Midlands Wildflower for August – Leucosidea serica

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Leucosidea serica Common Names: Ouhout, Zulu: umtshitshi, Sotho: cheche

leucosidea.res

Before the grasslands midlands were settled by Europeans, there were few trees besides those clustered in damp or rocky places. One of the original Midlands trees was Leucosidea serica. A real pioneer and found is a variety of places. Shrubby and not very tall, seldom higher than 6m.

Small yellowish-green star like flowers are borne in sprays on the ends of branches.  The very attractive grey green compound leaves are aromatic , bark is rough and flaky. Leucosidea dislikes a hot summer and is very frost resistant, making it an excellent fast growing pioneer plant for a cold new garden. Birds often nest in the branches. Young leaves browsed by bushbuck. Small nuts are enclosed in the base of old flowers. It makes excellent firewood as it burns very slowly, and great for woodcarving too. Used to make the framework for sleighs to carry grass, fuel or harvest.

Ou houd (Leucosidea sericea), Dargle

In mountainous areas the presence of Leocosidea was taken as an indication that streams were suitable for trout stocking.

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About Midlands Conservancies Forum

Welcome to the Midlands Conservancies Forum Blog. The conservancy movement in South Africa has its roots in KZN Midlands with Balgowan being the first conservancy established in 1978 by landowners in the area who were concerned about the reduction in the number of game and general degradation of the environment. Today there are 14 conservancies within or overlapping the Umgeni Local Municipality. In keeping pace with international environmental issues and the ever-increasing threat to our dwindling biodiversity the conservancy movement has expanded its influence to include challenges way beyond the founding concerns for the reduction in game and general degradation of the environment. The fact of the matter is that, at the very least, the state of the environment in the KZN Midlands is of vitally and direct importance to well in excess of 3 million people who depend largely on this region for their fresh water. In terms of global the planet has 34 biodiversity hotspots which are the Earth’s most biologically rich and threatened areas. These hotspots hold especially high numbers of unique species, yet their combined area now covers only 2.3 percent of the Earth's land surface. South Africa is home to 3 of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots and the Midlands not only falls into the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot but is one of the 21 priority nodes that have been identified by the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund for investment aimed at securing existing biodiversity. The Midlands Conservancy Forum is proud to have been awarded a two year grant that has been used to establish the MCF Biodiversity Stewardship project that is working closely with KZN Wildlife. The reality of the Conservancy movement is that it has until know been championed by volunteers who are landowners and, in many cases, have precious little time and therefore this needs to be used to the maximum potential. This has lead to the establishment, and current success, of the MCF. It is an ideal forum to share knowledge, experiences and collectively tackle common issues in the most co-0rdinated and effective way possible. It is also a forum that has the capacity, through its landowner support base, geographical influence and biological inventory, to attract funding for critical environmental projects. It is also a forum for any and all government departments, NGOs and industries to engage with environmentally minded landowners. Through this blog we hope to promote the aims of the MCF in general and the sharing of information in particular. It is your platform to express and respond to ideas and concerns. Please use it wisely and respectfully!

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