Gaika's Kop is a isolated dolerite outcrop in the Amatola mountain range in the Eastern Cape. With an altitude of 1960 m, it is the highest peak in this range. Photos on these pages were mostly taken January 17 2010 when a number of friends led by Cameron McMaster spent the morning exploring. One group went to the summit and the other group explored the lower areas of the mountain. Photos of species O-Z are found on this page.
Ornithogalum juncifolium is found in damp, grassy areas, on cliffs, up to 2300 m from the southeastern Cape fo Mpumalanga. Photos from Mary Sue Ittner taken January 2010.
Oxalis smithiana grows in damp grassland , on mossy rocks in forest, from the coast up to 2560 meters elevation in south eastern South Africa. Photo taken January 2010 by Bob Rutemoeller.
Oxalis spp. We saw two species we were unable to identify.
Photos of the first from Mary Sue Ittner taken January, 2010.
Here's the second. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.
Satyrium bracteatum is a species found both in winter and summer rainfall areas of South Africa. Photo taken January 2010 at the summit by Cameron McMaster.
Satyrium longicauda grows in grassland, rocky areas and marshes from the Southern Cape of South Africa to tropical Africa. Photos 1-3 taken by Christopher Whitehouse January 2012.
Schizocarphus nervosus syn. Scilla nervosa is found in grassland from the Eastern Cape of South Africa to tropical Africa. Photos 1-4 taken January 2010 by Mary Sue Ittner. Photos 5-6 taken by Christopher Whitehouse January 2012.
Schizochilus zeyheri is found in montane grassland from the Eastern Cape to the Northern Province of South Africa. Photos 1-2 taken by Cameron McMaster and Bob Rutemoeller January 2010 on the summit. Photos 3-4 taken by Christopher Whitehouse January 2012.
Tritonia disticha is found on mountain slopes in grassland and rock outcrops in the south eastern Cape (summer rainfall area) to KwaZulu-Natal. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner taken January 2010.
According to Peter Goldblatt in his monograph, The Genus Watsonia, Watsonia knysnana's range extends to Hogsback. This species has flowers that are predominately pink to purple, rarely scarlet. It is closely related to the bright orange flowered Watsonia pillansii and the two are difficult to tell apart. When found in the same range a series of intermediates can be found. These are hybrids with variability of bract length and flower color from cream to pale pink to red or maroon. Plants seen January 2010 and photographed by Cameron McMaster, Bob Rutemoeller, and Mary Sue Ittner could be either of these species or hybrids of the two.
Watsonia hybrids seen on Gaika's Kop.
Watsonia knysnana is found on sandstone slopes and flats, especially at forest edges in the Eastern Cape.
Watsonia pillansii syn. Watsonia beatricis is found from the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal where it is found in sandy soils mostly at low elevations near the coast.
