Plants of the Week

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E.g., 26/09/2023
E.g., 26/09/2023

Erythrophysa transvaalensis

Erythrophysa transvaalensis
Common names: Transvaal red balloon (Eng.); Transvaalse rooiklapperbos (Afr.)
Family: Sapindaceae

Erythrophysa transvaalensis is an exciting deciduous shrub or small tree, suitable for small gardens in frost-free areas....

17 / 04 / 2006 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euclea crispa

Euclea crispa foliage © G. Nichols
Common names: blue guarri (Eng.); bloughwarrie (Afr.); iyeza-lokuxaxazisa, umgwali (isiXhosa), motlhaletsogane (Setswana); idungamuzi, umgwali (isiZulu), gwari (Ped
Family: Ebenaceae

The blue guarri is a nea, well-shaped tree ideally suited to smaller gardens....

09 / 08 / 2010 | N Stoll | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Euclea divinorum

Euclea divinorum, female flowers.  Image Geoff Nichols
Common names: magic guarri (English); towerghwarrie (Afrikaans); mohlakola (Northern Sotho); umhlangula, ubophanyamazane, umncafuzana (Zulu); umdlelanyamatane (Swat
Family: Ebenaceae

The magic guarri is a useful medicinal plant. Although not very tasty to humans, its fruit is enjoyed by birds. The tree is also said to have supernatural...

27 / 01 / 2014 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Elegia persistens

Elegia persistens
Common names: handsome goldreed
Family: Restionaceae

 A very attractive, medium-sized, reed-like perennial, with golden-brown flower heads, that can be used to enliven any garden....

24 / 02 / 2020 | Thembakazi Dyariwe | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euclea natalensis

Euclea natalensis tree
Common names: Natal guarri, Natal ebony, large-leaved guarri (Eng.); Natalghwarrie, berggwarrie, swartbasboom (Afr.); umTshekisani, umKhasa (Xhosa); iDungamuzi, iCh
Family: Ebenaceae

Euclea natalensis is an adaptable, easy-to-grow tree with a neat, dense, rounded crown of dark green foliage, decorative pale, gold-tinged new growth,...

08 / 02 / 2010 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euclea undulata

Branch with leaves
Common names: small-leaved guarri, common guarri (Eng.); kleinblaarghwarrie, gewone ghwarrrie (Afr.); bergebenholzstrauch (Ger.); gwanxe, inkunzane, umshekizane, um
Family: Ebenaceae

Euclea undulata is one of the most common small trees across the vast subtropical and central interior regions of southern Africa. It is a most variable...

24 / 06 / 2013 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Eucomis autumnalis

Eucomis autumnalis
Common names: pineapple flower, pineapple lily (E), wildepynappel, krulkoppie (A), ubuhlungu becanti, isithithibala esimathunzi (X), umathunga, ukhokho, umakhandaka
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Handsome, striking, unique, peculiar, these are the kind of words that are used to describe this unusual plant....

21 / 01 / 2002 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eucomis schijffii

Eucomis schijffii
Common names: miniature eucomis
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Eucomis schijffii is an alpine bulb with a striking rosette of bluish-grey leaves and a short raceme of purplish-maroon, fetid blooms. It is frost-hardy...

25 / 07 / 2011 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eucomis vandermerwei

Eucomis vandermerwei
Common names: spotted-leaf eucomis
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Eucomis vandermerwei is a threatened alpine bulb with unusual maroon, fetid flowers and dark green leaves with deep maroon markings and strongly wavy...

30 / 04 / 2012 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eulophia horsfallii

Eulophia horsfallii
Family: Orchidaceae

Eulophia horsfallii ( sometimes called E.rosea) is a magnificent, tall-growing, purple-flowered orchid found in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo...

12 / 05 / 2003 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euphorbia sekukuniensis

Euphorbia sekukuniensis
Common names: Sekhukhune candelabra-tree, Sekhukhune euphorbia (Eng.); sekhukhunenaboom (Afr.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

A rare, small, succulent tree that is endemic in Sekhukhuneland, in Mpumalanga and Limpopo, where it occurs in a specialized habitat....

27 / 11 / 2017 | Ntuthuko Mabuya | Pretoria NBG
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Eulophia speciosa

Close-up of Eulophia speciosa
Family: Orchidaceae

With its fairly large, bright yellow flowers,  Eulophia speciosa, one of the most common and widespread southern African eulophias, is a rewarding...

22 / 11 / 2004 | H Kurzweil | Compton Herbarium
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Eulophia welwitschii

Eulophia welwitschii inflorescence
Common names: umlunge (Zulu)
Family: Orchidaceae

This attractive orchid makes a striking display in summer with its bright yellow inflorescence, especially when occurring in dense stands. It is often...

26 / 01 / 2009 | Beate Hölscher | Pretoria NBG
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Euphorbia barnardii

Euphorbia barnardii
Common names: mokgwakgwatha (Pedi)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia barnardii is an unusual succulent shrub endemic to the Limpopo Province....

26 / 05 / 2008 | Pethole Manyama | CREW
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Euphorbia cooperi

Fruiting branches image ©Geoff Nichols
Common names: bushveld candelabra tree (Eng.); norsdoring (Afr.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia cooperi is a succulent tree up to 7 m tall, with conspicuous candelabra-like branches. This plant has milky latex highly poisonous to humans...

28 / 02 / 2005 | J K Baloyi | Pretoria NBG
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Erica annectens

Bush in flower
Common names: cliff-hanger heath
Family: Ericaceae

This late summer flowering erica  is only found on the Cape Peninsula....

29 / 12 / 2014 | Julia September | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Euphorbia

Euphorbia mauritanica in flower
Common names: spurges, euphorbias
Family: Euphorbiaceae

The great charm of the South African euphorbias lies in their varied appeal. They offer something for every taste. A collection may comprise a few selected...

11 / 04 / 2005 | Robert Archer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Euphorbia clivicola

Family: Euphorbiaceae

This is a critically endangered, low-growing succulent perennial endemic to the Limpopo Province. It has short, spiny, 4-angled branches arising from an...

30 / 04 / 2012 | Lerato Hoveka | CREW
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Encephalartos ghellinckii

Encephalartos ghellinckii
Common names: Drakensberg cycad (Eng.); drakensbergbroodboom (Afr.); isidawu (Zul.); umguza (Xho.)
Family: Zamiaceae

The Drakensberg cycad should be not be confused with any other species because of its very narrow and exceptionally revolute leaflets, which are unique...

09 / 03 / 2020 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Euphorbia virosa

Euphorbia virosa flowers
Common names: poison euphorbia (Eng.); Boesmansgif, boomgif, gifboom, noors, melkbos, naboom ( Afr.); nhlangaume (Shangana)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia virosa has a short twisted main stem with large branches emerging from it. The stems are 4- or 5-angled with a pair of thorns at the edges....

10 / 06 / 2013 | Z Kontsiwe | Karoo Desert NBG
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