PlantLife Volume 59.11, July 2025. A Pondoland Gem

 

A Pondoland Gem

By: Errol Douwes and Zibuyile Charity Zakuza

All photographs by Errol Douwes unless otherwise stated

Clivia miniata growing in a forest glade

We bump along a rutted farm track. Richard Boon, sitting in the front passenger seat, says he hopes to find some undescribed plants and mentions that we’ll be joined by a botanical artist. Something catches his eye and he points. Brakes slam on and binoculars come up. A bird, ahead of us in the track. Richard’s sharp eyes don’t miss much. He’s an experienced ecologist, an exceptional field botanist¹ and his knowledge of birds seems encyclopaedic. African Pipit. We may be here for the plants but birds and other fauna certainly won’t be ignored.

In the driver’s seat next to Richard, is Bill Nortje. Dressed in khakis, his deep tan is offset by white hair and the creases around his eyes reflect his ready smile and easy laughter. Next to me is Buyie Zakuza. In a bright t-shirt and jeans, her quiet demeanour masks her deep knowledge and connection to this place.

This is Umtamvuna. A nature reserve on the southern-most boundary of KwaZulu-Natal, named for the river that cuts through the gorge. We’re here to see if the forest and threatened grasslands still harbour undescribed plant treasures. Derived from ‘vuna’, a word from the Nguni (isiZulu and isiXhosa) languages meaning ‘reaping’ or ‘harvesting’, Umtamvuna refers to the river’s ability to ‘reap mouthfuls’ when in flood.^2,3 This seems impressive for a relatively short river, which has its source just 160 km away in the Ngeli Mountains.²

The reserve lies mostly on the northern bank of the river, stretching from 3 to 21 km inland.⁴ It runs on a roughly north-south line and incorporates the gorge’s high plateaus and cliffs⁵, with an altitudinal range of 10 to 500 metres above sea level.⁴ The altitudinal variation and deeply incised valley provide an array of microhabitats for plant and animal species. On the plateaus, the shallow sandstone-derived soils and seasonal fires maintain the open grasslands and shrublands.⁴

We’d booked cabins at Clearwater Farm, where we’d stayed last night. The farm, which sits on the edge of the gorge, has superb views across the expanse. I’d risen early to go birding and to stroll the gardens. Far below I’d watched the river where it still cuts through rock and experienced a sense of having stepped back in time. An unhurried pace. My imagination, feeling unleashed, had conjured up dinosaur-birds borne on the thermals and hunting the skies.

The track ends at a gate. Gogosa Outpost (Block 1 of the reserve). A suitable name, I think, for such a remote area.  We’re 15 km inland due north of Clearwater - not a main entrance to the reserve, but an outpost on the northern boundary. It’s not an access point for the public but arrangements have been made.

Just inside the gate, a Cryptocarya latifolia tree and four thatched rondavels. Beyond, a sea of flower-studded grassland. We meet the rangers who live here. Tall men with strong thighs built from a life of hard walking. Their smiles flash white in friendly greeting. They’re employed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the provincial conservation authority,³ and it’s a hard job. They’re on the front line with few resources and little support, patrolling difficult terrain to chase poachers and cattle³ from the reserve.

More vehicles roll up next to Bill’s and the gathered party numbers ten. There’s an atmosphere of anticipation but everyone is waiting, as if for a queue. Richard is chatting to Kate and Graham Grieve, enthusiastic members of the Pondoland CREW (Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers).⁶ They have dedicated much time to monitoring the rarer⁷ of the estimated 1400 plant species⁸ found in the reserve and are happy to share insights about this section.

Grasslands near Gogosa Outpost

With an agreed game-plan, we head into the grassland. Looking east I see the reserve’s boundary fence and endless rows of macadamia trees beyond. Further south, in the distance, a line of trees along what could be a small gully or a stream. To the west, the grassland stretches first down and across a wide wetland seep then over a rise. The Mtamvuna River gorge lies in that direction and if we were high enough, we’d see it snaking its way to the sea near Port Edward.

I stop to photograph a solitary pink Pelargonium luridum, then a beautifully bright Pigea enneasperma. The Pigea’s flower seems a perfect landing pad for pollinators and I wonder which insect might visit. My field guide lists the older name, Hybanthus enneaspermus (Lady’s Slipper) and says butterflies will visit.⁹ I want to ask Richard about the plants that he hopes to find in the reserve but I’m distracted.

Gail Bowers-Winters has found a geophytic orchid. The flowers are dark purple, which is unusual. I met Gail this morning for the first time and learn that she and partner Craig live on a farm adjoining the reserve. She’s a member of the Thursday group⁶ and editor of the Pondoland CREW Blog⁷. I can’t find the orchid in my field guide but Gail confirms that it’s Eulophia hians var. hians, the Blue Yawning Harlequin. Orchids, being one of the most diverse plant groups, come in many forms¹⁰. The geophytes¹¹, also known as terrestrial orchids¹⁰ have an underground structure for storing water and nutrients.¹²

 

From l to r: Pelargonium luridum, Pigea enneasperma, Eulophia hians var. hians

Kate, who is an expert on local Indigofera, points out a small one that’s in flower, hidden amongst the grass. She is first author on two recent papers about new and poorly known Indigofera species from the Pondoland Centre of plant endemism.^13,14 I stroll with her for a while, and she mentions that she hopes to collect and press a specimen of Watsonia inclinata. It will be sent to the Compton Herbarium that has little material of the Pondoland endemics.

We locate several Watsonia inclinata growing on a grassy slope. Bill offers to dig one out for pressing but liberating one won’t be easy. The corms are deeply rooted in the cracks between some sandstone slabs. This is actually good news. The rocks protect against harvesting by muthi collectors (who refer to these as umlunge)¹⁵ and from wildfires and cattle hooves. After much encouragement and plenty of laughter, Bill succeeds. The precious specimen is bagged.

Watsonia inclinata; Scabiosa columbaria with a Lunate Blister beetle; Callilepis laureola with a Tiger Fruit Chafer

After strolling for just a short time, the evidence of high plant diversity is clear. Richard tells me that “there are at least 30 woody plants endemic to the Pondoland Centre”. This is impressive. I’m aware of the high biodiversity in the broader Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot^16,17 but it’s clearer now why Kate and Graham have focused so much of their work here.^18,19 I’m looking forward to their new book on Pondoland’s endemic flora¹⁸ published in early 2025.

We arrive at a patch of forest and descend under the shaded canopy to a small stream. It’s cooler and we enjoy the change in temperature and scenery. Many trees are new to me but Graham points to a beautiful Bachmannia woodii (Four-finger bush) that is fruiting. It’s uncommon but I recognise it as I’ve one in a pot in my garden that had been grown from seed. Named after John Medley Wood, it’s extremely slow growing but can grow to 3m high.²⁰  

Leaves and fruit of Bachmannia woodii

Graham with his youthful vigour and sense of humour has been photographing plants in the region for many years. The photos, together with Kate’s botanical artworks and their combined depth of knowledge of endemics, will have formed the basis of new book. Graham is the current editor of PlantLife, started by the late Tony Abbott,²¹ another giant of local botany. He discovered and helped describe several Umtamvuna and Pondoland specials.²²

It’s nearly lunchtime and Graham leads us via a circular route through more grassland, back to the cars. We discuss the cattle that are now in the reserve every day. The overgrazing and trampling are a real concern²³ but local herdsmen will know that the dominant grasses here, including Themeda triandra (red grass) and Eragrostis curvula (weeping lovegrass)⁴ make for good grazing.

After lunch we head back to Clearwater and then go in search of a tree that has been called Ochna chilversii²⁴ but which is currently included in O. natalitia²⁰ (Natal Plane). Anyone familiar with O. natalitia will know it’s attractive shiny foliage and showy yellow flowers²⁵. Richard explains that O. chilversii is described as having larger flowers than the other Ochna species in the region and that Tony Abbott had first found it in the reserve. Gail, who’d seen an Ochna with large flowers the previous month (October) has offered to try and locate it this afternoon.

At the top of the cliffs we stop and gaze into the gorge. I think about the titanic forces unleashed here over millennia. To see time compressed and the unfolding tensions between earth and water, a landscape eroding, cyclic seasons with floods and droughts and winter fires. And how these helped shape the plants and animals.

Mtamvuna River Gorge, a place of timeless beauty

Gail, with her boundless enthusiasm, leads us into the forest. Not far along a meandering trail we pause in a level area, strewn with massive boulders and a profusion of Clivia miniata. As a horticultural favourite, this species is the pride of many gardeners. I think it’s magnificent in this forest.

Buyie and I follow Gail as we leave the path and edge our way along the forested slope. At a small stream, littered with boulders and scree, we clamber further up. High above us the stream tumbles down as a wispy waterfall and veils the cliffs. A flock of Red-winged Starlings alert the world to our presence. Gail points. It’s the Ochna she’d previously found, perched on a ledge across the gully. We relax and wait for the others. Richard will want a specimen and some photographs.

Graham Grieve, Richard Boon, Gail Bowers-Winters

The afternoon is balmy and slow, and we lose ourselves in studying and photographing the flowers and fruits of various species. Then, on the trail back towards Clearwater, Gail suggests we come for sundowners at Crag’s View farm. The response is unanimous and enthusiastic - yes!

