Plants of the Week

Pyrrosia schimperiana

Common names: canyon fern (Eng.); afgrondvaring (Afr.)

Family: Polypodiaceae

A rare fern, only known from the Blyde River Canyon in the Mpumalanga Province, confined to sheer cliffs. The plant grows in small, dense clusters, with...

27 / 03 / 2017 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pyrrosia

Common names: felt ferns

Family: Polypodiaceae

Pyrrosia is a genus of mostly epiphytic and simple-leaved ferns....

02 / 05 / 2005 | Koos Roux | Compton Herbarium

Pycnostachys urticifolia

Common names: hedgehog sage, large hedgehog flower, prickly sage, blue boys, nettle-leaf pycnostachys, dark blue pycnostachys (Eng.); ystervarksalie, groot ystervar

Family: Lamiaceae

See Coleus livingstonei...

07 / 06 / 2020 | | Compton Herbarium

Pycnostachys reticulata

Common names: prickly sage, blue soldier sage (Eng.); stekelsalie (Afr.); umvuthuza, uhlalawane (Zulu)

Family: Lamiaceae

See Coleus kirkii ...

07 / 06 / 2020 | | Compton Herbarium

Putterlickia pyracantha

Common names: false spike-thorn, fire-thorn putterlickia (Eng.); valspendoring, branddoring (Afr.); intlangwana, umhlangwe, umqaqoba (Xho.)

Family: Celastraceae

An awesome multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, with the most attractive flowers that become redder and more showy after they open. Its spiny character makes...

12 / 10 / 2020 | Sephatle Evans Molekoa | Lowveld NBG

Pteronia uncinata

Common names: coast gumbush (Eng.); strandgombos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This honey scented shrublet is a must-have for any coastal garden in the winter rainfall region of South Africa....

17 / 02 / 2014 | Zoleka Maphanga | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Pteronia stricta

Common names: kaatjiegert, kaatjiegertbossie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Pteronia stricta is an upright shrub with showy yellow flower heads that appear almost throughout the year....

06 / 10 / 2014 | Hannelie Snyman | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pteronia aspera

Common names: sand gumbush (Eng.); sandgombos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

A floriferous, medicinally important shrub, with huge cultural value and commercial potential....

07 / 10 / 2019 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pterolobium stellatum

Common names: red-wing (Eng.); rooivlerk (Afr.); gwambazi or luanakha (Tshivenda)

Family: Fabaceae

Pterolobium stellatum is a tall, scrambling or climbing shrub with woody rope-like stems....

07 / 12 / 2009 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Pterodiscus luridus

Common names: lurid flowered pterodiscus

Family: Pedaliaceae

Pterodiscus luridus has a large swollen caudex aboveground that resembles a miniature baobab, particularly noticeable when the stems die back in winter...

17 / 02 / 2020 | Lufuno Nenungwi | Free State NBG

Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus

Common names: candlewood, cherrywood (English), kershout, kersiehout, rooikersiehout, witpeer, witpeerhout (Afrikaans), iBholo, iTywina, uTwina (isiXhosa).

Family: Celastraceae

When in fruit this widely distributed, evergreen bush or tree is a lovely sight, decorated with masses of brilliant orange fruit, which are enjoyed by...

29 / 08 / 2005 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Pterocarpus rotundifolius

Common names: Muhataha (Tshivenda), round-leaved bloodwood (Eng.), dopperkiaat (Afr.)

Family: Fabaceae

Flowers of Pterocarpus rotundifolius are strongly honey-scented. Bee-keepers like to plant this tree as a good source of nectar and food for bees....

03 / 03 / 2003 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Pretoria NBG

Pterocarpus angolensis

Common names: kiaat, bloodwood, paddle-wood, sealing-wax tree, wild teak, Transvaal teak (Eng.); kiaat, bloedhout, dolfhout, greinhout, kajatenhout, lakhout, wilde-

Family: Fabaceae

A brown and papery, spiky, fried egg is what the seed pod of this beautiful tree looks like. The pods remain on the tree long after the leaves have fallen...

03 / 02 / 2003 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Pteleopsis myrtifolia

Common names: stink-bushwillow (South Africa), two-winged stinkbush (Namibia), two-winged stink-bushwillow (Zimbabwe); stinkboswilg; musunganyemba (ChiManyika), mus

Family: Combretaceae

Here we have a very attractive and under-appreciated tree, most often seen in one of the most unusual environments in South Africa, namely the sandveld...

30 / 05 / 2011 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Ptaeroxylon obliquum

Common names: Sneezewood, Nieshout, umThathi (Xhosa

Family: Rutaceae

Ptaeroxylon (pronounced 'teroxillon') is a direct Greek translation meaning sneeze and wood; obliquum refers to the oblique leaflets. Umtata in...

27 / 07 / 2001 | Robert Archer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Psychotria capensis

Common names: black bird-berry, bird-berry, bastard lemonwood, lemon bush (Eng.); swart-voelbessie, voelbessie, baster-lemoenhout, lemoenbos (Afr.); iZele, isiThiti

Family: Rubiaceae

Bulbuls, robins and barbets are a few of the locals spotted dining at the black bird-berry, with its attractive glossy foliage and showy red and yellow...

29 / 11 / 2004 | L Badenhorst | Kirstenbosch NBG

Psoralea pinnata

Common names: fountain bush (Eng.); fonteinbos, bloukeur, penwortel (Afr.); umHlonishwa (Zulu)

Family: Fabaceae

Psoralea pinnata is an erect shrub or small tree which grows up to 4 m high, with blue, lilac and white pea-shaped flowers which bloom from October...

23 / 12 / 2002 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG

Pseudoselago serrata

Common names: saw-tooth powderpuff, saw-tooth false selago (Eng.); blouaarbossie (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

This striking, hardy perennial is the perfect filler to provide cheerful mauve blooms which attract butterflies and a host of other insects, increasing...

12 / 12 / 2005 | Antonia Xaba | Harold Porter NBG