Plants of the Week

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E.g., 11/09/2024
E.g., 11/09/2024

Cyrtanthus leucanthus

Cyrtanthus leucanthus
Common names: white fire lily (Eng.); witbergpypie (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Cyrtanthus leucanthus, stimulated to flower by fire, is a threatened species of the largest African genus in the Amaryllidaceae family....

12 / 03 / 2012 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW
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Carissa sebrabergensis

Carissa sebrabergensis
Common names: Sebraberg numnum (Eng.); Sebraberg-noemnoem (Afr.)
Family: Apocynaceae

The Sebraberg numnum is a rare shrub from the Sebraberg in northern Kaokoveld, Namibia. It is a diminutive, layered evergreen, spiny shrub, with small...

02 / 01 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cyrtanthus ventricosus

Flowers. Photo Colin Paterson Jones
Common names: fire lily; brandlelie (Afrikaans)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

This plant, a true fire lily, defies the elements by producing its beautiful, salmon to scarlet blooms just nine days after the seemingly destructive effects...

07 / 10 / 2013 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium
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Coleus hadiensis

Coleus hadiensis inflorescence
Common names: hairy coleus (Eng.); harigesalie (Afr.); ilozane (isiXhosa); lehlati, imbozisa (Zulu)
Family: Lamiaceae

An attractive perennial shrub, with decorative aromatic foliage, suitable for planting in humid, moist and lightly shaded areas in small gardens....

02 / 06 / 2014 | Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Coleus madagascariensis

Coleus madascariensis 'Lynne'
Common names: thicket coleus, Madagascar coleus, candle plant (Eng.); ruigtemuishondblaar, Madagaskarmuishondblaar (Afr.); iboza lehlathi, ilozane (isiZulu)
Family: Lamiaceae

A robust, water-wise and attractive garden plant that will reliably provide colour in the garden....

09 / 06 / 2014 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cyanella hyacinthoides

Cyanella hyacinthoides
Common names: lady’s hand (Eng.); blouraaptol, dolraap, klipraap, raap, raapdol, raaptol, raaptoluintjie, raapuintjie, tolraap (Afr.)
Family: Tecophilaeaceae

...

10 / 08 / 2020 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Cotyledon tanquana

Cotyledon tanquana
Common names: Tanqua cotyledon (Eng.); tankwaplakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

The Tanqua cotyledon (Cotyledon tanquana) is a recently named succulent shrublet from the Tanqua Karoo in the Western Cape. It has sticky, yellowish green,...

17 / 08 / 2020 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cotyledon tomentosa subsp. ladismithiensis

Cotyledon tomentosa subsp.ladismithiensis
Common names: Ladismith bear’s paw
Family: Crassulaceae

Cotyledon tomentosa subsp. ladismithiensis is a medium-sized shrub, with succulent, hairy leaves and stems. It occurs in rock outcrops, shallow soil and...

23 / 02 / 2015 | Ntuthuko Mabuya | Karoo Desert NBG
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Crassula cremnophila

Crassula cremnophila
Common names: cliff crassula (Eng.); kransrosie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

Crassula cremnophila is a rare, dwarf, cluster-forming, cliff-dwelling succulent, up to 70 mm high, with leaves in a tight, hemispherical, bluish green...

31 / 08 / 2020 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Curio radicans

Curio radicans
Common names: baboon toes, banana vine, creeping berry, necklace plant, string-of-bananas, string-of-fishhooks (Eng.); bobbejaantoontjies, bobbejaanvingertjies, bok
Family: Asteraceae

Curio radicans is a versatile succulent which can either act as a ground cover or an overflowing hanging pot plant; it is a beautiful addition to any garden...

18 / 06 / 2018 | Ashton Welcome | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Colpoon compressum

Colpoon compressum
Common names: Cape sumach, coast tannin bush (Eng.); wildepruim, wurgbessie, basbessie, kuslooibas, namtarri (Afr.); mtekaaza, umbalanythi (Xhosa); umbulanyathi (Zu
Family: Santalaceae

Colpoon compressum, is a very decorative and useful plant in cultivation as well as in its natural habitat. It is a hemi-parasitic plant, in...

