Life Wonderings of a Nature Lover: February 19-21 2021 Wildflowers in the Southern Maluti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site
A Southern Secrets Hiking and Backpacking Guided Hike
http://www.southernsecrets.co.za
Playing and fossicking amongst flowers has to be one of my very favourite pastimes, combine that with hiking, spending nights in the Drakensberg, excellent company who also relish these spaces and gems, and you end up with memories of an experience to treasure!
We walked up to Tarn Cave from Bushmans Nek, spent time in the Rock Garden of Sehlabathebe and returned via the Bushmans Nek Pass.
This is a list of those flowers I identified over the three days (88). Not all were photographed and these are the ones I remember seeing.
Orchids were in abundance (18):
Corycium sp. the flowers were over.
There were also many other stunning flowers blooming (69):
Alepidea natalensis
Aponogeton rannunculiflorus
Aristea woodii
Clematis brachiata
Commelina africana
Crassula umbraticola
Cratercapsa tarsodes
Cynoglossum austro-africanum
Cyphia tysonii
Delosperma lavisiae
Diclis reptans
Drosera natalensis
Eucomis autumnalis
Felicia filifolia
Geranium wakkerstroomianum
Helichrysum heterolasium
Hermannia woodii
Hesperantha tysonii
Huperzia saururus fern
Hypericum aethiopicum subsp. sonderi
Linum thunbergii
Melasma scabrum inflated fruit
Moraea brevistyla
Papaver aculeatum
Protea dracomontana
Scabiosa columbaria
Sebaea marlothii
Stretocarpus pentherianus
Themeda triandra
Urginea macrocentra seeds
Wahlenbergia fasciculata
Wahlenbergia huttonii
Xerophyta viscosa
Bibliography
A Field Guide to Wildflowers KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region: E. Pooley
Mountain Flowers A Field Guide to the Flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho: E. Pooley
Orchids of South Africa A Field Guide: S. Johnson, B. Bytebier, H. Starker
Ferns of Southern Africa A Comprehensive Guide: N.R. Crouch, R. R. Klopper, J. E. Burrows, S. E. Burrows
christeengrant 
Required Field reading! You have been granted extraordinary talent and humility which radiate from all your love of nature work in equal abundance! I believe we are privileged to be existential co-wonderers with you through the lens of your camera and the eyes of your heart, virtually in our case.
That’s so kind, thank you Mark for your thoughts!
Thank you Christeen, for compiling these treasures into this wonderful record. A big effort but so appreciated. What a marvellous part of the planet. x
Dear Nikki, it is really a pleasure and becomes a record of a very beautiful memory, yes, it is a very precious corner of the planet. Thank you for sharing the adventure! xxx
Wow – the beauty and diversity here is incredible, and I am awed by the breadth of your knowledge and your attention to detail and touched by your deep affection for the plants, the region and nature in general xxx
Carol thank you for your very kind comment, I still have so much to learn, lol! What is certain is my deep love for the Drakensberg wilderness! xxx