Satansnek Pass is a pass on the road from Ngcobo (previously Engcobo) to Elliot in the Eastern Cape. The cool moist climate gives rise to mistbelt grassland which is home to a large variety of terrestrial orchids and other geophytes. It is the only place in South Africa where a wild population of Crocosmia masoniorum may be viewed. Cameron McMaster has led a number of Eastern Cape tours where participants have spent a day exploring. Photos taken from some of those tours are pictured on this page. For more information about a genus with a species shown, you can click on the genus page for that species. Photos pictured below showing the habitat were taken on one of these tours by Cameron McMaster, Mary Sue Ittner, and Bob Rutemoeller.
Agapanthus praecox is an evergreen plant from the southeastern Cape growing in stony slopes and grassland from the southeastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. Photos below taken by Cameron McMaster and Bob Rutemoeller. Plants were blooming with Crocosmia masoniorum pictured below.
Aristea abyssinica is found from the Eastern Cape, South Africa to Tropical Africa where it grows on rocky outcrops, in grassland, and marshy areas. Photos taken January 2010 by Mary Sue Ittner.
Barberetta aurea Harv. is a tuberous species that grows in colonies, in forests on wet rocky forest floor, up to 1600 m. The first four photos taken by Cameron McMaster and the last photo taken by Mary Sue Ittner.
Corycium dracomontanum is found in grassland in the Eastern Cape. Photo by Cameron McMaster
Corycium nigrescens is a widespread orchid in southern Africa that grows in wet grassland and along vlei margins, often in large colonies. Photos taken by Bob Rutemoeller and Cameron McMaster January 2010.
Crocosmia masoniorum can only be viewed in the wild from this spot. It is hanging down from a steep ledge so is challenging to photograph. Photos below taken by Cameron McMaster and Bob Rutemoeller January 2010. It was blooming with Agapanthus praecox pictured above.
Disa brevicornis is found in grassland from Knysna in the southern Cape to Malawi. Photos by Cameron McMaster.
Disa versicolor grows in grassland in tropical and southern Africa from the Eastern Cape to Angola and Zimbabwe. Photos were taken January 2010 by Cameron McMaster and Mary Sue Ittner.
Disperis renibractea Schltr. is found in grassland from 1400 to 2700 meters in the summer rainfall area of Eastern South Africa. Photos taken by Cameron McMaster and Mary Sue Ittner.
Drimia sphaerocephala is found in grassland in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Photo from Cameron McMaster.
Eucomis comosa is found in grassland and marshes from the southeastern Cape into KwaZulu-Natal. Photos taken in January by Bob Rutemoeller, Cameron McMaster, and Mary Sue Ittner.
Eulophia foliosa is found in grassland from the Eastern Cape to the Northern Province of South Africa. Photo by Cameron McMaster
Kniphofia parviflora is found in grassland and marshy places up to 2000 m from the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. Photos taken in January 2010 by Mary Sue Ittner.
Moraea inclinata grows in damp grassland in the Natal Midlands and the Drakensberg mountains in KwaZulu-Natal and in the northeastern Transkei. Photos taken by Cameron McMaster, Mary Sue Ittner, and Bob Rutemoeller January 2010.
Neobolusia tysonii grows in moist or marshy grassland from 1200 to 2350 m. Photo taken by Cameron McMaster.
Ornithogalum candicans, syn.Galtonia candicans, grows in the Eastern Cape and Lesotho. Photos by Cameron McMaster and Mary Sue Ittner.
Oxalis sp. Unknown Oxalis sp. photographed by Mary Sue Ittner.
Satyrium longicauda grows in grassland, rocky areas and marshes from the Southern Cape of South Africa to tropical Africa. Photos from Bob Rutemoeller and Cameron McMaster.
Satyrium neglectum is found in moist grassland from the Eastern Cape of South Africa to Tanzania. Photo taken by Cameron McMaster.
Satyrium parviflorum is found in moist or dry grassland, among rocks from the southern Cape of South Africa to the Eastern Cape and tropical Africa. Photo from Cameron McMaster.
Schizochilus zeyheri is found in montane grassland from the Eastern Cape to the Northern Province of South Africa. Photos by Cameron McMaster and Bob Rutemoeller taken in January.
