Plants of the Week

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E.g., 07/12/2024
E.g., 07/12/2024

Senecio elegans

Senecio elegans, white or purple daisies
Common names: wild cineraria, veld cineraria, greater purple ragwort, purple senecio (Eng.); strandblommetjie (Afr.); izuba (isiXhosa)
Family: Asteraceae

During spring, this annual daisy flowers in abundance along the west and south coast of South Africa, making a beautiful display when flowering in mass,...

15 / 11 / 2022 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senecio deltoideus

Senecio deltoideus has a distinct zigzag branching pattern
Common names: zigzag canary creeper (Eng.); sigsag-kanarieklimop (Afr.); undenze (isiXhosa)
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio deltoideus is a vigorous creeper producing spectacular displays of sweet-scented bright yellow flowers in early winter. Flowers produce copious...

21 / 08 / 2023 | Katlego Molele | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Senecio coronatus

Senecio coronatus
Common names: woolly grassland senecio (Eng.); sybossie (Afr.); lehlomanyane/lehlomane, moremoholo, motabo (Southern Sotho); ikhubalo lesikhova, indlebe yebokwe (is
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio coronatus is one of the most common spring-flowering grassland herbs and is often the first species to flower after a burn. It is easily recognized...

26 / 06 / 2023 | Katlego Molele | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Senecio bryoniifolius

The Bryony-leaved flowering ivy
Common names: Bryony-leaved flowering ivy
Family: Asteraceae

The Bryony-leaved flowering ivy (Senecio bryoniifolius) is a succulent-leaved creeper from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal which shows promise as a...

03 / 05 / 2010 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senecio barbertonicus

Flowerhead
Common names: succulent bush senecio, Barberton senecio, Barberton groundsel, Barberton coltsfoot, lemon bean bush, finger-leaved senecio
Family: Asteraceae

When everything else seems dead and dry on the Highveld, this plant flowers in abundance. The deep yellow flowers are sought after by many insects during...

18 / 08 / 2014 | Cynthia Mikateko Baloyi | Pretoria NBG
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Senecio articulatus

Common names: sausage plant, candle plant, hot dog plant (Eng.); worsies, worsiesplantjie (Afr.)

This plant is now called Baculellum articulatum ...

30 / 09 / 2024 | | Pretoria NBG
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Selago villicaulis ‘Purple Turtle’

Selago villicaulis 'Purple Turtle'
Common names: purple turtle selago
Family: Scrophulariaceae

This is a low growing perennial with striking lavender flowers, which appear twice in a year, in midwinter to spring and in midsummer, and sporadically...

24 / 09 / 2018 | Sinikeziwe Ncaphayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Selago tarachodes

Selago tarachodes Peter R. Warren
Common names: trouble selago
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Selago tarachodes is a neat, compact, herbaceous perennial, with shiny green leaves and masses of showy, white, flower-heads, that flowers throughout the...

09 / 11 / 2015 | Zama Sibisi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Selago canescens

In flower
Common names: canescent selago, bitter bush ( Eng. ); blouaarbossie (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Selago canescens bursts into flower in early spring when most plants in the garden are still recovering after the cold winter. An added attraction is the...

13 / 08 / 2007 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Selaginella kraussiana

Selaginella kraussiana
Common names: Krauss' spike moss, forest selaginella, spreading spike moss (Eng.); woud aarmos (Afr.)
Family: Selaginellaceae

Selaginella is the only genus in the family Selaginellaceae. These plants belong to the lycopods, one of the groups previously referred to as fern allies....

20 / 05 / 2013 | Koos Roux | Compton Herbarium
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Securidaca longepedunculata

Flowers
Common names: violet tree, fibre tree (Eng.); krinkhout , rooipeultjie, seepbasboom (Afr.); mpesu (tshiVenda); mmaba (Tswana), iphuphuma (isiZulu)
Family: Polygalaceae

Securidaca longepeduculata is a slender tree with beautiful flowers. It is a highly regarded medicinal and magical tree, especially by the vhaVenda people...

