red List status. The in systematic conservation plan- format of this section is simi- ning and Environmental Impact The Red List 2009 contains mul- lar to the Red List produced by Assessments. It also includes a section explaining the legislation tiple analyses of the conservation Craig Hilton-Taylor in 1996, status of plants in South Africa. for plant conservation in South which is still widely used. Sec- Shown here is an analysis of the ondly, those species that are Africa and how it relates to the number of species of conserva- of conservation concern (of Red List. tion concern in South Africa’s nine which there are 4 809) have biomes. detailed conservation assess- The book is a bulky 668-page ments supported by informa- volume packed with interest- tion on distribution, habitat and ing information. Only a limited of species will be continually the reason why a species has number of copies have been reassessed. The information in been listed as of conservation printed as all the information the Red List 2009 will therefore concern. Photo plates of 935 in the book will also be elec- become outdated rapidly, the species of conservation con- tronically available via the SANBI reason for the limited print run. cern are included in this main website after the book has been The Red List 2009 will be the section. Thirdly there are four launched. As natural habitats last published Red List book – all summary chapters outlining the continue to be transformed, the future updates will be done on- way the Red List was compiled, status of plant species in South line on the web on a six-monthly what the Red List tells us about Africa is constantly changing. basis. the status of South Africa’s The Red List is therefore an it- flora as well as a comprehensive erative process and the status Domitilla Raimondo 31 Monitoring Medicinal Plant Species – CREW Initiates a Project to Work with Tradi- tional Healers in Pondoland

ver 1 000 plant species are Odocumented as being used in traditional medicine in South Africa.

A smaller number, 322, repeat- edly appear in trade surveys as highly utilised and traded spe- cies. The trade in these species plays an important role in con- tributing to livelihoods of many South Africans. Studies of the Large volumes of bulbs are for sale medicinal trade estimate that in medicinal plant markets. there are 27 million consumers of indigenous medicine in South to determine which plant spe- Africa, with a large supporting cies endemic to Pondoland are industry. The trade in traditional utilised for medicine and various medicines forms part of a multi- cultural rituals. The data col- million rand ‘hidden economy’ in Sinegugu Zukulu, leader of the lected will be used to produce southern Africa. Owing to the project on medicinal plants of Pon- an educational field guide for importance of this trade, the doland. South African learners. The two CREW Programme has recently champions of this project are started working on document- project in Pondoland to docu- Sinegugu Zukulu and Tony Ab- ing the use of medicinal plants ment the medicinal plants used bott. in different parts of the coun- by traditional healers across try. We have just initiated a the Pondoland region. The aim is Domitilla Raimondo Introducing the Wendy Paisley Retires Latest Arrival to Wendy Paisley retired from the conservation unit of the Botanical CREW Society at the end of 2009. She is known as the energetic organ- iser of the annual CREW Winter-rainfall Workshop as well as the National Manager of the CREW Fynbos Forum Conference. She has been the part-time adminis- Programme, Domitilla Raimondo, trator in the CREW CFR office gave birth to beautiful Baby since the inception of the Pro- Luca on 20 October 2009. As gramme. However, Wendy will Pondoland volunteer Tony Abbott still organise the Fynbos Forum said, “We are quite sure that Conference in 2010. Luca has a good life ahead of him; experiencing the deep care, skills and dedication Tilla gives Wendy, as you move to CREW, there can be no doubt on into the next of his successful future!” amazing chapter of your life, know that you will be missed and that our very best wishes and thoughts go with you. Come and visit us often – for this is farewell and not goodbye. Wendy on one of her many CREW 32 Introducing Baby Luca. outings. Suvarna Parbhoo