Plants of the Week

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E.g., 02/12/2024
E.g., 02/12/2024

Rhamnus prinoides

Rhamnus prinoides
Common names: African Dogwood, Camdeboo Stinkwood, Glossy-leaf (E), Blinkblaar, Camdeboostinkhout (A); umGlindi, Umlindi (X); umGilindi, uNyenye, umHlinye (Z); liNy
Family: Rhamnaceae

The African dogwood is a very attractive dense shrub or a small tree with glossy foliage and decorative red berries....

08 / 04 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Restio virgeus

Restio virgeus
Common names: twiggy peg-reed
Family: Restionaceae

A small restio forming dense, tangled tufts, with curly branches when young, that straighten out when mature and produce attractive, reddish-brown inflorescences...

11 / 04 / 2022 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Restio subverticillatus

Restio subverticillatus
Common names: broom restio (Eng.); besemriet (Afr.)
Family: Restionaceae

This is one of the most versatile plants of the large Cape Reed family. It can be planted in the garden but will also do well in a pot on a patio or on...

11 / 03 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Restio similis

Restio similis
Common names: slender blobs (Eng.)
Family: Restionaceae

A compact, medium-sized, reed-like perennial that makes a wonderful border plant, suitable for planting in groups in the fynbos garden....

10 / 02 / 2020 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Restio quadratus

Restio quadratus
Common names: square-stem restio, flats restio (Eng.) vlakteriet (Afr.)
Family: Restionaceae

Restio quadratus is a tall reed-like plant with a spreading habit. ...

21 / 10 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Restio paniculatus

Restio paniculatus
Common names: calopsis (English); besemgoed (Afrikaans)
Family: Restionaceae

This is an attractive waterside plant which is normally found growing in waterlogged soils on river or stream banks. ...

11 / 02 / 2002 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Restio multiflorus

Restio multiflorus
Common names: many-flowered restio
Family: Restionaceae

This is a very attractive, dense, upright, tufted plant that can be used as an accent plant or to provide a grass-like accent in a mixed border or fynbos...

02 / 06 / 2003 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Restio festuciformis

Restio festuciformis
Common names: green grass-like restio (Eng.); groengrasriet (Afr.)
Family: Restionaceae

...

12 / 08 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Restio dispar

Female inflorescences of Restio dispar
Common names: red-spathe restio
Family: Restionaceae

This large, sturdy, Cape reed will introduce a true autumn feeling in your garden with its striking orange-brown, female inflorescences during April, May...

05 / 05 / 2003 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Relhania speciosa

Relhania speciosa flower heads
Common names: perdekaroo (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This member of the Relhania group of daisies, which are largely endemic to southern Africa, is striking for its tall stems covered in sharp,...

02 / 03 / 2009 | Nicola Bergh | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Rauvolfia caffra

Rauvolfia caffra
Common names: quinine tree (Eng.); kinaboom (Afr.); umJelo, umThundisa (isiXhosa); umHlambamanzi, umKhadluvungu (isiZulu)
Family: Apocynaceae

A fine, fast-growing tree for sheltered gardens, easily grown from seed and an unusually decorative tree for larger gardens and parks....

25 / 07 / 2011 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Raspalia trigyna

Flowers
Common names: Pondoland ghost bush
Family: Bruniaceae

The flowering plant family Bruniaceae is almost entirely endemic to fynbos, the typical vegetation of the Cape Floral Kingdom of the Western and Eastern...

19 / 05 / 2008 | Lize Von Staden | TSP
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Raphionacme hirsuta

Raphionacme hirsuta
Common names: false gentian, khadi-root (Eng.); khadiwortel, khadi (Afr.); kherenchane (SSo.); intsema (Xho.); umathangane, umathanjana (Zul.)
Family: Apocynaceae

An attractive, small, summer-growing perennial, with a large, tuberous root and pretty starry flowers in shades of purple, mauve and white, in early summer....

08 / 01 / 2018 | Stemmer Ngalo | Free State NBG
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Raphia australis

Image of Raphia tree
Common names: Kosi palm (Eng. & Afr.); umVuma (Zulu); iMali (Ronga)
Family: Arecaceae

Palms have the largest leaves of all trees, and Raphia has the largest leaves of all palms. One species of these monsters is indigenous to South Africa,...

12 / 07 / 2004 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Rapanea melanophloeos

Rapanea melanophloeos
Common names: Cape Beech (Eng.); Boekenhout, Beukehout (Afr.); IsiCalabi, umaPhipha, iKhubalwane, isiQalaba sehlati (Zulu); isiQwane sehlati (Xhosa); iGcolo, udzili
Family: Myrsinaceae

The graceful Cape Beech is a hardy tree for a large, coastal garden setting, and for windy areas....

04 / 04 / 2005 | Phakamani Xaba | Harold Porter NBG
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Ranunculus multifidus

Ranunculus multifidus. Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: wild buttercup, common buttercup, African buttercup (Eng.); botterblom, brandblare, kankerblare, geelbotterblom, rhenoster (Afr.); hlapi (Sesotho); is
Family: Ranunculaceae

Wild Buttercup is a small evergreen herb, with bright green leaves and masses of yellow flowers in summer, that grows well in damp grassland and spreads...

26 / 12 / 2022 | T.T. Masupa | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ranunculus baurii

Common names: Drakensberg buttercup, nasturtium-leaved buttercup, large-leaved ranunculus (Eng.); qojoana (seSotho)
Family: Ranunculaceae

See Peltocalathos baurii...

31 / 07 / 2024 | | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Rafnia triflora

Rafnia triflora flowers
Common names: three-flower rafnia
Family: Fabaceae

Rafnia triflora is a little known but striking fynbos shrub, with blue green leaves and bright yellow flowers in summer....

29 / 03 / 2010 | Musawenkosi Ndlovu | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Radinosiphon leptostachya

Radinosiphon leptostachya
Common names: slender-spiked radinosiphon (Eng.); blou angelier (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Radinosiphon leptostachya is a cormous deciduous perennial plant with slender stems and pink flowers in summer, that thrives in rocky environments amongst...

24 / 06 / 2024 | Ziphezinhle Madonsela | Lowveld NBG
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Rabiea albinota

Rabiea albinota, in flower.
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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