HERBS December 2009 - Fernkloof Nature Reserve

HERBS1No. 94 December 2009This pictorial newsletter gives you the latest botanical news and views on the fynbosscene. It also appears on our website www.fernkloof.comFLOWER AND ECO FAIR 2009 WAS ‘BEST EVER SHOW’REPORT FROM THE CHAIRIt has been a busy time of late at Botsoc, with the busiest time being the preparation and running of theFlower & Eco Fair in mid-September. Judging from the feedback, the new format with a strongenvironmental element through our partnership with the Overstrand Conservation Foundation (OCF) waswell received by the visitors, and many people made the comment that the show was “the best ever”.The undisputed highlight of the show was themagnificent floral display generously created byDavid Davidson and Riaan Maritz.The photographic backdrop of Sculptured Corner(see picture) matched the display of fynbosmagnificence. Favourite Fernkloof spots such as thewaterfall were meticulously translated, the wetlandplants bloomed throughout the show (the living sodsfrom the wetland area were carefully replaced back insitu afterwards) and the large trees illustrated to thepublic that the fynbos is not only about little “bossies”.The perfect complement for this was the wonderfulcollection of botanical specimens that took the displayinto the specifics.The Eco Tent had some fascinating displays of a rangeof environmental concerns, from policy to gadgets,and an array of interesting speakers “strutted theirstuff” in the mini tent. Our grateful thanks go to the Overstrand Municipality for sponsoring these tents.The Nursery was a hive of activity and chalked up excellent sales, and the kitchen was a highly efficientproduction line of delicious treats (to whoever made the ham and mushroom quiche – well done!) Thechildren’s activities proved a great hit with the youngsters, particularly the school groups that were broughtto the show courtesy of Rotary’s generous sponsorship of the buses.Many people worked tirelessly to make the show a success - far too many to thank each one personallyhere - and our very deep thanks go to you all. The only aspect of the show that was less than impressivewas the weather – two days of rain, cold and wind. Attendance figures were in line with previous yearsand a final profit was made of some R56 000. Should anyone want any detailed information on the showfigures, please contact Michael Clark.Next year’s show will be held from Thursday 30 September to Sunday 3 October.

I liked the the ladies who came to talk to us about the fynbos and the plants and the insects and my bestflower is the protea flower but also I liked all of the flowers and if you appreciate them they will appreciateyou and I liked it when they told us about the baboons that eat the pincushion flowers seeds and thenwhen he is full he poops it out everywhere so they can grow everywhere. The flowers are very amazingbut just remember keep them safe!CARBON-STORING ‘SPEKBOOM’ PLANTED IN FERNKLOOFA special tree-planting ceremony took place in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve botanical gardens at the endof September. The chairpersons of different conservation organizations and representatives of theOverstrand Municipality, including the Mayor, Theo Beyleveldt, gathered to take part in the planting of sixplants of the small but greatly significant spekboom, Portulacaria afra.Although the Tree of the Year is Acacia galpinii, common name Apiesdoring, it was decided, with thediscussion of global warming high on the worldwide priority list, to go with the spekboom. This little tree issynonymous with global warming. It is an important source of carbon sequestration or carbon storing andwhen full grown, can capture up to 4.2 tons of carbon annually.Big companies are now investing in large stretches of land planted with spekboom to compensate for theircarbon outpouring into the atmosphere. A signboard in the Fernkloof succulent garden will give the story ofthese plants.At the ceremony Christa Clark of the Botanical Society gave a short talk on the regeneration of the fynbosalong the lower slopes of the Klein River mountains after the 2008 fire.3Pat Miller (Chair:Hermanus Botanical Society) and David Beattie (Chair:Fernkloof Advisory Board) and thesix Portulacaria afra plants planted in the succulent garden in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve Gardens.Grant Forbes: Manager FernkloofFERNKLOOF FARE!Jack Bold from the Fernkloof Nursery collected thisbasket of glistening berries from the Nylandtia spinosashrubs in the Fernkloof gardens.The plants are members of the Polygalaceae family, and arecommonly known as ‘tortoise berries’ or ‘Augustusbossies.’The berries are a favourite food of tortoises and otheranimals. They are said to be thirst quenching and are rich inVitamin C. A promise of hundreds of little Nylandtia plantsfor purchase from the Nursery next year!