At Crag’s View we’re treated to Craig feeding the baby dassies at the wildlife rehabilitation centre that he runs. We also peek through the planted indigenous forest at some rescued Blue and Red Duiker. Craig explains that poaching has increased over the years, and how he’s worked with other volunteers to remove snares from the reserve. He’s  set up a small interpretive display with posters about this, alongside the snares recovered. My eyes fill and my throat catches as I take in the images. I’m struck again by the mounting pressures that wildlife face even here within a proclaimed nature reserve.

It’s a beautiful evening and we watch the sun setting while chatting about the day’s findings and tomorrow’s plans. Richard mentions that the artist who’ll soon join us was awarded a gold medal for her submission to the Royal Horticultural Society’s Botanical Art and Photography Show. As the most prestigious botanical art show in the world, it’s no small achievement to win gold.

The next morning, we all meet at Beacon Hill gate. From there it’s a quick drive to an area known as Manilkara Meander (Block 8), where we walk through more grassland towards the top of the cliffs. As we stroll, I’m struck by how much of this grassland ecosystem, which dominates the reserve’s plateaus, has been lost. This is where the real diversity lies. Not the grasses themselves, but the small flowering plants, growing in between. The importance of this reserve, just a sliver of land in the broader landscape of farms, overgrazed homesteads and settlements, seems starkly highlighted.

Upon arriving at Manilkara Meander, we meet Daleen Roodt, the botanical artist we’d heard about. I’m not sure what I’d expected, given her various accolades,^26,27 but she’s younger than I imagined. With bright smiling eyes, a cheerful laugh and easy manner, she fits straight in with the group.

Following a line of south facing cliffs we head west. The trees are thick along the cliff top and on the slopes below. Every so often we stop to admire and photograph plants of interest. I chat to Richard again about the plants he wants to find and as if on cue, he points out a Rhoicissus digitata climber that’s in the grape (Vitaceae) family. He’d like Daleen to sketch this but clarifies that the sketch is needed for comparative purposes, in case we locate another target (Rhoicissus sp nov.).

It's inspiring to watch Richard as he studies every feature of the plant. The leaflets, growth form, venation, top and underside of the leaves, and tendrils. I imagine he’s mentally piecing every characteristic together, etching them into his mind before taking a specimen. Then he and Daleen discuss which features would be most important to highlight in an artwork. She takes as much time and care in studying the plant and the collected specimen. Between Daleen and Richard, I feel I’m watching two Masters at work, and it’s a delight to see them interact.

 

Rhoicissus digitata (Baboon Grape). The leaves usually have five leaflets²⁰.

Daleen settles on a fold-out cushion, readies herself with sketchpad and pencils and begins to draw. Watching the movement of her pencil and the precise and rapid rendering of details is mesmerising.

I’m transported back to a cliff-top walk I’d taken before sun rise. Standing at the edge I’d watched the indigo sky brighten as birds began to call. Tentatively at first but growing in tempo and fervour. Then, floating through the mist as if from another time came an eery wailing sound followed by a petulant sobbing that clutched at my heart. Not an abandoned infant, nor a Jurassic-era dinosaur bird²⁸ but some Trumpeter Hornbills! Their calls herald the break of day and send tingles down my spine. It’s moments like this in the lonely wilds of Africa where the world’s cluttered bustle fades away. A clarity unfolds and the spirit soars free.

 

Daleen Roodt with pencil and paper, and the Rhoicissus specimen

While Daleen is busy drawing, the rest of us relax or botanise further along the cliff. Graham and Richard find some of the rare Manilkara nicholsonii (Pondo Milkberry) trees, as well as a Dovyalis lucida (Glossy Kei-apple) and take photos and specimens for pressing. The attention to detail is needed if a species’ taxonomic identify needs to be clarified. This was done recently for Marijordaania filiformis, another regional endemic²⁹. I photograph a beautiful Grewia pondoensis (Pondo Raison) tree and then chat to Buyie and Gail.

Buyie has been working at Umtamvuna for the past year, as part of an internship programme. She’s passionate about this reserve.  Supervised by Enock Mahlangu from Ezemvelo’s Protected Area Management and with guidance from the regional ecologist, she gained good experience. She’s also participated in outings with the Thursday group. It feels like I have much to learn from Buyie. She brings a unique perspective and understanding of the local people, their complex connections with the land and their experience of nature.

Gail mentions a devastating wildfire that swept through an area a few years back, and the resulting spread of invasive alien plants in part of that area.

I’d heard that the reserve’s northern boundary fence had burnt and fallen some years ago and that cattle grazing had subsequently escalated. This seems unsurprising. Overgrazing of traditional lands is common and many new houses now stand in old grazing lands. Ezemvelo had asked community leaders to intervene and help keep cattle out but local herdsmen have their backs to the wall. Like herdsmen elsewhere in the world they do what herdsmen have always done - chase their cattle to greener pastures³⁰. Though some in the community are concerned about the damage to natural habitats,³¹ they may feel powerless to act.³²

Richard and Daleen discussing features of the plant. Kate and Buyie take a moment to relax.

