Plants of the Week

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E.g., 10/09/2024
E.g., 10/09/2024

Liparia parva

Liparia parva
Common names: small mountain dahlia, yellow nodding-head (Eng.); kleinbergdahlia, kleingeelkoppie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

This elusive shrublet is a localized species with a restricted natural habitat. Not too many people have seen this dainty plant, which makes it extremely...

26 / 06 / 2017 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria petiolata

Ledebouria petiolata
Common names: leopard lily, little white soldiers, small snake lily (Eng.), injobo, ucibicibane (isiZulu)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This wonderful, attractive, small but hardy bulb, previously known as Drimiopsis maculata, is tolerant of neglect and fairly easy to grow, has purple,...

02 / 11 / 2015 | Jermaine Christoffels | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria coriacea

Ledebouria coriacea, each plant produces several long inflorescences.
Common names: leather-leaved African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A rare Ledebouria, restricted to a small area around Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. This relatively unknown species has attractively...

10 / 07 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Lasiosiphon deserticola

Lasiosiphon deserticola 
Common names: saffron curryflower (Eng.); saffraan, saffraanbos, verfbossie, hotnotsverfbossie (Afr.)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

 An evergreen shrub with bright, ochre-yellow, night-scented flowers, which can be used to make a yellow dye....

21 / 10 / 2019 | Odwa Obose | Compton Herbarium
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Ledebouria papillata

Ledebouria papillata
Common names: Limpopo African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A miniature bulbous plant, which occurs mostly in Limpopo Province, South Africa. This dwarf species is often difficult to find because of its small size...

08 / 08 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Lycium horridum

Lycium horridum in fruit
Common names: buck honeythorn (Eng.); bokdoring, kriedoring, kraaldoring, slangbessiebos, wolwedoring (Afr.)
Family: Solanaceae

Lycium horridum, also known as the buck honeythorn, is a thorny shrub with oblong leaves and distinctive orange to red berries. The plant is known to be...

24 / 06 / 2024 | Sedzani Madongo | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ledebouria glauca

Ledebouria glauca
Common names: blue African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A rare and relatively unknown species of African hyacinth from the hot and semi-arid regions of South Africa. This unusual species is very distinctive...

23 / 08 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Lapeirousia jacquinii

Lapeirousia jacquinii
Common names: harlequin cabong, purple cabong, Jacquin's lapeirousia, purple corn-lily, wild violet (Eng.); kabong, paletblaar, rukkeperdjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

A small plant with vibrant purple, white and reddish flowers, best enjoyed at close quarters. It is perfectly suited for pots in small spaces, grows easily...

04 / 04 / 2022 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ledebouria megaphylla

Ledebouria megaphylla
Common names: Sekhukune African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

An attractive bulbous plant with broadly ovate, attractively spotted leaves and purple flowers in spring. The species has fast become popular in horticulture...

18 / 04 / 2022 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Lapeirousia pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis

Lapeirousia pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis
Common names: pyramid cabong, painted petals (Eng.); naeltjie, koringblom (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

This hardy, dwarf irid is ideal for arid areas and has strikingly attractive, fragrant flowers in spring....

27 / 01 / 2020 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Lasiosiphon rigidus

Lasiosiphon rigidus (John Manning)
Common names: none recorded
Family: Thymelaeaceae

A small-leaved shrublet with fragrant, bright chrome-yellow flowers surrounded by vivid yellow bracts, flushed with dark red....

23 / 10 / 2017 | Refilwe Kolokoto | Compton Herbarium
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Ledebouria confusa

Ledebouria confusa, a handsome and attractive plant for full sun.
Common names: grey-leaved African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A medium sized bulbous plant, which occurs across the Highveld areas of the North West, Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga Provinces of South Africa. This...

30 / 10 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Leucadendron chamelaea

Leucadendron chamelaea, female.
Common names: Witsenberg conebush
Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron chamelaea is one of the iconic species of the Upper Breede River Valley. This species once occurred commonly in this area, but through the...

22 / 02 / 2016 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW
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Lachenalia bulbifera

Lachenalia bulbifera
Common names: red lachenalia (Eng.); rooinaeltjie (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

One of the most striking and robust members of this diverse group, Lachenalia bulbifera is an easily grown bulbous plant that really deserves...

31 / 07 / 2006 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lachenalia alba

Flower spike
Common names: white lachenalia (Eng.), witviooltjie (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia alba has a restricted distribution and is only know from the Nieuwoudtville and Calvinia areas, where it grows in colonies....

23 / 12 / 2013 | Eugene Marinus | Hantam NBG
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Lachenalia fistulosa

Plant in flower
Common names: Cape hyacinth; viooltije (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A Cape hyacinth with flowers and scent to rival any European hyacinth....

05 / 08 / 2013 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria lachenalioides

Ledebouria lachenalioides, in flower. ANDREW HANKEY
Common names: pink African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A rare bulbous plant from high in the Drakensberg, with broadly lanceolate, green leaves and large, pink flowers in spring....

27 / 06 / 2022 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Leysera tenella

Leysera tenella
Common names: common wireweed, little tortoise-tea, slender leysera, slender-leaved leysera, small-flowered leysera (Eng.); kleinskilpadteebossie, teebossie, vaalte
Family: Asteraceae

A stunning and adaptable short-lived plant with attractive yellow flowers in spring, distributed throughout the arid and semi-arid habitats of South Africa,...

02 / 09 / 2024 | Thabang Makola | Karoo Desert NBG
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Lachenalia framesii

Lachenalia framesii plants
Common names: viooltjie (Afrikaans)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia framesii has beautiful yellow-green flowers and is found in flat, sandy areas in Namaqualand....

20 / 04 / 2009 | Hester Steyn | Pretoria NBG
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Lachenalia lutea

Lachenalia lutea
Common names: common dwarf yellow viooltjie
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia lutea is a heavily sweet-scented indigenous hyacinth with pale to bright yellow flowers....

26 / 12 / 2011 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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