Amakhala kunye ne Quivers zase Richtersveld

iiKokerbooms

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Imithi yamakhala ithe saa kuwo wonke umhlaba wase Richtersveld. Le mithi ikwabizwa nge kokerbooms, okanye iiquiver trees. Le mithi inomtsalane, ingaphila kanganeminyaka engama 400, kwaye imila ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo ikwashiyana nangobukhulu. Zixhaphakile kakhulu kwaye ingantshula nakwi misele enamatye, maxa wambi nasecaleni kwendlela. Eligama lesingesi lithi ‘quiver tree’ libhekisele kubazingeli bama Khoikhoi kunye na Bathwa, ababeqele ukufaka amatolo abo kwizihlahla ze kokerboom ezikhutshwe umphakathi ze
eRichtersveld, zi 3 kwezi 5 iindidi ze kokerboom ezifumanekayo. Ezindidi ke zezi zilandelayo:
Ikhala le Quiver Tree/Kokerboom (Aloe dichotoma). Eli khala likhula lifikilele kwi 9m ubude kwaye linesiqu esikhulu esiphakathini kunye namahlahla amakhulu ambaxa kunye namagqabi antshula phezulu. Lifumaneka kwicala elise mpuma kwiintaba zase Stinkfontein kwakunye nakumantla omileyo ase Richtersveld, nalapho livamise ukukhula libelide ze libenamahlahla ambalwa. Ihlathi lemithi ye kokerboom (okanye ikoloni) elise Richtersveld National Park, yeyona ndawo afumaneka kuyo lamakhala akudala- dala.
Ikhala le Pillan’s Quiver Tree, nelikwabizwa nge Bastard Quiver Tree okanye iBasterkokerboom (A. pillansii), likhula libeli 10m ubude kwaye linesiqu esityebileyo. Elikhala linezihlahla ezimbalwa, ezityebileyo kwakunye nezinkulu kunezekhala elihlobone nalo i-A. dichotoma. Izihlahla zelikhala zindikhumbuza iinwele zika Mel, lo udlala kwinkqubo iThe Simpsons. La makhala akhula emazantsi entaba, kufutshane nomlambo i-Orange River; ukusuka eBaken ukuya kuma e Tatasberg. Ikwakhona ke nasemazantsi entaba iDragon’s Back kufutshane nase Eksteenfontein. Xa use Richtersveld National Park, ungawabona lamakhala eHelskloof kunye nase Cornell’s Kop.
Ikhala le Maiden’s Quiver Tree, okanye iNooienskokerboom (A. ramosissima): Le ntlobo yekhala alixhaphakanga kanje ngezinye iintlobo ze kokerboom. Eli khala limile okwehlahla hayi njengo mthi. Linezihlahla ezininzi eziqala emazantsi asesiphakathini kwesiqu salo. Lingakhula libezimitha eziliqela ubude kwaye livelisa iintyantyambo ezimbala ogqamileyo otyheli. Iintyatyambo zalo zivamise ukudubula ngenyanga ka Meyi. Lifumaneka ngaphezulwana ukusuka kumazantsi entaba, maxa wambi liyakhula nasecaleni kwemilambo.

Ihlahla Elinqabileyo

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Ikhala lohlobo lwe Pearson’s Aloe (Aloe pearsonii), lihlahla apha elinqabileyo. Kodwa lichume kakhulu eHelskloof ese Richtersveld National Park. Likwakhona nakwintaba ezikufutshane ezingapha komlambo iOrange River, kwilizwe lase Namibia. Eli khala linezihlahla ezininzi ezisezantsi. Ezi zihlahla zinamagqabi angunxantathu ukumila napakisheneyo.
Apakishana abemane kwindawo enye. Njengokuba epakishene nje aye agobele ngezantsi, enze iphatheni entle enomtsalane. Ikoloni yamakhala ohlobo lwe Helskloof ininzi kwaye ezi zityalo zikhula macala omabini eentaba kwindawo ezinamatye. Esi sityalo sithiywe ngo
Dr. H.H.W. Pearson, nowayengusomaqhuzu wokuqala we Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Lo ka Pearson waqala ukuqokelela esi sityalo ngomnyaka ka 1910.

Translated by Zizipho Silwana