The reserve’s most memorable area must be the beautiful Jao Flats, a series of huge open floodplains, dotted with tiny islands that are often only a few metres across. These vast floodplains are covered in a mix of very sparse vegetation, much of which is the aptly-named hippo grass, Vossia cuspidata, which has round, slender leaves, pointing periodically out of the water by up to a metre. Often these have a tiny flower spike on top, reminiscent of a minute papyrus head.
Much taller and denser are the stands of tall common reeds, Miscanthus junceus, and even areas of the attractive bulrush, Typha capensis. The latter have distinctive velvety seedheads and edible roots (which taste a little like chewing gum or sugar cane!). As you’d expect in such a watery area, the deeper parts have thick stands of papyrus.
There’s usually plenty of open, shallow water around, and in the slow-flowing channels look out for water lettuce plants, Ottelia ulvifolia, underwater, with its wavy leaves, long trailing stems and delicate, trumpet-shaped flower held above the surface by a single airbladder.
The many small islands in the area are often little more than bases for the emergence of a ring of bushy wild date palms, Phoenix reclinata, and perhaps the odd real fan palm, Hyphaene petersiana, springing up through the centre of the low canopy, perhaps around a termite mound.
Also look out for the wild dagga plant, Leonotis nepetifolia, with its bright red flowers, like baubles from a Christmas tree. These will remain standing long after they turn brown and die. There are also thickets of the uncommon magic gwarri bush, Euclea divinorum – which is believed by some local people to have wood with supernatural powers. Above these you’ll find rain trees, Lonchocarpus capassa, woodland waterberry trees, Syzygium guineense, and the occasional birdplum, Berchemia discolor.
Some of the bushes on the larger islands here are more typical of drier areas, including the Kalahari appleleaf, Lonchocarpus nelsii, the Kalahari star apple, Diospyros lycioides lycioides – with its bluish-tinge which gives it the name of ‘blue bush’ sometimes. Ask your guide and s/he may show you how its twigs can be used as a toothbrush!
Similarly these larger islands have bands of acacias here, including the umbrella thorn, Acacia tortilis. These become more prevalent as you move further east in the reserve, where you find larger islands, with thicker belts of acacia bush and areas of mopane also. This is the area in which you’ll find Tubu Camp.