28 / 08 / 2006 | Avhurengwi Phillemon Ndou | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Secale africanum

Secale africanum, African Rye
Common names: African rye, wild rye (Eng.); wilderog, Afrika-rog (Afr.)
Family: Poaceae

The African rye is a tufted, weakly perennial grass to about 1 m high, growing in seasonally moist meadows and river banks on the Roggeveld Plateau. It...

03 / 07 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia tomentosa

Searsia tomentosa, male flowers.
Common names: bicoloured currant, furry currant, wild currant, current crowberry (Eng), korentebos, korentetaaibos (Afr.) umhlakothi, inhlokoshiyane (isiZulu).
Family: Anacardiaceae

Searsia tomentosa is an attractive, bushy shrub to small tree with multi-coloured foliage, that is commonly known as bicoloured currant. It produces flowers...

02 / 10 / 2023 | Luyanda Bhengu | Free State NBG
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Searsia pyroides

Unripe fruits.Photo Copyright Geoff Nichols
Common names: common wild currant, fire-thorn karree (Eng.); gewone taaibos (Afr); motshakhutshakhu (North Sotho); koditshane (South Sotho); mogodiri (Tswana); muta
Family: Anacardiaceae

To the gardener who likes variety in the garden, Searsia pyroides should not be left out. This is a good species to provide textural variation in your...

19 / 02 / 2007 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia pondoensis

Searsia pondoensis
Common names: many-veined currant (Engl.); veelnerftaaibos (Afr.); inHlangushane (SiSwati)
Family: Anacardiaceae

The many-veined currant is a relatively small perennial re-sprouter with green to greyish foliage, confined to grassland and open woodland....

07 / 09 / 2015 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Searsia pendulina

Searsia pendulina
Common names: White Karee, Willow Karee, River Karee (English), Witkaree, Rivierkaree, Kareehout, Kareeboom Rosynebos, Rosyntjiebos, Wilderosyntjieboom (Afrikaans),
Family: Anacardiaceae

Searsia pendulina is a perfect tree for the suburban garden, it is quick and easy to grow, tolerates wind and drought, is evergreen with a graceful habit...

17 / 01 / 2005 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia natalensis

Searsia natalensis (Geoff Nicholls)
Common names: dune karee, Natal karee, northern dune currant, northern dune currant-rhus (Eng.); duinekaree, natalkaree, noordelike duinekaree (Afr.); umgwele, ingw
Family: Anacardiaceae

An attractive hedge or garden tree that is also used medicinally for various ailments. It can be easily propagated from seed....

08 / 08 / 2016 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Searsia magalismontana subsp. magalismontana

S. magalismontana subsp. magalismontana bush Photo: Linette Ferreira
Common names: bergtaaibos (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Nowadays, when small gardens are the order of the day, this lovely little multistemmed shrub has been overlooked as a potential form plant for that special...

18 / 08 / 2008 | K Behr | Pretoria NBG
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Searsia lucida

Searsia lucida (Brian KD)
Common names: glossy crowberry, glossy currant, glossy wild currant (Eng.); blinktaaibos, slaptaaibos (Afr.); intlokolotshane-ebomvu, umchane, amapozi (isiXhosa); i
Family: Anacardiaceae

A versatile shrub or small tree, with attractive shiny leaves and creamy white flowers, which are followed by green fruits that ripen to red-brown and...

21 / 12 / 2015 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia leptodictya

Characterful shape of Searsia leptodictya
Common names: mountain karee, rock karee ( Eng. ); bergkaree, klipkaree (Afr.); inHlangushane (siSwati); Mohlwehlwe (Northern Sotho)
Family: Anacardiaceae

The mountain karee is an essential 'bird-garden' tree, which also makes a good frost-hardy, and drought-tolerant shade tree. Another special feature...

23 / 05 / 2005 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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