Exploring Pigeon Valley: The Black Bird-Berry

EVERYWHERE throughout Pigeon Valley one can find a shrub, sometimes a tree, with thick, glossy-green leaves and, in summer and autumn, bright yellow flowers. These give way to fruits that start yellow or red and then turn black.

This is Psychotria capensis, to give the scientific name.

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The ‘psycho’ part of the name is apparently related to the life-giving qualities of its use in medicine.

This sub-canopy tree does well in both shade and sun; it is one of the few that we can find on the northern slopes of the reserve underneath the tallest forest trees, often next to similar small trees like Natal Forest Loquat and Natal Milkplum.

The fruit is very popular with birds – I have seen Dark-capped Bulbuls, Terrestrial Brownbuls and Sombre Greenbuls jostling each other to get to it.

Here I was lucky to catch a Spotted Ground-Thrush that left its typical fare of earthworms and grubs to select one of the tasty berries.

Crispin Hemson chairs the Friends of Pigeon Valley, a group that undertakes clearing of alien plants, keeps records of bird and mammal sightings and alerts management to any problems.

The Friends have a monthly walk at 7.30am on the second Saturday of each month. Email: friendsofpigeonvalley1@gmail.com.

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