Jumping-ball Moths and the Glossy Wild-currant

Glossy Wild-currant, Shiny-leaved Rhus, Blinktaaibos
Searsia lucida (formerly Rhus lucuda) ANACARDACEAE (the mango family)

At the moment the fruits on the Glossy Wild-currant can be seen on the Common.
A fascinating insect-plant relationship plays itself out with the Glossy Wild-currant Rhus lucida and the Jumping Gall Moth Scyrotis athleta. In the sand and leaf-litter beneath Searsia lucida one can sometimes see small (about 6 mm) oval balls that jump. In the ball is the larva of a moth, Scyrotis athleta (family Cecidosidae). The movement and jumping is a response to heat and facilitates repositioning of the ball into ideal pupating conditions in the soil and leaf-litter. It is quite a mystery how such a small larva in such a confined space is able to exert the force required to jump (up to 10 cm). Janse (1920) concluded that it is done by careful positioning inside the ball and rapid contracting and relaxing of muscles.

The balls start off as bumps (galls) that form on the leaves of Searsia lucida. A female moth lays her egg probably by inserting her ovipositor into the leaf. The gall is formed around the hatched larva possibly as a result of the feeding action inside the leaf. This is still being investigated. The larva feeds inside the gall and when mature the external layer of the gall bursts open and the ball falls to the ground. Jumping can continue for up to 6 weeks and the moth emerges a few months later. (Information and more photos on the website biodiversityexplorer.)

Erica subdivaricata

Erica subdivaricata ERICACEAE (erica family)

This beautiful erica grows up to 1 m and has small, bell-shaped, white (sometimes just tinged with pale pink) flowers that come out from January on the Common. It occurs on lower slopes and flats in the south-western Cape, the Agulhas Plain and from Malmesbury to Bredasdorp, seeming to prefer slightly damp, partially shady spots.

It flowers in March on the Common.

Rough Blue Sage

Rough Blue Sage, Bloublomsalie, Salvia chamelaeagnea LAMIACEAE (the mint and sage family)

This pretty plant is flowering on the Common now. It differs from the other blue Wild Sage or Bloublomsalie, Salvia africana-caerulea, in that its calyx does not enlarge in the fruiting stage. It flowers from November to April.

Tips for growing the Rough Blue Sage

Liesl van der Walt of Kirstenbosch says, "The blue Salvia chamelaeagnea looks beautiful when flowering with blue agapanthus. The white form looks lovely mixed with other green foliage plants, giving the garden a fresh and cool look during the midsummer heat. Plants can be maintained in the garden for several years, but need to be cut back after flowering to keep them tidy and vigorous." (See Plantzafrica.)

Cluster Pine on the Common

The pine trees that occur on the Common are the Maritime or Cluster Pine (Pinus pinaster) and the Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) both native to the Mediterranean area of Europe and the Middle East. Lichen on the deeply fissured, characteristic bark of the Cluster Pine.

Talk on Restoring Sand Plain Fynbos on our Common

Carly Cowell of Kirstenbosch is also the SANBI Project Co-ordinator for the Millennium Seed Bank Project, run by Kew Gardens. Carly has travelled to well-known gardens in Europe, China and Australia and will be giving a public lecture, hosted by the Friends of Meadowridge Common, on “International trends in Restoration and the Meadowridge Common Project".
The talk will take place on Monday 5 October at 7.30 pm at the Meadowridge Library, Howard Street. There is no entrance fee. Any enquires can be directed to Fiona Watson at 021 712 0696 or Caroline Voget on 072 933 4510.

Spring flower walk

A guided spring flower walk was led by Fiona Watson on Saturday 19 September on Meadowridge Common.
Meadowridge Common, our conservation area, is included in the 2009 edition of the booklet, City of Cape Town Nature Reserves, a network of amazing urban biodiversity. We have identified 137 species of indigenous flowering plants on this small 7 ha open space and four of these are in danger of extinction in South Africa. We are working hard to conserve this heritage gem but for a small area where many species are present in very small numbers the challenges are great. Extremes in climate, trampling and dogs’ digging can easily wipe out a species, as has already happened to seven on the Common.

What are doing to meet this challenge?
Propagating plants from the Common to augment their numbers; rehabilitating and creating a seasonal wetland; erecting bollards around sensitive areas.

What to see?
The range of plants in flower varies over the spring months as does the time of day when they are open. More are late risers, opening in the afternoon, hence our walk being scheduled for 14h00. August is the time to view Oxalis species in their bright colour: rose-pink Oxalis purpurea, yellow Oxalis pes caprae, white with red on the reverse Oxalis versicolor (photo below) and a profusion of Oxalis obtusa. Mauve babianas are a delight with their splashes of red and white. The Lampranthus reptans flowers (photo above) glow like golden dollars on their spreading stems. They continue to flower in September.
September sees members of the Romulea genus revealing their deeply-coloured red, mauve and orange species. Dainty white trachyandras drag themselves out of bed to open in the afternoons as do the sky-blue Heliophila africana. White botterblom, Sparaxis bulbifera, yellow daisies, Senecio littoreus, and Ursinia anthemoides provide sheets of colour. In October yellow Moraea fugax comes into its own. These are but a few of the many flowers on display.

Join the friends
Walks are free of charge but if you wish to support us by becoming a member of Friends of Meadowridge Common, receive our newsletters and our full colour broadsheets and attend talks arranged at Meadowridge Library, it only costs R25 for a year's membership. For any queries feel free to phone Mrs Fiona Watson at 021 712 0696.
Photos:
TOP: Lampranthus reptans, the Cape Flats Vygie. Photo: Fiona Watson.
ABOVE: Sugarstick Sorrel, Oxalis versicolor. Photo: Caroline Voget.

A spiny bear's foot on the Common?

You often see these flat, prickly leaves in the middle of the paths on Meadowridge Common. Have you ever stopped to wonder what they are? It is a platdoring, or Arctopus echinatus.
In Greek, arktos is "bear", and pous is "foot" (yes it is!) and echinatus is Latin for "spiny" or "prickly". So a spiny bear's foot! It has an underground stem, and is common in sandy, flat places. It belongs to the carrot family, and male and female plants are separate. The plant above was found Meadowridge Common, and the two below, male (left) and female (right) are from the slopes of the Hottentots Hollands.