Of the eight species of sundew, Drosera, at Phillipskop, Drosera cistiflora has the largest and most beautiful flowers. The flowers are in shades of white to pinkish white and 5 to 6cm across. At the base of each petal is a very dark iridescent spot. This spot attracts the primary…
Common names are often descriptive but few are as ironic in their description as that of Climber’s Friend, Cliffortia ruscifolia. Climber’s Friend is a member of the Rose Family, Rosaceae, and the most recognized member of the large Cape genus, Cliffortia. The species is well-known for growing amongst rocks and…
It is not just animals that are nocturnal, some flowers also come into their own as dusk gathers. Hesperantha radiata is one of these flowers. During daylight hours, the dark red outer petals are closed firmly around the anthers and style. The flowers are almost invisible to a passerby and…
Snow is practically unheard of in the Klein River Mountains but in spring time, patches of the hillside are turned snow white. The plant is a member of the daisy family called Syncarpha vestita. It is one of the Everlasting Flowers or Sewejaartjies, and this species is also commonly known…
On a still night at Phillipskop during spring, the air is filled with a beautiful but elusive scent. A cat’s tail would not be the first place one would go when hunting down such a scent, but in the fynbos that is one of the primary sources of night-time fragrance.…
Climbing plants are uncommon in fynbos. The principle behind a climbing plant in forest or bushveld is to reach the light above when other plants have a head start. So in fynbos, when every 20 years or so the canopy is burnt to the ground and all plants are back…