29 / 05 / 2006 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Capparis tomentosa

Capparis tomentosa (Graham Grieve, iSpot)
Common names: woolly caper bush (Eng.), wollerige kapperbos, wag-‘n-bietjie (Afr.), inkunzi-ebomvu, iqwaningi, umqoqolo, ukhokhwana, umabusane (isiZulu), imfishlo
Family: Capparaceae

Capparis tomentosa is a decorative garden plant that is used for hedging in many rural communities in South Africa. Its most popular common name, wag-‘n-bietjie...

10 / 10 / 2016 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Crossyne guttata

Crossyne guttata (Hedi Stummer)
Common names: parasol lily, April fool lily (Eng.); sambreelblom (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

This is a popular winter growing bulb, chosen mostly for its broad leaves that are fringed with brown hair-like bristles....

01 / 08 / 2016 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Canthium spinosum

Canthium spinosum (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: thorny turkey-berry, coastal turkey-berry, coastal canthium, thorny rock-alder (Eng.); doringklipels, doringbokdrol (Afr.); ubuchopho benja, isiphamba
Family: Rubiaceae

A shrub or small tree with spiny branches, pale grey bark and edible berries that are also popular with birds. It makes an excellent hedge, and the wood...

16 / 07 / 2018 | Cathbert Makgakga | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ceriops tagal

Ceriops tagal (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: Indian mangrove (Eng), Indiese wortelboom (Afr), isinkaha (Zul.)
Family: Rhizophoraceae

A compact branched tree or shrub with a distinctive root growth, fascinating growth habit and seeds, occurring in the tidal estuaries, lagoons and swamps,...

23 / 07 / 2018 | Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Canthium armatum

Ripe fruits of Canthium armatum. Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: armed turkey-berry, false turkey-berry (Eng.); valsbokdrol, basterbokdrol (Afr.); umphembedu, umvuthwamini, isikhwakwane-inkomazi (isiZulu); mufhaladz
Family: Rubiaceae

A shrub or small armed tree with fragrant white flowers in summer followed by edible fruits, yellow or reddish when ripe, with a shape that varies based...

06 / 03 / 2023 | Mulweli Maswoliedza | Compton Herbarium
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Cineraria cyanomontana

Cineraria cyanomontana. Photo Glynis Goodman-Cron
Common names: Blouberg cineraria
Family: Asteraceae

Cineraria cyanomontana is a small herbaceous plant endemic to the Blouberg Mountain in Limpopo Province. It is a perennial plant with grey or ash-coloured...

13 / 03 / 2023 | Lesibana Petrus Maema | Thohoyandou NBG
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Cotula barbata

Cotula barbata, white-flowered and yellow-flowered forms co-occuring. Photo Anthony Magee
Common names: gansogies, kleinganskos, knoppiesopslag (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Cotula barbata is a widespread, yellow- or white-flowered annual that occurs in the Western Cape and Northern Cape of South Africa.Fig. 1. Cotula barbata,...

20 / 03 / 2023 | Aarifah Jakoet | Compton Herbarium
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Cotyledon barbeyi var. soutpansbergensis

Cotyledon barbeyi var. soutpansbergensis by Vicki Thomas
Common names: Soutpansberg cliff-cotyledon (Eng.), Soutpansberg krans-plakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

The Soutpansberg cliff-cotyledon is only known from cliffs along the northern foothills of the Soutpansberg, Limpopo Province, South Africa. It is a small,...

20 / 03 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Crassula sarmentosa var. sarmentosa

Crassula sarmentosa var. sarmentosa in flower, Kirstenbosch NBG.
Common names: trailing jade plant (Eng.)
Family: Crassulaceae

A decorative ground cover with trailing stems and succulent leaves with serrated edges, that produces heads of white, star-shaped flowers in winter....

27 / 03 / 2023 | Shane Koorbanally | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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