Plants of the Week

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Macaranga capensis

Macaranga capensis in flower (Geoff Nichols).
Common names: river macaranga, false-poplar, spiny macaranga, wild-poplar (Eng.); riviermakaranga, valspopulier, wildepopulier (Afr.); umbengele, umphumelezi, umphu
Family: Euphorbiaceae

A perfect feature plant for a tropical garden, Macaranga capensis is also used medicinally for various ailments, and it attracts bees and birds to the...

27 / 03 / 2017 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Mackaya bella

Mackaya bella
Common names: mackaya, forest bell-bush, river bells, beautiful mackaya (Eng.); bosklokkiesbos, blouklokkiesbos (Afr.); umavuthwa, uzwathi, uphulule, icaphozi (Zul.
Family: Acanthaceae

A graceful shrub or small tree with slender branches bearing glossy, dark green leaves and beautiful sprays of showy, white to mauve, bell-shaped flowers...

01 / 10 / 2001 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Macledium spinosum

Macledium spinosum
Common names: spiny doll’s protea (Eng.); steekblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Cushion-forming, grey-felted shrublet with involucral bracts forming stout, spreading spines....

01 / 05 / 2023 | Thuli Makhoba | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Macledium zeyheri

Macledium zeyher plants
Common names: doll's protea, toy sugarbush (Eng.); skaapdissel, maagbitterwortel, maagbossie (Afr.); mahlabane, somanheva (Swazi); umlunge, umqele (Xhosa); isihlaba
Family: Asteraceae

The doll's protea is a strikingly attractive plant found in the grasslands of the eastern parts of South Africa, and used in traditional medicine.  ...

19 / 07 / 2010 | Marinda Koekemoer | Pretoria NBG
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Maclura africana

Maclura africana fruits
Common names: African Osage-orange, thorny mulberry (Eng.); Afrikasoetlemoen (Afr.); mupulumbu (Tshivenda); pumbula (Tsonga);
Family: Moraceae

A dioecious, evergreen, spiny, climbing shrub whose stems provide a yellow dye....

31 / 07 / 2023 | Mpho Mathalauga | Pretoria NBG
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Macowania revoluta

Macowania revoluta (Nicola Bergh)
Common names: Amathole macowania
Family: Asteraceae

Macowania revoluta is the particular species to which the defining features of the genus Macowania is formally attached. This easily distinguished shrub...

01 / 05 / 2017 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW
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Macrostylis squarrosa

Macrostylis squarrosa shrub
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
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Macrostylis villosa

Macrostylis villosa
Common names: Buchu (Eng.); kousieboegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

Macrostylis villosa is a neat compact aromatic shrub producing clusters of white flowers over a long flowering period. Planted together with other...

15 / 04 / 2013 | Victoria Wilman | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Maerua angolensis subsp. angolensis

Maerua angolensis subsp. angolensis
Common names: bead-bean tree, bead-pod-tree, knobbly-bean tree (Eng.); knoppiesboontjieboom (Afr.); umenwayo, umgodithi (Zulu); umvitsi (Swati.); mogôgwane, mooman
Family: Capparaceae

This frost and drought resistant tree, with its scented flowers from mid-winter until early summer, will attract butterflies and insect-eating birds, in...

06 / 07 / 2020 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Maerua cafra

Common names: Common bush-cherry, White-wood, Witbos
Family: Capparaceae

 This is an unusual, very attractive little tree, especially when covered in fragrant white flowers in early spring.  You may need to be patient...

29 / 10 / 2001 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Maesa lanceolata

Maesa lanceolata
Common names: false assegai ( Eng. ); valsassegaai (Afr.); umalunguzalazikhakhona, inhlavubele, umaguqu, isidenda, ubhoqobhoqo (Zulu); intendekwane (Xhosa); ligucu,
Family: Maesaceae

An apple-green tree-shrub gives shade to a cool, inviting stream: this idyllic prospect is repeated a million times in KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa 's...

07 / 02 / 2005 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Malephora

Malephora framesii near Strandfontein
Common names: mesemb ( Eng. ); vygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Species of the mesemb genus Malephora enliven some of the most arid gardens of southern Africa with their brightly coloured flowers and vigorous, creeping...

28 / 02 / 2005 | Pascale Chesselet | Compton Herbarium
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Manochlamys albicans

Manochlamys albicans
Common names: spanspek soap bush (Eng.); spanspekbos, bobbejaanseep, seepbos, spekbos, hondebossie (Afr.)
Family: Amaranthaceae

Manochlamys albicans is a fast-growing shrub that has a striking appearance and great potential to rehabilitate saline soils....

02 / 05 / 2016 | Vuyelwa Ndevu | Karoo Desert NBG
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Manulea tomentosa

Manulea tomentosa
Common names: woolly manulea (Eng.); duine vingertjies (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

This is a perennial herb that can blossom in the seedling stage. It has grey, woolly, fleshy leaves, conspicuous finger-like heads of brownish yellow or...

30 / 12 / 2019 | Wanga Ncise | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Marasmodes

Marasmodes undulata
Common names: autumn aster
Family: Asteraceae

The relatively unknown genus Marasmodes is confined to the lowlands of the south-western Western Cape and occurs in the critically endangered Renosterveld...

07 / 06 / 2010 | C Cowell | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Marasmodes dummeri

Marasmodes dummeri
Common names: whip autumn-aster
Family: Asteraceae

The extremely small, adpressed leaves of Marasmodes dummeri and the terminal, clustered flower heads make it distinct from other species of the same genus....

09 / 01 / 2023 | Naomi Mdayi | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Marasmodes trifida

Marasmodes trifida
Common names: trifid autumn-aster
Family: Asteraceae

This little known and not so beautiful plant is highly threatened; it is easily identifiable from other members of the genus by its leaves that split into...

05 / 08 / 2019 | Naomi Mdayi | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Marchantia berteroana

M. berteroana male plant with antheridia and gemmae cups Photo S. Perold
Common names: umbrella liverwort (Eng.)
Family: Marchantiaceae

Marchantia berteroana is of one the most attractive and relatively large liverworts in South Africa. It thrives in constantly damp, shaded areas....

23 / 04 / 2012 | Nonkululo Phephu | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Markhamia zanzibarica

Flowers
Common names: bell bean tree ( Eng. ); klokkiesboontjieboom (Afr.); mula-kholoma ( Venda )
Family: Bignoniaceae

Markhamia zanzibarica, a small, tropical tree with striking flowers and decorative fruits, is Tree of the Year for 2008, together with Diospyros...

28 / 01 / 2008 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Marsilea schelpeana

Marsilea schelpeana
Common names: water clover
Family: Marsileaceae

Marsilea schelpeana is an aquatic plant with a creeping stem, bearing stalked, floating leaves. It is found in areas that become marshy after rain, but...

25 / 04 / 2016 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW
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