4THE PELARGONIUMS OF FERNKLOOFPelargoniums belong to the family GERANIACEAE, a family that includes Geraniums, and Monsonias.Many of the hybrids that we see flowering today, their bright colours filling window-boxes and garden bedswere bred from the first species sent from South Africa to Europe in the 17thC.John Tradescant, the English gardener and plant collector, became enthralled by the wild Pelargoniums ofthe Western Cape. He took Pelargonium triste back to England in 1632 to become one of the firstPelargoniums to be transplanted from the Cape.There are about 250 species of Pelargonium, 80% of which grow in the winter rainfall region of SouthAfrica. The remaining 20% are found in the rest of Africa and Australasia, 2 species grow on Madagascarand one each on the islands of St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha.Fernkloof has 16 species.The elongated fruit or seedpod, called a schizocarp, and a hollow flower stalk (with one exception), arecommon diagnostic features of Pelargonium. The length of the hollow portion of the flower stalk is anindication of the length of the mouthparts of the insect pollinator. The popular name ‘Stork’s bill’ is derivedfrom the Greek word ‘pelargos’ meaning a stork, the seed capsules resembling the bills of these birds.Seedhead of P. capitatumSeed and awn of P. tristeThe dry, coiled shank (awn) that is attached to the seed is feathered at the tip. The awn is hygroscopic andwhen wetted straightens up, causing the seed to be drilled into the soil! Pelargoniums are mostly perennial,a few lose their leaves in summer. Most have fibrous root systems and some have large tuberousrootstocks. Their flowers are nearly always zygomorphic ie. divisible into two equal halves in one planeonly. The leaves have stipules and leaf shape can vary from round with crinkly edges, to palmate, to veryfeathery. Rubbing the leaves of many of the Pelargoniums will produce wonderful aromatic scents ofnutmeg, cinnamon, lemon, rose and mint and the oils of some species are used as a substitute for theexpensive attar of roses used in the perfume industry. Many species have healing and medicinal properties.P. cucullatum (Wild malva) is the most conspicuous of our Fernkloofspecies and is one of the tallest of the shrub Pelargoniums. It can be foundflowering throughout the year, but is especially showy in spring, and canbe seen in pink swathes on mountain slopes the second year after a fire. Awhite form is sometimes seen. It was the first to be cultivated as ahedgerow plant in Cape Town gardens from 1838.By far the most noticeable as you walk the cliff paths is P. capitatum (Rosescentedpelargonium, Kusmalva), a low growing, velvety leaved shrublet,cultivated commercially for its oil of geranium. It is a remarkable skinsoftener and its leaves can soothe callouses on hands and feet!

5P. capitatum P. lobatum P. suburbanumP. lobatum (Kaneelbol, Aandblom) grows on gravelly soils, the name ‘lobatum’ referring to the leaves whichare lobed, and can grow as large as 30 cm. in diameter. The striking flowers are borne in umbels and arecinnamon scented towards evening.The very beautiful P. suburbanum var. bipinnatifidum is a species not often seen. It occurs along coastalsands and has an attractive green leaf with dentate margins. The Latin ‘suburbanum’ means ‘pertaining totowns and cities’ which suggests that the species was first collected in an urban area.P. longicaule var. longicaule P. alchemilloides P. incarnatumThe flowers of P. longicaule appear like pink butterflies amongst the fynbos when they flower from Augustto January, ‘longicaule’ referring to the long flowering stems. It is often seen trailing among rocks. Theleaves are finely divided and the elegant flowers have beetroot-red markings on the upper two largersepals. P. alchemilloides has small, delicate flowers, the leaves are palmately lobed and a horse-shoeshapedpurple or brown marking is characteristic of many of its leaves.Perhaps the most striking little Pelargonium is P. incarnatum (Horlosies, Crane’s bill). It is the onlyPelargonium in Fernkloof to have ‘radially symmetrical’ flowers. The bright pink flowers with red and whiteeyes attracted attention on the burn on Northcliff in November 2008. This Pelargonium has no hollow tube,only a slight depression in the floor of the flower. The leaves are rough textured, the upper heart-shapedand the lower lobed. It grows on stony slopes and is often hidden away under other shrubs. So whenwalking the paths of Fernkloof be sure to look out for our lovely Pelargoniums, ancestors of millions thatare being produced by nurserymen for adornment and decoration throughout the world!Bibliography: Pelargoniums of Southern Africa: J.J.A. van der WaltSandy Jenkin

