Vlakfontein Farm is blessed with a variety of flowers, lilies , and bulbous plants, eg. agapanthus, watsonia, gladioli, pineapple lily, etc.  The latter is a spectacular rare plant with a flower resembling a pineapple, the Eucomis Pineapple Lily, with the botanical name, Liliaceae eucomis, common name Pineapple Lily.  In spring flowers like small pineapples, with leaves on top like shields, in the opening stage erupt from a crown of broad succulent foliage lying close to the ground  becoming a cluster of small tubelike flowers yellow to orange in colour. Nature never fails to surprise :

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At Treeferns Trout Lodge at least two species of  Watsonia occur, Watsonia angusta, and Watsonia marginata or spp. The former grow abundantly near water sources and favours marshy spots of which there are plenty on Vlakfontein, home of Treeferns. The two species differ mainly in size and form and colour of flowers. The Watsonia angusta are taller and boasts red or crimson tubular flowers well sought after by sugar birds. Watsonia marginata on the other hand has more purple like flowers.

The plant Watsonia was named after Sir William Watson(1715-1787), a physician and naturalist, and the subspecies marginata comes from “marginate” referring to the thick leaf margins. As far as I could find out, the word “angusta” in Latin means narrow or narrowing (perhaps like in angina) to describe the flowers as little tubes.

As I am not absolutely sure of my identifications, I am open for correction, and if someone could ID them accurately, it will be appreciated.

The Gladiolus plant has  swordlike leaves, from where the Latin “gladiolus”, meaning a small sword, originated. The subspecies name, dalenii, derived from a Cornelius Dalen, Director, Rotterdam Botanic Gardens, thence Gladiolus dalenii. It grows in summer rainfall regions, and is endemic to the Eastern Escarpment of which Vlakfontein farm is part. It favours open grassland, and  rocky areas in high altitudes.

The Gladiolus dalenii grows up to 2 m tall, with evergreen erect swordlike leaves spreading like a fan. The flowers resemble spikes coloured orange to red with a yellow throat blooming December to February.

Gladiolus dalenii

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The Agapanthus inapertus is a  very attractive tuberous plant occuring naturally on Vlakfontein in open grassland and also rocky areas. It blooms with very dark blue to violet drooping tubelike flowers as shown in the pictures.Flowering is normally January to March. Six (6 ) different species of Agapanthus occur endemic in South Africa.

The botanical name, Agapanthus, is derived from the Greek words agape (love) and anthos (flower), and inapertus in Latin means “closed” as in tubular.

The five subspecies of Agapanthus inapertus differ in the shape and size of their flowers.

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They are clearly distinquished from the Agapanthus africanus, one of South Africa’s popular garden plants, with striking blue or white flowers.

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A frequently asked question is what the difference is, if any, between the South African and Australian treeferns.  Summarily, the Australian species are taller with a wider crown and finer fronds :

The  South African treefern, cyathea dregei, or Common Treefern,     Gewone Boomvaring(Afrikaans), is the species we have at Treeferns Trout Lodge. They are a widespread species in the  most southern-eastern countries of Africa. It favours banks of rivers and streams where it is moist and protected from wind and cold. They are most common in the high regions, but are also found in the Cape Province,  as cyathea capensis. The cyathea dregei grow up to 5 m tall, with erect stout trunks and a crown of 6 – 8 m in diameter.

The two main species of treeferns which occur in Australia are the cyathea australis and cyathea cooperi :

Cyathea australis, also called Rough Tree Fern, occurs along the east coast of Australia and also in Tasmania. It favours mountainous areas with moisture, but is very hardy, and can tolerate various climatic conditions.

Courtesy iStockphoto

The other well knownAustralian treefern, cyathea cooperi, is native to New South Wales and Queensland, Australia,  at 15 m taller than the South African treefern, faster growing, and some say more attractive. The light-green fronds form a crown of 8 – 10 m in diameter. They normally grow in protected, shady and moist conditions. In South Africa they are favourite garden plants.

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Ons het lekker gekuier vir die kort tydjie wat ons daar was en die eenheid is goed toegerus en op ‘n pragtige plek geleë.

Ek het net vir  ± 3 ure ge-vlieghengel en het 2 forelle van ongeveer 700 g gevang en vrygelaat, een in dam 6 en die ander in dam 10 – ek weet nie of jy onlangs “ge-stock” het nie maar hulle was nogal maer.

