a 'baby bride' bioblitz :-)
This past weekend saw us venturing into Assegaaiboskloof, what I now refer to as 'blushing bride paradise', to scout out the area in preparation of the upcoming blushing bride bioblitz in October. We were fortunate enough to be joined by THE two epic fynbos gurus, Dr Tony Rebelo (who will also be leading the bioblitz) and Prof Pat Holmes. We were on a dual mission. Top of the agenda was to see whether any blushing brides, Serruria florida, have started sprouting after the recent fire and subsequent rain. (In my impatient layperson's mind, I still grapple with the fact that fynbos needs fire, that the entire miracle burns down, and then regenerates itself over several years..) Secondly, our aim was to check the status of invasive alien species in the valley.
I was slightly nervous that the mountain streams might be too full to cross after the recent good rains, but the small posse was unperturbed as we took off boots and successfully crossed the 1st stream close to 8am on Saturday morning. We were soon greeted by masses of purple bergbaroe (from the Khoikhoi), or cyphia bulbosa, flowering in amongst the bracken..., alongside mmmm, also patches of invasive alien baby black wattle...
The valley lay large and magnificently stretched out in front of us, Assegaaiboskloof luring us deeper and deeper in. It was slightly overcast, but that just rendered the surrounding mountains and krantzes more dramatic, a tall waterfall visible in the distance, as if dropping from the clouds. Little miracles of returning fynbos abounded, a striking moraea to my left, tiny drosera, bokkie baroe twirling around a grass.. (let me just state it here clearly.. all this new knowledge is due to iNaturalist.. a year ago I knew nothing)..
We started heading into Assegaaiboskloof itself, the scenery growing more dramatic with every step. Here you find a leucadendron resprouting, the burnt parent patiently watching over.. a step further an erica plukenetii that has escaped the fire and is in full flower. Is that a bugweed in this cross-stream? then the masses of yellow lilies, might it be moraea ochroleuca, apricot tulp? The whole journey permeated with questions and learning/sharing of the experience but also the passion ... curiosity, excitement about each find, awe .. What on earth did I ever do to deserve all of this?
Deeper into the kloof the mountain narrows down on you with every step. The slopes become steeper, waterfalls abound. The old plantation road is in total disrepair. Gravity and the forces of nature are taking over as gushing side streams have strewn massive boulders across the once concreted stream-crossings. We forge our way across. Tony explains that sandstone soils prevail on some slopes, and granite in others, and you can see it in the fynbos differing from one stretch to the next. Some sections were previously under pine, others not. Some escaped the Feb fire, most did not. Here we come across a rocky section with fan aloe abounding and in full flower, widdringtonia nodiflora resprouting.. there a bad patch of stinkbean babies (highly invasive aliens) .. and then.. can it be..YES! a Serruria florida, blushing bride plant, in the middle of the road! and look, some babies! tiny little baby brides right here at my feet, 2cm tall.. I melt inside.. even now, looking back and thinking about it.. my heart expands, I get all dekselswil tearry-eyed! :-).. we found them. they are doing there thing, and completely OK!
deeper into the valley the invasive canary island pine are sadly also resprouting en masse and at speed..... deep, hard work is needed.
but the fynbos currently in amongst.. disa bifida, satyrium, baby brides, restios and grasses.. fan aloes, baroe, ants, baboon, klipspringer, fire pelargonium, baby leucadendron, king protea resprouting, leucospermum lineare.. LIFE.. is alive..
hope you can join us for the 'baby bride' bioblitz planned for 2 or 3 Oct, weather will decide final date.
please message me with your e-mail address if you are interested, then I will send you the details.
blessed as always
Santie
@dryfveer
