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Helichrysum platypterum

Common names: umbizakayivuthwa, uhlokokayivuthwa, umgunyuza (isiZulu)

Family: Asteraceae

Helichrysum platypterum is equally attractive as other members of the daisy family, more especially when in full bloom. If one is able to dig deep enough...

30 / 04 / 2007 | Mkhipheni Ngwenya | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Ziziphus mucronata

Common names: buffalo thorn (Eng.); blinkblaar-wag-'n-bietjie (Afr.); umphafa, umlahlankosi, isilahla (isiZulu); umphafa (isiXhosa); umlahlabantu (Swazi); mokgalo (

Family: Rhamnaceae

Ziziphus mucronata, or as it is more frequently known, the wag-'n-bietjie tree represents life as we know it. The young twigs are zigzag,...

23 / 04 / 2007 | N Mazibuko | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Phylica ericoides

Common names: heath phylica, ericoid phylica ( Eng. ); hardebos (Afr.)

Family: Rhamnaceae

Phylica ericoides is a tough but decorative little shrub with dark green foliage and masses of showy white flower heads during autumn-winter, perfect...

16 / 04 / 2007 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Commelina africana

Common names: common yellow commelina (Eng.); geeleendagsblom (Afr.); idangabane (Zulu), lekzotswana (Xhosa); khopo, khotsoana, lekxopswana, tabola-lefalo (Southern

Family: Commelinaceae

Commelina africana differs from most other Commelina species by having pretty, small, canary-yellow flowers instead of the usual blue flowers, and also...

09 / 04 / 2007 | C Mudau | National Herbarium Pretoria

Lobelia aquaemontis

Common names: Waterberg lobelia

Family: Lobeliaceae

Flowering with masses of sky-blue flowers, this delicate little lobelia gives a lovely display for many months in summer....

02 / 04 / 2007 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Helichrysum herniarioides

Family: Asteraceae

Once you have seen Helichrysum herniaroides in the veld you will always remember how plentiful it is — almost like a groundcover in sandy areas,...

26 / 03 / 2007 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Disparago anomala

Family: Asteraceae

Disparago plants are very common in the fynbos vegetation but they are often not noticed until they flower. Even then, they are not large and showy but...

19 / 03 / 2007 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Helichrysum molestum

Family: Asteraceae

Helichrysum molestum is one of the attractive everlastings with bright yellow flower heads. The taxonomy of this group caused Dr Hilliard so much trouble...

12 / 03 / 2007 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Crotalaria capensis

Common names: Cape rattle-pod, Cape laburnum (Eng.); Kaapse klapperpeul (Afr.); bukheshezane (Zulu)

Family: Fabaceae

Clusters of large golden yellow flowers and seedpod bunches that rattle with dry seeds make this quick-growing shrub a delight in any garden....

05 / 03 / 2007 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dicoma anomala

Common names: fever bush, stomach bush (Eng.); maagbitterwortel, kalwerbossie, koorsbossie, gryshout, maagbossie (Afr.); hloenya, mohlasetse (South Sotho); inyongan

Family: Asteraceae

Dicoma anomala is a highly variable plant characterized by its stiff, sharp-pointed bracts, large flower heads and mauve-white florets surrounded by many...

26 / 02 / 2007 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Pavetta schumanniana

Common names: poison bride's bush (Eng.); gifbruidsbos (Afr.); Sawoti (siSwati); Tshituku ( Venda ); isiMbuzana (isiZulu)

Family: Rubiaceae

What? A poisonous (or poisoned) bride? Surely that is the starting-point of a third-rate horror movie, or a children's fairy tale! No, in fact the...

12 / 02 / 2007 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Turraea obtusifolia

Common names: small honeysuckle tree, lesser honeysuckle tree, (Eng.); kleinkamperfoelieboom (Afr.); amazulu, ikhambi-lomsinga [roots], ikunzi [roots], ikunzi ebomv

Family: Meliaceae

Turraea obtusifolia is an ornamental shrub with glossy dark green foliage, masses of showy white flowers in summer and decorative orange-red fruits in...

05 / 02 / 2007 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Barleria gueinzii

Common names: bush violet (Eng.); bosviooltjie (Afr.)

Family: Acanthaceae

Barleria gueinzii is an unarmed (without thorns) evergreen shrub, which bears beautiful mauve to blue flowers from February to April and is ideal...

05 / 02 / 2007 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG

Hermannia hyssopifolia

Common names: eight-day healing bush (Eng.); pokkiesblom, agtdaegeneesbossie (Afr.)

Family: Malvaceae

Hermannia hyssopifolia is a native of the Cape but it is known that this plant was grown in famous gardens in Europe more than 200 years ago. It was collected...

29 / 01 / 2007 | J Yeats | Kirstenbosch NBG

Barleria albostellata

Common names: grey barleria (Eng.); grysbarleria, fluweelblaarbosviooltjie (Afr.)

Family: Acanthaceae

This medium to large shrub produces beautiful white tubular flowers in spring and summer. In addition, the velvety grey leaves create a wonderful colour...

29 / 01 / 2007 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG

Dewinteria petrophila

Common names: Kaokoveld klipblom (Afr.)

Family: Pedaliaceae

Dewinteria petrophila is remarkable for its amazing reproduction on cliff faces. Apart from producing normal leaves, fruits and wind-dispersed seed,...

22 / 01 / 2007 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Thunbergia alata

Common names: black-eyed susan (Eng.); swartoognooi (Afr.) ; isiPhondo (Zulu)

Family: Acanthaceae

In much of the warmer world, Thunbergia alata, or black-eyed susan, is well known as a fast-growing, long-flowering, friendly creeper. In South Africa...

15 / 01 / 2007 | S Smithies | Pretoria NBG