This Saturday morning we hiked into the mist along Rooikat Ravine. Dew droplets reflected the sunlight and our eyes fell onto this Blue Disa. Aptly called Bloumoederkappie in afrikaans, its latin name Disa graminifolia refers to the grass-like leaves (not to be confused with the restio leaves in the picture). It grows on dry rocky sandstone in full sun and flowers from January until March. So just a few more weeks this year to enjoy this regal member of the Orchidaceae!
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| Blue Disa, Bloumoederkappie, Disa graminifolia, Orchidaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Blue Disa, Bloumoederkappie, Disa graminifolia, Orchidaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Blue Disa, Bloumoederkappie, Disa graminifolia, Orchidaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Blue Disa, Bloumoederkappie, Disa graminifolia, Orchidaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Cluster Disa, Disa ferruginea, Orchidaceae © Deirdre Vrancken. This orchid is pollinated by the Table Mountain Beauty butterfly, Aeropetes tulbaghia, which is attracted to red, but fooled by this orchid that doesn't offer a nectar reward. Its red colour mimics that of Tritiniopsis triticea, which is the butterfly's major nectar plant. |
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| Aspalathus sp., Fabaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Cape Leopard Toad on Bridle path next to De Villiers Dam © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Pelargonium tabulare?, Geraniaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Gladiolus monticola, Bergpypie, Autumn Painted Lady, Iridaceae. Endemic to the Cape Peninsula © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Gladiolus monticola, Bergpypie, Autumn Painted Lady, Iridaceae. Endemic to the Cape Peninsula © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Protea repens, Common sugarbush, suikerbos, Proteaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Protea repens, Common sugarbush, suikerbos, Proteaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Disa uniflora, Red Disa, Orchidaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Disa uniflora, Red Disa, Orchidaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Maytenus acuminata, Sybas (broken leaf shows silky threads), Celastracaceae © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Cecilia Forest - indigenous Afromontane forest © Deirdre Vrancken |
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| Fynbos regeneration above Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Exotic eucalyptus trees have been removed here © Deirdre Vrancken |
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