A Grewia pondoensis with beautiful flower and flower buds.

After lunch we drive to a nearby area, known to the Thursday group as Hazel Ridge (in Blocks 6 and 7). Richard had come across a reference to this area on an herbarium specimen of a Rhoicissus with just three leaflets. Collected by Tony Abbott, it could be a new species. The views here showcase some stunning weathered sandstone between the gullies. I want to photograph them but hear thunder rumbling and watch instead the dark thunderheads gathering to the west.

The group has split up, with some having gone further with Richard, along a wooded gully. The rest of us are in a stretch of grassland. The thunder booms and heavy drops begin to fall. Our group decides to head back to the vehicles and hurry through the downpour. By the time we reach the vehicles the storm is turning north. I wonder if we should go in search of Richard, Daleen and Gail, then I see them in the distance. They’re beaming and share the news that they’d found the target Rhoicissus and have collected specimens for artwork and pressing.

Left: Daleen and Richard compare specimens and notes. Right: Daleen showcases a victory-wreath of Rhoicissus sp. nov. The leaves have just three leaflets. 

We return to Beacon Hill to sort and store all the specimens, then decide to go in search of an orchid, Cyrtorchis arcuata (Curved Bird Orchid), that Kate had previously found. She mentions that it was in flower earlier in the week and that it’s just a ten-minute stroll away. We find the Cyrtorchis perched on an outcrop of sandstone. It’s more than a metre across, huge by South African orchid standards, and in full flower. I marvel at how different it is to the small Eulophia we’d seen in the grassland on the first day.

The Cyrtorchis is likely pollinated by hawk moths,³³ lured by a strong, sweet fragrance released at dusk and nighttime, the white petals, and a nectar reward. While many of the approximately 25,000 known orchid species³⁴ are selective of where they grow, this one can grow on rocks or trees.

A magnificent Cyrtorchis arcuata growing on sandstone.

The next morning is misty. We meet at Beacon Hill and decide to walk a full loop of the Ngungumbane (Porcupine) Trail (Block 20). The dripping grass along the trail leaves us with damp shoes and socks but I stop to photograph the flowers of Psoralea glabra and forget my wet toes. It’s a perfect morning of botanising and the forest walk to the bottom of the gorge is beautiful. It’s our last day in the reserve and I’m glad of the slow pace. I have time to reflect on all we’ve seen and to soak up the beauty of the place.

Psoralea glabra in flower and good lighting for a photo.

That night the rain hammers down. In bed I lie and listen. It’s been days well spent, with friends old and new. The echoes of their smiles and laughter fade only as I drift to sleep.

In the morning, the clouds hang low and heavy, blanketing the landscape. Rivulets still trickle and puddles shimmer. A message from Gail tells us to come and see the waterfall before we leave — it’s a spectacle. We swallow our breakfast and head to Crag’s View. Gail greets us with coffee then leads us to the vantage point. The expanse of grassland on the opposite side of the gorge, saturated from the rain, now funnels water to the cliff edge. What was a trickle two days ago is a thundering cascade.

I think about the days we’ve had in Umtamvuna, and its beauty and bountiful biodiversity. How the natural enclaves of Pondoland are both increasingly important and threatened. The threats are not only from cattle or muthi harvesting but from a growing demand for lithium, the mining³⁵ of which could bring more insidious impacts. Though they are few, we need the conservationists, volunteer groups and researchers. The future of this, and Pondoland’s other jewels, is in their hands. It brings to mind a quote from Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed  citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has”.³⁶

 

Acknowledgements

Thanks to all who were on the walk, for the laughs and for sharing their knowledge so freely. A special thanks to Buyie who collated a summary of sites we visited, plants seen and detailed information about the reserve, its trails, management blocks and place names. Thanks also to the PlantLife editorial team comments on an earlier version of this article.

About the authors:

Errol (pictured here with Daleen Roodt at Umtamvuna [photo credit R. Boon]) is Senior Manager of Restoration Ecology at eThekwini Municipality. As an honorary research fellow at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, he collaborates with researchers and students to advance restoration science. He’s also the Practitioner Editor for a journal, Ecological Solutions and Evidence, where he guides and encourages ecology practitioners to publish their work. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, birdwatching, photography, writing, and spending time with family.

 

Zibuyile (pictured here enjoying a quiet moment on the Mtamvuna River) is 32 years old and was born and raised in KwaNzimakwe, Port Shepstone. She is a Project Coordinator for Okwemvelo Foundation, where she oversees an Alien Invasive Plant Control project. She has a Diploma in Nature Conservation (UNISA) and was an Intern at Umtamvuna Nature Reserve under the SANBI/Ezemvelo Groen-Sebenza Programme.

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