Plants of the Week

Monopsis lutea

Common names: yellow monopsis, gold lobelia; geel lobelia (Afr.)

Family: Lobeliaceae

The riot of bright yellow flowers covering this trailing groundcover makes it an absolute must for colour in the garden in summer. The pretty flowers resemble...

23 / 12 / 2013 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Monodora junodii

Common names: green-apple (Eng.); groenappel (Afr.); ndzivila (xiTsonga); umKotshi (isiZulu)

Family: Annonaceae

Imagine a tree with a flower like an orchid bloom; one so unusual that next to nothing is known about how to grow it. Would this not be a major garden...

08 / 05 / 2006 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Monoculus monstrosus

Common names: one-eye monster (Eng.); trekkertjie (Afr.).

Family: Asteraceae

This plant is now called Osteospermum monstrosum (Burm.f.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt...

11 / 07 / 2022 | | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Monochoria africana

Common names: there are no known common names for this rather rare plant

Family: Pontederiaceae

Next time you go to the Kruger National Park, try to spot Monochoria africana, one of the most beautiful, rare, indigenous aquatic plants in...

17 / 07 / 2006 | R Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Monilaria chrysoleuca

Common names: string of pearls, pea mesemb (Eng.); ertjievygie (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

An eye-catching succulent with unusual jointed stems that resemble a beaded necklace, and leaves that sparkle in sunlight....

28 / 08 / 2017 | R Powell | Compton Herbarium

Mondia whitei

Common names: White's ginger, tonic root (Eng.); mundondo, mudondo (Angola); mundondo, bondo, molo busio (Cissongo - Central African Republic); nlondo, kimbiolongwa

Family: Apocynaceae

Mondia whitei, White's ginger, is a truly versatile and magical African herb — widely used medicinally and an excellent garden subject...

16 / 11 / 2009 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | Pretoria NBG

Momordica cardiospermum

Common names: bitter gourd (Eng.); inshubaba (siSwati); ntwe (seTswana)

Family: Cucurbitaceae

This climber has a foetid smell, but makes up for it with showy orange-yellow flowers and large, fleshy, bulging orange-red ripe fruits that...

23 / 05 / 2005 | M Welman | Pretoria NBG

Momordica balsamica

Common names: balsam pear (Eng.); laloentjie (Afr.); mohodu (Sotho); nkaka (Thonga); intshungu, intshungwana yehlathi (Zulu)

Family: Cucurbitaceae

This climber with bright green leaves bears striking orange to red spindle shaped ripe fruit....

20 / 12 / 2004 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Mitriostigma axillare

Common names: dwarf-loquat (Eng.); dwerglukwart (Afr.) South African National Tree List no. 689.2

Family: Rubiaceae

With its green glossy leaves, white star-shaped flowers, bright orange fruits and sweetly fragrant aroma, this eye-catching small tree is undoubtedly a...

03 / 05 / 2010 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Miraglossum davyi

Common names: No known common names.

Family: Apocynaceae

Miraglossum davyi is indeed an astonishing plant when viewed close-up. The remarkable structure of the corona lobes of this rarely seen plant has...

05 / 08 / 2013 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Mimusops zeyheri

Common names: Transvaal red milkwood (Eng.); moepel (Afr.); mmupudu (Northern Sotho); umpushane (Zulu); nhlantswa (Tsonga); mubululu (Venda)

Family: Sapotaceae

The Transvaal red milkwood has gained its popularity with people, birds as well as monkeys and baboons through its tasty fruit which are sweet and high...

06 / 06 / 2005 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Mimusops obovata

Common names: red milkwood (Eng.); rooimelkhout (Afr.); amaSethole-ehlathi, umNolwe, umPhumbulu, (isiZulu); umTunzi wehlathi (isiXhosa)

Family: Sapotaceae

Mimusops obovata is an evergreen tree with sweetly scented whitish yellow flowers to which bumblebees are attracted. Flowers are follwed by edible...

02 / 12 / 2013 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Mimusops caffra

Common names: coast red milkwood (Eng.); kusrooimelkboom, moepel (Afr.); umhayihayi amasethole-abomvu, umthunzi, umnweba waselwandle, umnole, umagayi, umkhakhayi (Z

Family: Sapotaceae

Gardeners looking for a tree suitable for coastal gardens with windy conditions should not look any further-this tree is a good choice, particularly for...

28 / 08 / 2006 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimetes splendidus

Common names: splendid pagoda (Eng.); pragstompie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

A gorgeous, shimmering, silver-foliaged shrub, that vibrates with luminescent light on its salmon-pink flowerheads, during the winter season....

04 / 03 / 2019 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimetes pauciflorus

Common names: three-flowered pagoda, Outeniqua pagoda (Eng.); Outeniekwastompie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Mimetes pauciflorus has dense, narrow, cylindrical, orange-yellow flower heads at the tips of tall stems in spring. It grows in moist sandstone fynbos...

21 / 10 / 2024 | Anele Tsotso | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimetes hottentoticus

Common names: silver pagoda, Hottentotstompie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

This is a beautiful shrub with silvery leaves and distinctive flowers. Mimetes can be easily distinguished from all other Proteaceae. The beauty...

16 / 12 / 2002 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimetes hirtus

Common names: marsh pagoda, red and yellow bottlebrush, tall pagoda, hairy mimetes, pineapple bush ( Eng. ); kreupelboom, vleistompie, rooistompie, pynappelstompie

Family: Proteaceae

Sima Eliovson, author of Proteas for pleasure, referred to Mimetes hirtus as 'the most magnificent species of Mimetes, the...

13 / 03 / 2006 | Von Witt C | CREW

Mimetes fimbriifolius

Common names: tree pagoda, cowl pagoda, fringed pagoda (Eng.); kreupelboom, maanhaarstompie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Mimetes fimbriifolius is a beautiful rounded tree that was once common on Table Mountain, but its numbers have been greatly depleted by harvesting...

16 / 08 / 2010 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimetes cucullatus

Common names: common mimetes, common pagoda, red mimetes, red pagoda ( Eng. ); rooistompie, stompie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Mimetes cucullatus is eye-catching, unusual and colourful all year round, and it is among the easiest members of the protea family to grow....

20 / 02 / 2005 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimetes chrysanthus

Common names: golden pagoda, golden mimetes, gouestompie

Family: Proteaceae

The genus Mimetes is one of the most beautiful of the protea family and indeed in the whole of the Cape Floral Kingdom. ...

29 / 04 / 2002 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

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