Plants of the Week

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E.g., 11/10/2024
E.g., 11/10/2024

Sphagnum

Sphagnum fimbriatum
Common names: peat moss, bog moss, turf moss
Family: Sphagnaceae

Sphagnum is a cosmopolitan as well as economically and ecologically important genus of mosses. ...

23 / 03 / 2009 | Nonkululo Phephu | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Sphenostylis angustifolia

Sphenostylis angustifolia showing handedness
Common names: wild sweet-pea (Eng.); wilde-ertjie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Sphenostylis angustifolia, or the wild sweet-pea, is a lovely green perennial shrublet with an extensive woody rootstock that decorates the Highveld with...

01 / 12 / 2008 | Alicia Grobler | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Spiloxene

Spiloxene capensis.  Photo C. Paterson-Jones
Common names: golden star (Eng.); sterretjie (Afr.)
Family: Hypoxidaceae

...

24 / 09 / 2007 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium
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Spirostachys africana

Fruits of the tamboti.Photo: G Nichols
Common names: tamboti (Eng.); tambotie (Afr.); umThombothi (Zulu); Modiba (Northern Sotho); umThombotsi (siSwati); Ndzopfori (Tsonga); Morukuru (Tswana); Muonze (ts
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Renowned for its beautiful wood, Spirostachys africana is a medium-sized, semi-deciduous tree with a round crown which occurs in low altitude bushveld,...

04 / 10 / 2004 | Avhurengwi Phillemon Ndou | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Stangeria eriopus

Growing in Kirstenbosch
Common names: Stanger`s cycad, Natal grass cycad (Eng.); bobbejaankos (Afr.); Imfingo (Zulu); Umfingwani (Xhosa)
Family: Zamiaceae

Stangeria eriopus, not often seen in cultivation, develops into a most attractive perennial with large fern-like leaves, which is why it is often mistaken...

13 / 11 / 2006 | John Winter | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Stapelia

Stapelia gigantea
Common names: carrion flower (Eng.); aasblom (Afr.)
Family: Apocynaceae

Known globally as African starfish flowers, and locally as carrion flowers, members of the genus Stapelia are usually characterised by their...

27 / 11 / 2006 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Stayneria neilii

In flower
Common names: white-flowered mesemb (Eng.); witblomvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Scarce in cultivation, this attractive water-wise succulent shrub is not well known in horticulture but is ideal for arid gardens in the winter-rainfall...

25 / 02 / 2013 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Stenoglottis fimbriata

Stenoglottis fimbriata
Common names: fringed Stenoglottis (Eng.); fraiing-stenoglottis (Afr.)
Family: Orchidaceae

This charming, mauve, ground orchid is easily identified by the dark markings found on the leaves and flowers....

24 / 03 / 2003 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Stenoglottis woodii

Stenoglottis woodii
Family: Orchidaceae

This easy to grow, miniature, terrestrial orchid from the eastern seaboard of South Africa, provides a long-flowering summer display on a protected patio...

07 / 02 / 2005 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Stenostelma umbelliferum

Flowerhead
Family: Apocynaceae

Stenostelma umbelluliferum was recently moved to the genus Stenostelma. Previously known as Schizoglossum umbelluliferum, it  was rediscovered in...

31 / 03 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Sterculia rogersii

Sterculia rogersii flowers
Common names: star-chestnut (Eng.); sterkastaiing (Afr.); mokgwakgwatha (NS); samani, nsolodza (Ts)
Family: Malvaceae

This is a small tree with smooth bark flaking to reveal reddish to purple or yellowish under-bark and a characteristic thickset trunk. It has saucer-shaped,...

21 / 03 / 2011 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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Sterculia murex

Immature fruits of S.murex.
Common names: lowveld chestnut(E), laeveld kastaiing (A) umbhaba (Swazi), mohlatsane (N Sotho)
Family: Malvaceae

It is not only the beauty of the flowers that creates interest in this tree, but also the unique appearance of its fruit and the lovely, palmately compound...

01 / 07 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Stoeberia arborea

Rounded inflorescence of flowers
Common names: tree mesemb ( Eng. ); rooi-vye, boomvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Stoeberia arborea is the largest member of the Mesembryanthemaceae. It is a woody, ascending shrub, 2 to 5 m tall and bearing small white flowers....

26 / 09 / 2005 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Stoebe

Stoebe rosea
Common names: hartebeeskaroobos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Not everyone will recognize members of this genus as belonging to the Asteraceae. There are no showy ray flowers and the white or pink disc flowers are...

21 / 06 / 2004 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Stoeberia carpii

In flower at Kirstenbosch
Common names: Vaalvygie
Family: Aizoaceae

Stoeberia carpii is one of six Stoeberia species endemic to the winter-rainfall region of South Africa and Namibia. They are shrubby leaf...

15 / 07 / 2013 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Stomatium mustellinum

Stomatium mustellinum
Common names: no English names recorded; kussingvygie (Afr.) (= Mesembryanthemum mustellinum Salm-Dyck, Stomatium pyrodorum (Diels) L.Bolus)
Family: Aizoaceae

In South African history from 1899-1902 British and Boer troops traversed the natural vegetation of the Free State in war. The vegetation they crossed...

06 / 05 / 2013 | L Kessler | Free State NBG
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Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold'

Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's gold'
Common names: Mandela's Gold strelitzia, yellow strelitzia, yellow crane flower, yellow bird of paradise, geelkraanvoel blom, geel piesang
Family: Strelitziaceae

Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold' is a rare yellow form of the well-known crane flower, Strelitzia reginae....

26 / 08 / 2002 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Strelitzia alba

Strelitzia alba flower
Common names: white-flowered wild banana, Cape wild banana (Eng.); Kaapse witwildepiesang (Afr.); Isigude esimbalimhlophe (Nguni)
Family: Strelitziaceae

Strelitzia alba is the rarest of the three large banana-like Strelitzia species occurring in southern Africa which are separated by flower characteristics...

15 / 11 / 2010 | Phakamani Xaba | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Strelitzia caudata

Strelitzia caudata
Common names: mountain wild banana, Transvaal wild banana (Eng.); bergwildepiesang, Transvaal wildepiesang (Afr.); isigude saseMpumalanga (Nguni)
Family: Strelitziaceae

Strelitzia caudata is one of three arborescent banana-like Strelitzia species occurring in southern Africa. It is a good focal point for a mid-size to...

25 / 04 / 2011 | Phakamani Xaba | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Strelitzia juncea

Strelitzia juncea
Common names: rush-leaf crane flower, rush-leaf strelitzia (Eng.); rietkraanvoëlblom, riet-strelitzia (Afr.)
Family: Strelitziaceae

This is a striking feature plant with upright cylindrical leaves without a leaf blade, growing from 1 to 2 m in height and producing large orange or yellow...

27 / 09 / 2004 | John Winter | Kirstenbosch NBG
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