Plants of the Week

Dumasia villosa var. villosa

Common names: black bean (Eng.); ukhalimele (isiZulu)

Family: Fabaceae

The beautiful blue seeds of dumasia are what caught my eyes and immediately I thought people should know about this beautiful plant. Also, its linear,...

03 / 08 / 2015 | Tandiwe Nkonki | National Herbarium Pretoria

Chlorophytum cremnophilum

Common names: cliff spider plant, cliff hen and chickens (Eng.); krans hen-en-kuikens (Afr.)

Family: Agavaceae

The cliff spider plant is a new, recently named, cliff-hanger species from the Kouga and Grootrivier tributaries of the Gamtoos, in the Eastern Cape. Unlike...

03 / 08 / 2015 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe ciliaris var ciliaris

This plant is now called Aloiampelos ciliaris var. ciliaris....

30 / 07 / 2015 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Villarsia goldblattiana

Common names: yellow bogbean

Family: Menyanthaceae

Villarsia is a genus of aquatic flowering plants in the family Menyanthaceae. Villarsia is largely restricted to Australia, but some species are found...

27 / 07 / 2015 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Coleus esculentus

Common names: wild potato, veld potato, African potato, Livingstone potato (Eng.); veldaartappel, wilde-aartappel (Afr.); itapile (Xhosa); tsenza (Shona); mutada (V

Family: Lamiaceae

The wild potato is a pleasant aromatic herb with prolific, beautiful, yellow flowers in winter and spring. It is able to withstand a variety of climatic...

27 / 07 / 2015 | B Busch | National Herbarium Pretoria

Willdenowia teres

Common names: None recorded.

Family: Restionaceae

Willdenowia teres belongs to a genus of 12 species of restio, 6 of which occur on the Cape Peninsula. It is a tall rhizomatous plant with male and female...

22 / 07 / 2015 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Schizocarphus nervosus

Common names: white scilla, white wild squill (Eng.); sandlelie (Afr.); seboka (Sesotho); imbita-yebantwana, ndvwendvweni (siSwati); sabantwana, umagaqana, inkwitel

Family: Hyacinthaceae

...

20 / 07 / 2015 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria

Crabbea angustifolia

Common names: prickle head, sheep’s tail (Eng.); thotsanathunya (Setswana)

Family: Acanthaceae

...

15 / 07 / 2015 | Sumarie Slabber | National Herbarium Pretoria

Leucospermum calligerum

Common names: arid pincushion (Eng.); luisiebossie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Leucospermum calligerum is a very interesting lanky pincushion with small, dusky pink inflorescences. It is suited to dry conditions....

13 / 07 / 2015 | Phumza Bavuma | Kirstenbosch NBG

Eucomis bicolor

Common names: forest pineapple flower, variegated pineapple flower (Eng.); bontpynappelblom, bospynappellelie (Afr.); imbola, umbola (isiZulu); khampumpu-ya-thaba (

Family: Hyacinthaceae

...

07 / 07 / 2015 | Dineo Dibakwane | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Diastella thymelaeoides subsp. meridiana

Common names: Hangklip silkypuff (Eng.)

Family: Proteaceae

The Hangklip silkypuff is a rare gem, endemic to the Kogelberg, Hangklip and Betty’s Bay area. Its pretty star-like flowers, present for most...

07 / 07 / 2015 | Victoria Wilman | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cryptostephanus

Common names: none known

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Cryptostephanus is a curious, little-known genus comprising three species from Namibia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya. It is most closely...

29 / 06 / 2015 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Watsonia angusta

Common names: red watsonia (Eng.); grootrooipypie, rooipypie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

This beautiful plant, with striking red flowers, grows from an underground corm. It has light green leaves shaped like a sword. The plant is useful...

29 / 06 / 2015 | Bathabile Ndlovu | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Cymbopogon caesius

Common names: common turpentine grass, broad-leaved turpentine grass (Eng.); lemoengras, buchugras (Afr.); iMbanjana (Ndebele); muWaa (Kalanga); Moshanyna-oa-marall

Family: Poaceae

Cymbopogon caesius is a densely tufted perennial grass, which has swollen lowest racemes (an unbranched inflorescence axis with pedicellate spikelets)...

22 / 06 / 2015 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria

Erica cameronii

Common names: Hex River heath, Cameron heath, crimson heath (Eng.); heksrivierheide (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

Erica cameronii is a strikingly beautiful, rock-dwelling species, limited to high altitudes in the Hex River Mountains. One particular shrub known amongst...

22 / 06 / 2015 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Lachnaea densiflora

Common names: blushing mountain carnation (Eng.); bergangelier (Afr.)

Family: Thymelaeaceae

The rare Lachnaea densiflora flowers in spring along the Palmiet River and in the Klein River Mountains to Bredasdorp in the Western Cape....

15 / 06 / 2015 | Nosiphelele Patricia Mapukata | Harold Porter NBG

Gloriosa superba

Common names: flame lily, climbing lily, Turk’s cap, superb lily, glory lily, gloriosa lily (Eng.); vlamlelie, boslelie, geelboslelie, rooiboslelie (Afr.); ihlamv

Family: Colchicaceae

Gloriosa superba is a striking climber with unusual and beautiful, red and yellow, flame-like flowers in summer; it is suitable for shade or sun, and is...

15 / 06 / 2015 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Kleinia cephalophora

Common names: blazing glory, mountain fire, cliff kleinia

Family: Asteraceae

Kleinia cephalophora is a striking succulent-stemmed perennial, with blue-green leaves and large, beautiful, nodding flowerheads....

08 / 06 / 2015 | Luvo Magoswana | Compton Herbarium

Streptocarpus parviflorus

Common names: Cape primrose, wild gloxinia (Engl.)

Family: Gesneriaceae

This is a stemless, soft herbaceous, pot plant, with clusters of white, tubular flowers showing pretty violet streaks in a pale yellow throat....

08 / 06 / 2015 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Macowania corymbosa

The flowerbuds of M. corymbosa form attractive, woolly balls at the tips of the stems.

Common names: No common names are recorded for this species.

Family: Asteraceae

Macowania corymbosa is an extremely attractive shrub. Its slender leaves create a vivid, moss-green foliage that is topped by a bouquet-like cluster of...

01 / 06 / 2015 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium

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