kobie's Identifications

Pink-lipped Agate Snail with retracted undercarriage.

This snail appears to have retreated into its shell for winter. Our dog unearthed it, and being a Labrador it kindly brought it to my office as a gift.
I post this ob to show the pink lip and columella of a specimen that I think is clearly A. immaculata. It appears that large or giant land snails in the Lowveld and Kruger Park are often misidentified as A. fulica. I also used to do that. This summer, I picked up and examined every giant land snail I came across in the Hoedspruit area. They all had bright pink lips and columellae.

Pink-lipped Agate Snail with retracted undercarriage.

This snail appears to have retreated into its shell for winter. Our dog unearthed it, and being a Labrador it kindly brought it to my office as a gift.
I post this ob to show the pink lip and columella of a specimen that I think is clearly A. immaculata. It appears that large or giant land snails in the Lowveld and Kruger Park are often misidentified as A. fulica. I also used to do that. This summer, I picked up and examined every giant land snail I came across in the Hoedspruit area. They all had bright pink lips and columellae.

Common lantana

Invasive pretty flower with foul leaves smelling when crushed. Invasive and spreading, specimen estimate 2m high. In comparison with (L. rugosa) specimens seen in same locality.

1. Flowers often multi colored (single pink).
2. Recurved thorns on stems (no thorns, albeit rough)
3. Leaves are smoother with less protruding veins beneath.
4. Found in disturbed area on road side. (Undisturbed at top of cliff.)
5. Spreading aggressively (not spreading).

Little forest Gerbera

Small white flower on long stem (up to 20-3- cm). Stem hairy. Leaves quite rounded.Growing in forests all along the Otter Trail from the Tsitsikamma rest camp to Natures Valley - often in clumps.