Plants of the Week

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E.g., 10/12/2023
E.g., 10/12/2023

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Lampranthus tenuifolius

Flowers
Common names: None
Family: Aizoaceae

Lampranthus tenuifolius is the ideal plant for the harsh conditions experienced on the Cape Flats. Its waterwise nature and beautiful flowers will provide...

25 / 03 / 2013 | James Deacon | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lannea discolor

New leaves
Common names: dikbas (Afr.); live-long, tree grape (Eng.); morulamopsane, mokgôkgôthwane (Sepedi); muvhumbu (Venda)
Family: Anacardiaceae

...

12 / 11 / 2012 | T.T. Masupa | Pretoria NBG
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Leucospermum vestitum

Leucospermum vestitum, orange-red flowerheads
Common names: silky-haired pincushion (Eng.); bergluisie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Leucospermum vestitum is a very showy pincushion with greyish foliage and large, two-toned flowerheads that start out bright orange and mature to brilliant...

16 / 05 / 2016 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucospermum harpagonatum

Leucospermum harpagonatum
Common names: McGregor pincushion
Family: Proteaceae

An unusual creeping, mat-forming pincushion, with reddish, trailing stems and pinkish red flower heads in spring, that makes a pleasant groundcover for...

20 / 04 / 2020 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Limeum aethiopicum

Limeum aethiopicum
Common names: pest lizard’s-foot (Eng.); koggelmandervoet, koggelmandervoetkaroo, aarbossie, boesmandagga (Afr.)
Family: Limeaceae

Limeum aethiopicum is a well-grazed veld plant, best suited to the arid areas because it is drought resistant....

29 / 08 / 2022 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Lapeirousia corymbosa

Lapeirousia corymbosa
Common names: blue cabong (Eng.); bloucabong, koringblom, koringblommetjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Lapeirousia corymbosa is now classified as Codonorhiza corymbosa  ...

07 / 01 / 2013 | Sarah-Leigh Hutchinson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Laportea grossa

Foliage
Common names: spotted nettle (Eng.); gevlekte brandnetel (Afr.); ubazi, ububasa (Xhosa); imbabazane, imbathi (Zulu)
Family: Urticaceae

Laportea grossa has decorative, glossy dark green foliage with conspicuous white spots - an excellent plant to brighten up a shady bed, but it needs careful...

03 / 03 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria reillyana

Ledebouria reillyana grows well in containders
Common names: Reilly’s African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A dwarf, cryptic bulbous plant, hidden deep in remote bush in the heart of Eswatini, usually producing one or two broad leaves and inconspicuous, strongly...

05 / 09 / 2022 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Lasiospermum bipinnatum

Plant in flower: Photo Anthony Magee
Common names: ganskweek, gansbossie (Afr.); cocoonhead (Eng.)
Family: Asteraceae

Lasiospermum bipinnatum is a prolific and showy perennial daisy with beautiful white-rayed flowerheads and aromatic leaves. Although it has been recorded...

18 / 06 / 2012 | B Busch | Compton Herbarium
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Ledebouria sandersonii

Ledebouria sandersonii
Common names: fairy African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

An attractive dwarf species with brightly coloured flowers, which makes an attractive pot plant or addition to a grassland garden. This widespread Ledebouria...

12 / 02 / 2018 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Laurophyllus capensis

Laurophyllus capensis female tree in habitat
Common names: iron martin (Eng.); ystermartiens, filabos(sie), vlakwitels (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Reindeer antlers on an African tree? Endemic to the Western and Eastern Cape, the iron martin has separate male and female trees. The female trees carry...

25 / 05 / 2009 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Lebeckia

Lebeckia sepiaria
Common names: ganna (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

The genus Lebeckia is a group of 14 species that occur in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. All the species have attractive...

21 / 02 / 2011 | S Boatwright | Compton Herbarium
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Ledebouria crispa

Ledebouria crispa (John N. Trager, Huntington Botanical Garden)
Common names: Polokwane African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Although rare in cultivation, this interesting dwarf ledebouria with its narrow, strongly crinkled, green to grey grey-green leaves, makes an attractive...

06 / 06 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria genus

Ledebouria cooperi
Common names: African hyacinth, ledebouria, common squill.
Family: Hyacinthaceae

The genus Ledebouria was described in 1821 by Roth, although the history of the genus dates back even further, with several authors placing it...

11 / 07 / 2011 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Leucospermum gueinzii

Leucospermum gueinzii
Common names: kloof fountain-pincushion, kloof pincushion (Eng.); luisiesbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

An attractive shrub with bright green leaves tipped with red teeth, covered with yellow and orange flowers that change to crimson when mature....

26 / 02 / 2018 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria zebrina

Ledebouria zebrina
Common names: giant false scilla; giant African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This large attractive bulbous plant is the largest of all the ledebourias, the handsome broad leaves which are often marked with dark purple-brown...

25 / 11 / 2013 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Leonotis leonurus

Leonotis leonurus
Common names: wild dagga, lion's ear, leonotis (Eng.); wildedagga, duiwelstabak (Afr); imvovo, utywala-bengcungcu, umfincafincane, umunyamunya (isiXhosa); umfincafi
Family: Lamiaceae

This plant is a firm favourite in South African gardens for its colourful flower display coupled with its ability to attract nectar feeding sunbirds by...

04 / 05 / 2015 | B Busch | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ledebouria linioseta

Ledebouria linioseta
Common names: scented African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A cryptic, dwarf, bulbous plant species; the plants hiding between huge boulders in the hills around a small town above the Mpumalanga escarpment, producing...

18 / 05 / 2020 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Lessertia

Lessertia - pressed herbarium specimen
Family: Fabaceae

This group of plants, which now includes Sutherlandia (the cancer bush group), is reported to be useful medicinally and also good for pasture....

04 / 10 / 2004 | Tandiwe Nkonki | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Leucadendron argenteum

Leucadendron argenteum growing wild on the Kirstenbosch Estate.
Common names: silver tree (Eng.), witteboom, silwerboom (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

The sight of these giant silver proteas against the mountain must be one of nature's finest and is one to treasure. These beautiful trees, with their...

02 / 10 / 2000 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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