Plants of the Week

Leucadendron elimense subsp. elimense

Common names: Elim conebush

Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron elimense subsp. elimense is an attractive species not be overlooked when driving along the gravel roads between Elim and Bredasdorp....

16 / 06 / 2008 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG

Faurea saligna

Common names: willow beechwood, African beech (Eng.); Bosveldboekenhout (Afr.); iSefu, umCalathole (Zulu); isiDwadwa, umOnyeli (Ndebele); mohlako, mongena (Northern

Family: Proteaceae

The willowy shape of Faurea saligna is a graceful feature in large gardens and landscapes, and its resistance to termites is a bonus, especially...

09 / 06 / 2008 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Bowkeria citrina

Common names: yellow shell-flower bush (Eng.); geelskulpblombos (Afr.)

Family: Stilbaceae

The wonderful display of the bright yellow flowers, the fragrance of the leaves and the polished brown fruit of Bowkeria citrina, make this beautiful...

09 / 06 / 2008 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Xerophyta retinervis

Common names: black-stick lily ( Eng.); besembos, bobbejaanstert (Afr.); sifunti (Swazi); isigqumana, isiphmba (Zulu)

Family: Velloziaceae

Xerophyta retinervis is a fascinating plant with blackened stems in the winter months but totally transformed in the early summer when covered with...

02 / 06 / 2008 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Syncolostemon teucriifolius

Common names: teucrium-leaved sagebush

Family: Lamiaceae

...

02 / 06 / 2008 | Karen Wall | Kirstenbosch NBG

Justicia campylostemon

Common names: honey justicia (Eng.); isipheka (Zulu)

Family: Acanthaceae

...

26 / 05 / 2008 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

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

Raspalia trigyna

Common names: Pondoland ghost bush

Family: Bruniaceae

The flowering plant family Bruniaceae is almost entirely endemic to fynbos, the typical vegetation of the Cape Floral Kingdom of the Western and Eastern...

19 / 05 / 2008 | Lize Von Staden | TSP

Erica regia subsp . regia

Common names: Elim heath, bell heath, royal heath (Eng.); belletjieheide, elimsheide (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

Erica regia is a very popular garden plant in South Africa and features in many of the older gardening books. It is quite easy to grow and has very...

19 / 05 / 2008 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Jensenobotrya lossowiana

Common names: druiwetrosvygie

Family: Aizoaceae

This perhaps the most peculiar of all the mesembs, found only in a small isolated area in the Namib desert; yet it is easy to propagate....

12 / 05 / 2008 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Brachiaria serrata

Common names: red top grass, velvet signal (Eng.) ; rooisinjaalgras (Afr.)

Family: Poaceae

Brachiaria serrata is a perennial grass with bright green leaves and red or purplish-red spikelets covered in silky hairs....

12 / 05 / 2008 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria

Plectranthus oertendahlii

Common names: silverleaf spurflower, Swedish ivy, Oertendahl's spurflower, November lights ( Eng. ); silwerspoorsalie, bontblaarspoorsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

Plectranthus oertendahlii is a lovely shade-loving groundcover and very striking potplant with silver variegated leaves that are beautiful throughout the...

05 / 05 / 2008 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Bryum argenteum

Common names: silver moss, silvery threads moss

Family: Bryaceae

Bryum argenteum is one of the most cosmopolitan mosses found throughout South Africa. It is most easily recognized by its whitish or silvery green leaves....

05 / 05 / 2008 | Nonkululo Phephu | National Herbarium Pretoria

Ochna pretoriensis

$Flowers: Image Beate \Ssachse$

Common names: Magalies plane ( Eng. ); Magalies-rooihout (Afr.)

Family: Ochnaceae

Ochna pretoriensis is one of the magnificent evergreen shrubs in South Africa, especially in the warm northern regions of South Africa. It flowers...

28 / 04 / 2008 | A Mothapo | National Herbarium Pretoria

Erica caterviflora

Common names: honey tree erica (Eng.); heuningboomheide (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

Erica caterviflora is a magnificent erica that was thought to have become extinct by the early 1990s, but the author rediscovered it in 2006 while...

28 / 04 / 2008 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia

Common names: kudu berry ( Eng. ); koedoebessie (Afr.); Mutondowa (Tshivenda)

Family: Phyllanthaceae

Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia is the only species in this genus. It occurs only on the African continent....

21 / 04 / 2008 | T Ratshibvumo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Chasmanthe bicolor

Common names: red-and-green cobra lily, two-colour chasmanthe (Eng.), suurkanol, suurkanolpypie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Chasmanthe bicolor is a highly ornamental garden subject, which stands out from the other two species in this genus. It is one of three species in the...

21 / 04 / 2008 | Bernard Brown | Kirstenbosch NBG

Leucospermum glabrum

Common names: Outeniqua pincushion

Family: Proteaceae

Leucospermum glabrum, a prolific flowering pincushion, water-wise and hardy, will make a great addition to any garden....

14 / 04 / 2008 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gomphocarpus cancellatus

Common names: wild cotton (Eng.); bergmelkbos, bergtontelbos, dermhout, gansiesbos, katoenbos, melkbos, regopmelkbos (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Gomphocarpus cancellatus, wild cotton, is an elegant bush, which in the sterile state resembles a protea bush. The flowers are accumulated in dense...

14 / 04 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Tarchonanthus littoralis

Common names: coastal camphor bush ( Eng. ); kuskanferbos (Afr.); isiduli selindle (Xhosa); igqeba-elimhlophe, isidulu-sehlathi (Zulu)

Family: Asteraceae

For a small evergreen tree that will thrive in windy, coastal conditions, through drought, and in nutrient-poor, sandy soil, look no further than Tarchonanthus...

07 / 04 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

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