Miscellany

It's time to fill in a few gaps in terms of things done since our second trip to Darling, October 21 & 22. During the two weeks that followed we both mainly worked in our offices. For much of the week following our trip east I was not feeling great. Just some viral bug that had me running a bit slowly. Nothing serious but it caused me to skip a field trip to the Bredasdorp area. That and the late return for that trip. But I did go on the field trip to Shaw's Pass, which is outside Caledon. Once again I put together the ID guide for the trip. This has really
helped me become familiar with the plants and develop good mental images to use in the field.

It was a full bakkie for this trip--Ismail, Caitlin, Wendy, Albert, and me. We met three others in Caledon and one of them, Hink, joined us to go to the pass. Once there we spent most of the day making our way over the koppies looking for the specials. And we were quite successful. We found a number of the proteas we were seeking and a vygie, a very small member of the Polygala family, a Bobartia, and a legume that was blooming nicely for us. And it was a very pleasant day as well. Here are a few pictures of some of the interesting things I found. Of course there were more plants found for which identities are still needed. But I am getting better.

In all of the green is a bladder grasshopper, probably Physemacris variolosus.

Here it is easier to see. The males have the enlarged abdomens that are used as resonating chambers for their calls. Very impressive.

And on this Bobartia is one of the numerous blister beetles around. You can guess why they are called blister beetles! I just looked.

Now for a plant or two on their own. The first is Ornithogalum dubium. Notice how rocky the soil surface is behind the Ornithogalum flower. This is typical of the veld throughout much of the Western Cape.

The second is the special legume we were hunting, Otholobium lanceolatum.

Nice fuzzy pea flowers. Very pretty.


Thursday and Friday I helped Caitlin gather specimens and materials for the sedge workshop to be held Friday afternoon. Dr. Muthama Muasya from UCT was coming to give a short course on identifying sedges, members of the Cyperaceae. These are difficult specimens to ID because their reproductive parts are so small.

There were about 20 present for the workshop, which went very well. It would have helped to have more microscopes but we managed with what was available. And it would have helped to have a bit more time. But overall the workshop was very informative and gave me better understanding of this group of plants.

As Marcia and I were getting ready to go home Ismail dropped into Marcia's office to offer us tickets for the Flower Show. What timing! That was the major thing we had planned for the upcoming weekend. And you have already read about how great the show was. And about the loss of services over the course of the following rainy week. That must mean I am getting closer to being caught up. Will try to get the events of Nov. 4-12 posted as soon as possible.

That's all for now since I have to arise early tomorrow to take pictures at Jenny's church. Marcia went with to church with Jenny this evening. The numerous florals were arranged for the church's bazaar the previous weekend. It seems the big flower display is coming down tomorrow and Marcia wants pictures.

Later!
Edward