Favoritos de chris_wahlberg

Grows on a shady bank. No emerging setae as seen on Dam Rd a few days ago. Diameter is 3 cm so suspect colensoi. We use info from Beever J.E. 1987 A key to the NZ speies of Hypnodendron, N.Z. Bot. Soc. Newsletter viol 10, pp 10-12. Apices of branch leaves are finely tapering, so alternatives are: colensoi, comatum, comosum.
Since branches have 0, 1 or 2 branchlets we eliminate comatum. Since we are in north part of North Island, we eliminate comosum.

This observation was made on the Mempening Trail at Kinabalu Park, between the two junctions with either end of the Bukit Tupai Trail. This moss is quite common on Mt Kinabalu. After hiking the summit trail and some of the other trails above Park HQ, though, this was the only individual/population that I saw with spore capsules.

A distinctive small plant (3-4cm high) with a short (to no) stem - flowering branches more-or-less at ground level. Tap root, 3cm. Leaves opposite, decussate, lanceolate, acute, sessile, clasping (10-15mm long, 2-4mm wide). Inflorescence, a raceme; bracts, lanceolate, 15mm, flowering stems axillary, pedicel 5mm. Calyx distinctively long, tubular, 13mm (joined to 9mm from base), slightly keeled. Corolla tube 10mm, lobes 6mmx5mm. Style 7mm, ovary 5mm; stigmatic swelling at base of style. Anthers sessile (or on minute filaments), more or less included.

A late summer and winter flowering species of the Upper Karoo and Free State. An attractive small Sebaea growing infrequently in grassland areas in the Common which extends its range, unexpectedly, eastwards.

Tapinanthus kraussianus

Tapinanthus kraussianus subsp. transvaalensis.
Parasitic shrub. Attached to host by suckers. Flowers in massed clusters. Leaves lance shaped, grey-green and leathery.

LORANTHACEAE - 20 species in SA.
Ref: Elsa Pooley-Wild Flowers of KZN ( 48 ).

Helichrysum elegantissimum

Robust biennial on damp slopes. Leaves oblong to lance- shaped, clasping stem, glandular-haired. Flowerheads flattened-spherical, disciform; bracts pink-flushed ( not in this photo, maybe flowers old ). Distribution shown as Southern Drakensberg.