Rare Orchids and Vygie Found at Grootbos
This week's news begins with a special orchid which was recorded in the landscape this week. Since the summer fires at the start of 2026, our conservation research team has had a hunch that they may get to glimpse some pretty special rare beauties, and this week has not disappointed them. This rare orchid is Evotella rubiginosa, which only flowers after fire and is thought to be pollinated by oil-collecting bees. The Grootbos Foundation entomology team is determined to do everything in their power to confirm the pollinators of this plant. To do that, they may need to deploy a motion-sensor camera if they do not get lucky by simply observing a pollinator at work.
Different angle of Evotella rubiginosa.
This is Pterygodium catholicum, commonly known as the cowled friar or mammakappie.
This is Pterygodium acutifolium (commonly known as the Pointy Bonnet or Puntjies-kapater).
This is Lachenalia lutzeyeri with Walker Bay in the background.
This is Disperis paludosa (commonly known as the Marsh Kappie).
Disa purpurescens is also known as the early blue disa or the bloumoederkappie. Gosh, aren't these brilliant bonnet-shaped orchids just so special? It is no wonder that people get excited about orchid hunting and ticking off rare sightings every October!
Here is an exciting update... this little vygie, previously thought to be Erepsia oxysepala, is actually an extremely rare species called Erepsia babiloniae. First discovered in 1967 on the Babylonstoring Mountains and described in 1990, this vygie has not been seen since. That was until 2 years ago in Tesselaarsdal, and now on Grootbos Nature Reserve too. Unusual for a vygie, this one is an annual, meaning it will die after flowering and setting seed. Usually found in fire breaks, this small population was found after fires cleared the competing vegetation. A specimen has been submitted to Bolus Herbarium, where the original type specimen is also held. Most have already finished flowering and are seeding, so it would be interesting to see if any pop up again next year.
