A Succulent Morning 30 Aug

Packing, then a late breakfast (eight thirty).

Our host has offered to take us to see a unique habitat, with a high diversity of succulent plants. A distant view of the landscape.

At first inspection the habitat on the plain looks very barren and dry, with very little vegetation.

Our destination

 A bit closer - still looks pretty barren

On even closer inspection it may be very dry but there are a host of succulents beneath our feet. So much so that it's a job not step on them all the time.

The drought in this part of South Africa has been very bad this year (well for the last few years). Consequently even the succulents are rather stressed.  Most are not in flower but there are a few, literally three.  Crassula species.

 

The flowers leave seed heads that remain on the plant until it rains, these pods have little triangular flaps that open when water droplets hit them, spilling the seeds out.

A hare also darted out from the vegetation. Rather good. 

Plateau views along the way

This visit was followed by a quick tour of a succulent nursery, where we can see what they look like when they have enough water (includes a restroom stop)

 also managed to bag a Malachite Sunbird feeding.

 This plant was growing in the wall in the succulent greenhouse - it's not a succulent, but in fact is one that they make cancer drugs from.

Back in the bus and and a bit of a long drive to lunch.

The termite mound created habitat, sometimes called Fairy Rings, are even more visible here.

We sit on the verandah of our food stop, order lunch and then enter the rather well stocked gift shop for a browse.  Eric wondering whether he should have ordered the lime milkshake, it looks lethal.

Onward and northward. We were going to make a sixty kilometre diversion to some flower fields, but have been told there's nothing there.  The lady in the shop has given some tips for local flower spotting. First a roadside verge.

Plenty of flower species here, plus invertebrates, although we are being hooted at by the lorry drivers. Some are friendly short hoots and a wave, others are not quite so understanding of our interest in the roadside flora. Our driver just waves at them and we ignore the hooting, particularly the long, angry ones. 

Between stops some Mountain Zebra are spotted. 

Next stop, some roadside fields. A few new species, some birds and a trio of different reptiles. The driver is perhaps starting to think we are a bit bonkers. 

 

This is a Honey Bush - and smells a bit like Iris foetida otherwise known as the Roast Beef plant (in my part of Wales anyway) based on the smell of that Monster Munch variety of crisps

A rather scary black and white caterpillar.

Time to head for our accommodation for the night, just outside Springbok.

View along the way.

Lovely views from our room, it is called Mountain View B&B don't ya know.

and including a rather spectacular lizard

 

We are supposed to have Wi-Fi at this accommodation, but the one in our room is not working.  After dinner we manage to sit in reception for a while - the only place we can have internet access. Tomorrow the man will come to fix the Wi-Fi box in our room. Unfortunately we are only here for one night! It's a very comfortable place to stay anyway and the landlady is very pleasant.