Betreffende die voëlkyk het ons daar naby jou by Middelpunt saam met die Noord Gauteng Voëlklub die “Whitewinged Flufftail” gaan sien. Sien asb ‘n lys van die voëls wat ons gesien het hieronder (ek stuur die lys aan met die engelse name):

1. Cape crow
2. Common Fiscal
3. Banded Martin
4. White Throated Swallow
5. Greater Striped Swallow
6. Black-eyed Bulbul
7. Wing-snapping Cisticola
8. Zitting Cisticola
9. Cape Rock Thrush
10. Cape Robin Chat
11. Pied Starling
12. Malachite Sunbird
13. Southern Masked Weaver
14. Cape Weaver
15. Cape Wagtail
16. Cape Longclaw
17. Lesser Striped Swallow
18. Barn Swallow
19. Ant-eating Chat
20. Southern Bold ibis
21. Egyptian Goose
22. Red-throated Wryneck
23. Blacksmith Lapwing
24. Wattled Lapwing
25. Crowned Lapwing
26. Cape Vulture
27. Jackal Buzzard
28. Amur Falcon
29. Reed Cormorant
30. Cattle Egret
31. Black-head Oriole
32. Southern Boubou
33. Bokmakirie
34. Laughing Dove
35. Red-eyed Dove
36. Steppe Buzzard
37. African Olive Pigeon

Groete

Len Stoltz

19 Februarie 2011

Wild goose in flight

South Africa is a birding destination with no comparison. The total number of bird species south of the Zambesi-river, viz. 945, makes it the most desirable bird watching area on the continent. Likewise, Treeferns Trout Lodge and immediate environment boast a bird paradise. It is therefore no surprise that it on 27 – 29 November 2009 the West Rand Birding Club (WRBC), 19 members of which were hosted by Treeferns Trout Lodge, whilst enjoying a most delightful weekend in perfect birding weather, identified and confirmed 88 different species of birds at Treeferns, and another 40 more species on the surrounding farms, i.e. a total of 128 .

Our sincere thanks to John Burtenshaw, Member( above left), a much esteemed and regular customer at Treeferns, who started it all, Hennie Bornman, Chairman (WRBC)(right), and members who contributed.

The WRBC is a satellite of the Witwatersrand Birding Club and has 30 active members.

Here is a list of the names of the birds identified and confirmed by members of the Club. Peter Greaves, also a member of the WRBC, captured the sightings of the birds at Treeferns and surroundings onto a database that he built himself, using the Roberts Six (Old) and Roberts Seven (New) names. The lists here-under are the New names.

Thank you , Peter!

Peter will be happy to respond to any enquiries/comments. His contact details are :

Watch the birds :

At Treeferns Trout Lodge we are proud of our trout management policy. Foremost we selected a professional and reliable supplier in Katrinasrust Trout Farm. Tim and Leslie-Anne Brewer and team render an excellent service not only in regard to the quality of fish, but also in the numbers and sizes that we order. We stock on a monthly programme, which results in our dams rather over-stocked than under-stocked. It also means that the fish stay and grow. We have recorded sizes up to 3.6 kg, not to mention the “big ones” that got away.

Rainbow trout are mostly stocked, and brown and golden whenever available.

Slide show follows in a few seconds, enjoy.

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With its rocks and cliffs Vlakfontein, host farm of Treeferns Trout Lodge, is an ideal habitat for aloes, of which the Aloe perfoliata, family : Asphodelaceae, is the more spectacular. Untill recently this species was also known as Aloe mitriformis.

In its natural habitat the plants have long creeping stems with secondary side shoots.They favour sandstone slabs and rocks and also grow down vertical cliffs, hence the Afrikaans name of “krans aalwyn”.

At Vlakfontein the Aloe perfoliata flower in  May, and the flowers are orange and dull to bright red, cone shaped or mostly poker like.

Reproduction takes place through pollination by sugar birds and ants. Pieces of branch that breaks off also root easily when falling on the ground.

The roots and stems are occasionally eaten by dassies and some small game. However, no record of human use excists.

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Treeferns (Cyathea Dregei), from which Treeferns Trout Lodge took its name, are found in several clusters in sheltered spots along the stream or near water. They flourish in a cool, moist climate, and are not easily transplanted. Normally they are evergreen, but in the higher, cooler regions the leaves dry to a dark almost black colour in winter, and hang downwards. In spring they sprout to a spectacular bright green umbrella. The trunks are erect, dark brown, and sturdy, 200 – 400 mm in diameter. They grow to a height of 4 – 5 m, and some are known to be very old. As they bear no annual rings, it is very difficult to determine age.