Plants of the Week

Noltea africana

Common names: soap glossy-leaf, noltea, soap bush, soap dogwood (Eng.); seepblinkblaar, seepbos (Afr.); umkhuthuhla, amaluleka, iphalode, umglindi (isiXhosa), umahl

Family: Rhamnaceae

An ornamental shrub or small tree with clusters of fragrant white flowers from winter to spring....

28 / 03 / 2016 | Lufuno Nenungwi | Free State NBG

Astroloba cremnophila

Common names: cliff astroloba (Eng.); krans-astroloba (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Astroloba cremnophila is a small, cluster-forming, leaf succulent from the cliffs along the Buffelsrivier. The plant has leafy, succulent stems, the leaves...

28 / 03 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Senegalia burkei

Common names: black monkey-thorn (Eng.); swartapiesdoring (Afr.); umkhaya wehlalahlathi, umbabampala (isiZulu); umkhaya (siSwati); mokgwa, mokoba (Setswana); mokwar

Family: Fabaceae

Senegalia burkei is a distinctive deciduous tree that can be identified easily throughout the year. It has spikes of creamy white flowers in early summer,...

21 / 03 / 2016 | Thobile Mlaba | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Pentzia dentata

Common names: greater skaapkaroo, duck's-foot skaapkaroo (Eng.) grootskaapkaroo, eendepootkaroo (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

A wonderful water-wise, aromatic shrub with soft, grey foliage and clusters of yellow inflorescences, from spring to summer....

21 / 03 / 2016 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Lachnospermum umbellatum

Common names: rooiblombossie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This little-known species from the extreme southwestern corner of the country thrives in the wet fynbos of the Cape Fold Mountains near the coast. Its...

14 / 03 / 2016 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium

Cotyledon gloeophylla

Common names: sticky-leaved cotyledon (Eng.); taaiblaarplakkie (Afr.)

Family: Crassulaceae

Cotyledon gloeophylla is an exciting, recently discovered species from the Kouga Dam near Patensie in the Eastern Cape; it is a shrublet with decorative,...

14 / 03 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium setulosum

Common names: bristle-leaf pelargonium, bristle-leaf stork’s-bill (Eng.); malva (Afr.)

Family: Geraniaceae

A beautiful tufted pelargonium from the Western Cape Province, not well known in cultivation but it makes an attractive potplant and is well-suited to...

07 / 03 / 2016 | Marianne le Roux | National Herbarium Pretoria

Chironia laxa

Common names: Cape centaury, wild centaury (Eng.); bitterwortel (Afr.)

Family: Gentianaceae

This is a delightful plant, with shiny, bright pink, star-shaped flowers that are produced in abundance throughout the summer months, ideal for a sunny...

07 / 03 / 2016 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG

Berchemia discolor

Common names: birdplum, brown ivory (Eng.); bruinivoor, voëlpruim (Afr.); mogokgomo (Sepedi); nyiyi, nyiri (Xitsonga); motsintsila (Setswana); munie (Tshivenda), n

Family: Rhamnaceae

Birdplum or brown ivory is an attractive garden tree, with tough, yellow-brown wood that makes excellent furniture and sticks. Berchemia discolor is also...

29 / 02 / 2016 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria

Watsonia pillansii

Common names: Pillans’ watsonia, summer watsonia, bugle lily, Beatrice watsonia (Eng.); suurkanol, knolpypie, lakpypie (Afr.); igotyibe (isiXhosa)

Family: Iridaceae

...

29 / 02 / 2016 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Leucadendron chamelaea

Common names: Witsenberg conebush

Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron chamelaea is one of the iconic species of the Upper Breede River Valley. This species once occurred commonly in this area, but through the...

22 / 02 / 2016 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW

Aloiampelos tenuior

Common names: fence aloe, slender aloe (Eng.); heiningaalwyn (Afr.); ikhalana, ikalene, intelezi, impapane, umjinqa, umkrakrane (isiXhosa); inhlaba, inhlaba empofu

Family: Asphodelaceae

This rambling aloe forms large clumps topped with masses of delicate, yellow or red flowerheads in summer, and is a useful and undemanding landscape plant....

22 / 02 / 2016 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Euclea pseudebenus

Common names: ebony guarri, ebony tree, black ebony, Cape ebony (Eng.); ebbehoutghwarrie, ebbehout, ebbeboom, swartebbenhout (Afr.); tsawib (Nama)

Family: Ebenaceae

Euclea pseudebenus or ebony guarri is a remarkably drought-hardy and tough indigenous tree with a most graceful appearance contrasting its harsh and unforgiving...

15 / 02 / 2016 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG

Dicliptera cernua

Common names: false buck-weed (Eng.)

Family: Acanthaceae

Dicliptera cernua is a vigorous and versatile winter-flowering groundcover, suitable for sunny or shady areas....

15 / 02 / 2016 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Chasmanthe floribunda

Common names: cobra lily, chasmanthe (Eng.); kapelpypie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

...

08 / 02 / 2016 | John Manning | Compton Herbarium

Protea mundii

Common names: forest sugarbush, white protea (Eng.); witsuikerbos, boswitsuikerbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Although not as eye-catching as the glorious king protea (Protea cynaroides), Protea mundii has a pronounced and unusual charm to it that will add value...

08 / 02 / 2016 | Megan Blatchford | Kirstenbosch NBG

Hoodia flava

Common names: yellow-flowered ghaap (Eng.); soetghaap (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Hoodia flava is an indigenous shrublet of southern Africa that is popularly used amongst the Khoi-San people as a hunger and appetite suppressant....

01 / 02 / 2016 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria

Cotyledon petiolaris

Common names: Kei-cotyledon (Eng.); Keiplakkie (Afr.)

Family: Crassulaceae

Cotyledon petiolaris is a shrubby leaf succulent with orange-red bell-shaped flowers during winter, attracting sunbirds. Its short petioles distinguish...

01 / 02 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Protea aristata

Common names: Ladismith sugarbush (Eng.); klein-den-suikerbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Protea aristata would surely be among the five best-known South African proteas, even though it had a rather late documented discovery in the 1920s. It...

25 / 01 / 2016 | Megan Blatchford | Kirstenbosch NBG

Rabiea albinota

Common names: clock plant (Eng.); s'keng-kengvygie (Afr.); s`keng-keng (Griqua)

Family: Aizoaceae

When in a powdered state, the s'keng-keng is amongst numerous psychotropic plants that are able to alter the mind and mood of an individual....

25 / 01 / 2016 | Ndamase Nozuko | National Herbarium Pretoria

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