| Photo Information |
Copyright: Ingrid Shaul (ingridshaul)
![Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 34 W: 5 N: 96]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-g.gif) (263) |
| Genre: Plants |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2005-11-10 |
| Categories: Trees |
| Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop |
| Date Submitted: 2009-10-17 1:05 |
| Viewed: 189 |
| Points: 6 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
I photographed this flower below the Drakensberg.
Drakensberg means Dragon's Mountain, and this vividly coloured bloom depicts perfectly a dragon's fiery breath.
I think, it is a Natal Bottlebrush (greyia sutherlandii) - but I would be grateful for expert confirmation.
The Royal Natal National Park was proclaimed in 1916, and contains some of the most spectacular scenery in Africa.
Lying along the border between western KwaZulu-Natal and the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Natal Drakensberg forms part of the eastern escarpment of southern Africa.
This area is regarded as the most important mountain catchment in South Africa because of the high yield and quality of water it produces. The three largest rivers in KwaZulu-Natal, the Tugela, Mkhomazi and Mzimkulu,originate in the Drakensberg and support rural, agricultural, urban and industrial consumers in both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
The high altitude wetlands found in the Park play a vital role in maintaining this precious resource.
The wetlands are also of major importance for nature conservation because of the diversity of endemic and Red Data plants and animals they sustain.
At least thirty six plant species which are partly or totally dependent on the wetlands are endemic to this area.
A number of rare and threatened bird species also depend on these habitats, including wattled crane Grus carunculata and striped flufftail Sarothrura affinis.
The fauna and flora of the Park is a haven of incredible variety. With altitudes varying from 1280 m to almost 3500 m.
The great variety in its topography, which combined with influencing factors such as climate, soil and aspect, results in a fascinating diversity of plants.
A total of 2153 species of plants has been recorded in the Drakensberg Park, but the remarkable feature remains the large number of endemic species.
There are 299 bird species in the Park, with ten species listed as being of global conservation importance - including the whitewinged flufftail, Cape parrot, corncrake, lesser kestrel and yellowbreasted pipit.
There are 48 species of mammal to be found here, including leopard, baboon, jackal, black wildebeest, eland, zebra and red hartebeest, as well as the largest population of clawless otters in South Africa.
We love to spend time there, enjoying the lush greens and fresh mountain air. At that time of the year the proteas had finished flowering. |
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