Plants of the Week

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E.g., 10/12/2024
E.g., 10/12/2024

Gasteria langebergensis

Gasteria langebergensis
Common names: Langeberg ox-tongue (Eng.); Langeberg-beestong (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria langbergensis is a cluster-forming, leaf succulent with oblong, flattened, slightly wrinkled leaves in two opposite rows (distichous) and bearing...

15 / 11 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria comptonii

Ledebouria comptonii
Common names: Compton’s African Hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A small and attractive species which proliferates to form dense stands, with brightly coloured flowers produced en-masse in early spring. The species is...

15 / 11 / 2021 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Diospyros simii

Diospyros simii
Common names: climbing star-apple, rub-rub berry, star apple (Eng.); ranksterappel, kraaibessie, kraaibessiebos, ranktolbessiebos, tolbessiebos (Afr.); umbongisa (i
Family: Ebenaceae

This fast-growing shrub or small tree grows well in sun or semi shade. It produces white flowers in spring, followed by decorative, orange-red, edible...

08 / 11 / 2021 | Zubayr Sydow | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Homalium dentatum

Homalium dentatum
Common names: brown-ironwood (Eng.); bruinysterhout, basterwitstinkhout (Afr.); idlebelendlovu, umkhakhasi (isiZulu); igqabile, uphantsi-komnga, umgqamkuhulu, inkom
Family: Salicaceae

When walking through the forest, it’s easy to get consumed by the density of the trees and all you see is green plants; this can make it difficult...

08 / 11 / 2021 | Mpho Mathalauga | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Babiana noctiflora

Babiana noctiflora
Common names: night-scented baboon flower, night bobbejaantjie (Eng.); aandbobbejaantjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

A night-scented bobbejaantjie that is rare in fynbos, with yellow flowers that are adapted to their night-flying moth pollinators by remaining open and...

01 / 11 / 2021 | Tamanna Patel | TSP
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Clausena anisata

Clausena anisata
Common names: horsewood (Eng.); perdepis, perdepisboom, lemoenhout, perdeboom, perdebos , perdepisbos , perdepisbossie, stinkbas, basternieshout (Afr.); umnukelambi
Family: Rutaceae

Clausena anisata is a very neat and attractive small tree, that gives off a strong scent that is considered by many to be unpleasant; when the leaves are...

01 / 11 / 2021 | Thamsanqa Msweli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Steirodiscus tagetes

Steirodiscus tagetes
Common names: strandveld yellowweed (Eng.) geelkruid (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A small, wiry-stemmed annual with striking, yellow flowers in spring, endemic to the Greater Cape Floristic Region, and one of the most attractive annuals...

25 / 10 / 2021 | Nosipho Ndlovu | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Struthiola tomentosa

Struthiola tomentosa
Common names: woolly capespray, woolly featherhead (Eng.); veertjie, juffertjie-roer-by-die-nag, roemenaggie (Afr.)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

A slender, tomentose shrublet, with yellow to pale orange flowers in winter, spring and early summer, and yellow, stiff hairs surrounding the petaloid...

25 / 10 / 2021 | Thuli Makhoba | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Commiphora woodii

Commiphora woodii
Common names: forest corkwood (Eng.); boskanniedood (Afr.); iminele, wehlathi, umhlunguthi (isiXhosa); iminyela, umdewehlathi, umubu, umunde wehlathi (isiZulu)
Family: Burseraceae

The forest corkwood is one of the few corkwoods that does not have flaking or peeling bark. ...

18 / 10 / 2021 | Siphesihle Precious Sibiya | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eugenia natalitia

Eugenia natalitia
Common names: forest myrtle (Eng.); bosmirt (Afr.); mukavha-mahunguvhu, murambo-thavha, musiri, tshitawatawane (Venda); umthintane, umbhovane, imanzana (Zulu); inch
Family: Myrtaceae

If you want your garden to be bursting with butterflies, bees and birds (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t), then this is the plant for you!...

18 / 10 / 2021 | Rowan Wilson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ruellia cordata

Ruellia cordata
Common names: veld violet (Eng.); grasveldviooltjie (Afr.)
Family: Acanthaceae

Ruellia cordata is known by its softly hairy, greyish leaves and showy pink, purple-blue or white flowers with purple streaks, in spring and early summer;...

11 / 10 / 2021 | Noko Molokomme | Pretoria NBG
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Pelargonium caledonicum

Pelargonium caledonicum
Common names: Caledon storksbill
Family: Geraniaceae

The conspicuous and unique Caledon Storksbill is one of South Africa’s most rare pelargoniums, only known to occur in the Caledon region of the Western...

11 / 10 / 2021 | Sithandokuhle Wendy Ngcongo | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Grewia caffra

Grewia caffra
Common names: climbing raisin, yellow starflower (Eng.); rankrosyntjie (Afr); ilalanyathi, umunyumunu, iphata, iklolo, isaka, isilandula (isiZulu); likholo, (siSwat
Family: Malvaceae

A multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with a climbing habit, often seen sprawling into nearby plants for support. It bears striking, yellow, star-like flowers...

04 / 10 / 2021 | Robert Jooste | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Kumara genus

Striking mass of fan-like rosettes of Kumara plicatilis. Photo A.W. Klopper
Common names: fan aloes (Eng.); waaieraalwyne (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

With their strap-like leaves arranged in the shape of a fan—hence the common names applied to the two species included in Kumara—these plants...

04 / 10 / 2021 | Ronell R. Klopper | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Erica bolusiae var. cyathiformis

Erica bolusiae var. cyathiformis
Common names: Kraaifontein heath
Family: Ericaceae

The Kraaifontein heath is Extinct in the Wild and could have become Extinct, had it not been for the actions of one individual. It is a variable and attractive...

27 / 09 / 2021 | Kamogelo Solomon Modimola | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe corallina

Aloe corallina
Common names: Kunene coral aloe (Eng.), Kunene-koraalaalwyn, Kunene-kransaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

The Kunene coral aloe is at once distinguished by its pendent rosettes of grey-green, unarmed leaves, and coral-red, tubular flowers, 32 mm long, in a...

27 / 09 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euphorbia clavarioides

Euphorbia clavarioides
Common names: lion’s spoor (Eng.), grootvingerpol, slangpol, melkpol (Afr.), isihlekehleke, isantilele (isiZulu), sehlehle, sehloko, thethebale (Sesotho)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia clavarioides is a succulent perennial that forms neat, cushion-like clumps of tightly packed stems, just above ground level, with beautiful yellow...

20 / 09 / 2021 | Bathabile Ndlovu | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Cyclopia pubescens

Cyclopia pubescens
Common names: Algoa honeybush, fluffy honeybush (Eng.); Algoa-heuningtee, donsigheuningtee (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Cyclopia pubescens is a very attractive, yet highly threatened species, endemic to the extreme east of the Fynbos Biome. Its club-like clusters of vibrant...

20 / 09 / 2021 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW
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Erica lateralis

Erica lateralis
Common names: button heath (Eng.); knopiesheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

This sturdy evergreen shrub boasts with masses of rosy to pink flowers from late summer until early winter, around February to June. It is ideal for mass...

13 / 09 / 2021 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Synaptolepis oliveriana

Synaptolepis oliveriana
Common names: chalk-stick root (Eng); uvuma omhlophe (isiZulu)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

Synaptolepis oliveriana is a much-branched, scrambling shrub, with spear-shaped leaves and sweetly scented, creamy yellow flowers in summer; the plant...

13 / 09 / 2021 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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