6HOY’S KOPPIE UPDATEWatsonia sp. Gladiolus hirsutus Gladiolus carneusA year after the fire, while the botanical society are keeping an eye on the exciting new growth of plantson the koppie, a great many positive changes are continuing to be made to protect and enhance the “Jewelof Hermanus”.A new boardwalk with a view to the sea has been built on the south side of the hill which encouragesvisitors to walk from the village over the koppie to the mountains behind. Bringing a novel open space toour rapidly growing town.At the moment GrantForbes, the FernkloofManager and DavidBeattie the chairmanof the Cliffpath Management Group are busy clearing the pathsready to add a further 75 metres of Wheelchair Friendly pathto circumnavigate the koppie, which will make this wildflowergarden accessible to all.The Klip Kop cave, which took so long to clean up, has threesensors linked to the security company which warns of vagrantsusing the cave as a shelter at night and HPP has a patrol walkingthe paths during theday.Spring flowering bulbs like Gladiolus hirsutus and Watsonia invarious shades from white to dark pink are changing to summer plants. Masses of Hermannia rudis arebeing taken over by the hairy, grey leaved Hermannia salviifolia. Blue Senecio filifolia by the path, andbright yellow Aspalathus callosa and Pelargonium cucullatum colour the hillsideSenecio filifolia Hermannia salviifolia Aspalathus callosaChristine Wakfer

A PARADISE ON EARTH(An extract from the Flora Capensis by J. Breyne 1637-1697)7“From the time that travellers and colonists first set foot at the Cape, the flora excited them; it was verydifferent from that of Europe and so much more varied. The great Swedish botanist, Linnaeus, in anundated letter to Governor Ryk Tulbagh wrote in fulsome and admiring terms of the richness of the flora ofthe Cape of Good Hope: ‘May you be fully aware of your fortunate lot, not only in being permitted by theSupreme Disposer of events to inhabit but also to enjoy the sovereign control of that paradise on earth theCape of Good Hope which the Beneficient Creator has enriched with his choicest wonders. Certainly if Iwere at liberty to change my fortune for that of Alexander the Great or of Solomon, Croesus or Tulbagh Ishould without hesitation prefer the latter. May you long enjoy your enviable situation, and allow me toremain your most sincere and devoted servant.”(With thanks to Margaret de Villiers)Breeding time is pretty stressful for birds at the best of times but somestrongly territorial species make life even more difficult for themselves. ThisYellow Bishop has become fixated on its image in the window of theHerbarium at Fernkloof and spends most of its time working itself into afrenzy at its reflection in the glass!DATES TO DIARISEFriday 15 th January 2010 at 18h00A.G.M. followed by SNACKS AND WINEFriday 5 th MarchANNUAL BRAAI and BOTSOC 50 TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS!Thursday 30 th September to Sunday 3 rd OctoberFLOWER AND ECO FAIRPlease remember to renew your BotSoc subs! If you have not received a form, they areavailable at the office, or on e-mail.We welcome any contributions to/feedback on the newsletter. Please contact the editor Sandy Jenkinat: botsochermanus@telkomsa.netHermanus Botanical SocietyPostnet Suite 167Hermanus, 7200 Tel: 028 313 0819 / 028 314 0554