September hikes to Slangkop, Soetwater, Myburghskloof trail and Olifantsbos

by Diana Studer

- gardening for biodiversity

 in Cape Town, South Africa

 

Hiking among wildflowers

in the mountains

around Cape Town

 

Catching up with September hikes from 2023. Slangkop just above the church in Kommetjie. We always start at this church - but - our shortest ever walk about 200 metres (as the crow flies), never out of sight of that church!! It was bitterly cold - nearly blacked out - ate my banana to keep standing. But there were SO many flowers in that short stretch.

 

Church at Kommetjie for Slangkop

Our best spotter P said - look it HAS flowers - tiny muggiegras Adenogramma glomerata (Molluginaceae). She was rewarded by watching Moraea neglecta unfurling in real time. We found a new to us - Moraea minor - has a bent stalk, single leaf. Blue hearted daisy Felicia heterophylla.

 

Slangkop September little flowery treasures

My favourite small Protea is scolymocephala, from bud to beauty.

 

Protea scolymocephala in September at Slangkop

Dune rosemary - Eriocephalus racemosus with little white and burgundy flowers. Hyobanche sanguinea with white cat's nails flowers. Gladiolus carinatus. Bling it on Pelargonium is longicaule. Creeping yellow pincushion Leucospermum hypophyllocarpodendron. Pelargonium triste each plant a different colour pairing.

 

Slangkop in September with pelargoniums

From Kommetjie lighthouse to Soetwater. Cineraria geifolia, always see the distinctive leaves. Nemesia bicornis. Daisy on the rocks Arctotheca calendula. Little egret reflected in the water.

 

Kommetjie with little egret in September

Sour fig in pink Carpobrotus acinaformis and yellow Carpobrotus edulis (with jam to try on our January hike). Bokbaai vygie unfurling Cleretum bellidiforme. Target was Ferraria crispa and we did find a few blooming. Softly blue among the white ones Romulea tabularis. Flaming red spoons of Gladiolus cunonius.

 

Soetwater with bulbs and vygies in September

Myburghskloof trail above Hout Bay. As we cross the urban edge, two pines felled by extreme weather which has left a trail of damage across Cape Town. Again a short and cold walk - but oh so rewarding that first corner!!

 

Urban edge to Myburghskloof trail
2 pines downed by weather in September

Cyphia latipetala climbing up inside a support shrub - has broad petals and a garnished heart. Pauridia capensis peacock eyes are the gem of this path. Sebaea exacoides has four pairs of orange stripes, and another set of four smaller pairs if you zoom in. Bear monkey beetle.

 

Pauridia on Myburghskloof trail in September

Lachenalia orchioides delicately marbled with turquoise. Wurmbea spicata with burgundy edge. Geissorhiza ovata - oval leathery leaves spread on the ground - dark buds - long tube - sandstone. Indigofera complanata - clay - climber - vivid colour! Orchids Satyrium lupulinum and Pterygodium catholicum.

 

Bulbs and orchids on Myburghskloof trail in September

At Cape Point for Olifantsbos on Thomas Tucker path along a ridge of boulders. Chilly wind. Met the bee ladies Ujubee. Then detour back to Smitswinkel Lookout for Lachenalia patentissima our target.

 

Lachenalia patentissima in September at Smitswinkel Lookout

Crassula dichotoma (no Sebaea flanges). Roepera flexuosa. Pink St Andrew's cross formed by Aizoon paniculatum. Pure white Nemesia affinis till you zoom in to the soft colours in its heart. Blue sequins Geissorhiza aspera.

 

Pink cross from Aizoon at Olifantsbos in September

Lyperia tristis with petals wrinkled like elephant skin. Succulent daisy leaves with longitudinal veins Curio crassulifolius. Yellow flowers and again succulent leaves for Senecio maritimus. Euphorbia caput-medusae is clearly delicious say 3 sorts of beetle. Purple and blue devil's eye Monopsis debilis. That ridge of boulders made a challenging stumble to see the sea.

 

Euphorbia with beetles at Olifantsbos in September

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