Plants of the Week

Macrostylis squarrosa

Common names: None recorded

Family: Rutaceae

Macrostylis squarrosa is a very attractive, densely bushy shrub of about 700 mm high. When it flowers in spring and summer, it is dotted with small...

03 / 01 / 2011 | Jean Meyer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Leucospermum catherinae

Common names: catherine-wheel pincushion (Eng.)

Family: Proteaceae

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03 / 01 / 2011 | N Stoll | Kirstenbosch NBG

Streptocarpus saxorum

Common names: false African violet; Cape primrose

Family: Gesneriaceae

This is a charming Streptocarpus with dainty lilac flowers. It is both pretty and tough with succulent foliage which droops, making it ideal for hanging...

20 / 12 / 2010 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Streptocarpus fanniniae

Common names: Cape primrose (Eng.)

Family: Gesneriaceae

Streptocarpus fanniniae is a perennial creeping plant cascading over moist cliffs on streambanks and near waterfalls in KwaZulu-Natal....

20 / 12 / 2010 | Rivash Maharaj | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Huernia pendula

Common names: bootlace huernia (Eng.); skoenveter-aasblom (Afr.); imitya (Xhosa)

Family: Apocynaceae

Huernia pendula is a cliff hanger with rope-like leafless branches and bowl-shaped pendent flowers confined to dry river valleys in the Eastern Cape....

13 / 12 / 2010 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Erythrophysa alata

Red nectar producing flowers of E. alata

Common names: Namaqua red balloon (Eng.); Namakwa-rooiklapperbos, mannetjie-roldoring, kloe-kloekie (Afr.)

Family: Sapindaceae

The intensely red flowers of this small rigid tree are unlike those of any other small tree from Namaqualand....

13 / 12 / 2010 | Werner Voigt | Harold Porter NBG

Tavaresia barklyi

Common names: Devil's trumpet (E); bergghaap, katstert (A); olukatai (Ndonga, Ovamboland, northern Namibia); okukato lekadi, olukato lendume (Kwanyama, Ovamboland,

Family: Apocynaceae

The neat appearance of the ribbed stems furnished with bristles at first reminds one of a cactus, but when the bizarre trumpet-shaped flowers appear, one...

06 / 12 / 2010 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Crassula exilis

Common names: None recorded

Family: Crassulaceae

An attractive, dwarf succulent flowering cushion, excellent for rockeries and living walls....

06 / 12 / 2010 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG

Riocreuxia genus

Common names: R. polyantha : koeiriempies (Afr.); R. torulosa : candle-wine (Eng.); kandelaarblom (Afr.); ugwapha, unquntane, ushuqu (Zulu)

Family: Apocynaceae

Most species in this genus are herbaceous climbers and may cover their supporting vegetation in a green mass of leaves....

29 / 11 / 2010 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Erica nevillei

Common names: red rock-heath (Eng.); klouterplant (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

The tubular, bright red flowers of Erica nevillei are breathtaking and the low-growing, sprawling habit of this Cape Peninsula endemic will fascinate...

29 / 11 / 2010 | Julia Dabush | Kirstenbosch NBG

Crassula mesembrianthemopsis

C. mesembrianthemopsis plants growing in quartzite soil

Common names: foam flower

Family: Crassulaceae

One of the smallest and most bizarre succulents in South Africa, this plant has seldom been seen in the wild and is virtually unknown in cultivation....

22 / 11 / 2010 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe genus

Common names: aloe (English); aalwyn (Afrikaans); aalwee (Afrikaans; Dutch); hlaba, lekhala (Southern Sotho); icena (Ndebele); imboma (Zulu).

Family: Asphodelaceae

With their usually spiny leaves arranged in neat rosettes, and tall candle-like inflorescences in predominantly red and vibrant orange hues, aloes are...

22 / 11 / 2010 | Ronell R. Klopper | Biosystematics

Strelitzia alba

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

Lotononis calycina

Common names: hairy Lotononis, namele (Sotho )

Family: Fabaceae

A small flat-growing yellow-flowered leguminous herb graces the dreary Highveld landscape in early spring. This delicate silvery plant highlights the importance...

15 / 11 / 2010 | Alicia Grobler | National Herbarium Pretoria

Piliostigma thonnigii

Common names: camel's foot (Eng.); kameelspoor (Afr.); mukolokote (Venda); mokgoropo (North Sotho); nkolokotso (TS)

Family: Fabaceae

This is a deciduous tree suitable for a large garden. It has large 2-lobed leathery leaves....

08 / 11 / 2010 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Kraussia floribunda

Common names: rhino-coffee; renosterkoffie, wildekornoelie (Afr); isiKhukhankobe, isiKhubashane, uTholomba (Zulu)

Family: Rubiaceae

This is a pleasing garden shrub with faintly scented, attractive white flowers which appear in midsummer followed by a further season of interest in winter...

08 / 11 / 2010 | Sarah Curtis | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium vitifolium

Common names: vine-leaved pelargonium, balm-scented pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

This lovely vine leaved shrub that is stunning in full flower, with its balm scent, is ideal for your fragrant garden....

01 / 11 / 2010 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Osmitopsis asteriscoides

Common names: swamp daisy, mountain daisy, bellis (Eng.); bels, belskruie, belsbos, belsebos, belsbossie, belsebossie (Afr.).

Family: Asteraceae

This attractive white daisy has been in use for various medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. During spring and early summer many of the wetland areas...

01 / 11 / 2010 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG