Plants of the Week

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E.g., 29/12/2024
E.g., 29/12/2024

Asparagus microraphis

Asparagus microraphis (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: needles wild-asparagus (Eng.), katdoring (Afr.), lala-tau, lehonyeli, lelala-tau, leu-nyeli, mankoe (Sesotho)
Family: Asparagaceae

An evergreen shrub that is used medicinally by Sesotho speaking people for the treatment of venereal diseases....

25 / 07 / 2016 | Aluwani Tshiila | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Erica discolor

Erica discolor
Common names: two-colour heath
Family: Ericaceae

Erica discolor is a very common and variable species complex that used to consist of two well-known and widespread species namely, Erica discolor and Erica...

25 / 07 / 2016 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Klattia stokoei

Klattia stokoei
Common names: Stokoe's klattia, red klattia (Eng.); kwasblom, kwasbos (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

This woody irid, with its crimson-red inflorescences, is one of the unique and breathtaking plant species of the Cape Floristic Region; it is endemic to...

18 / 07 / 2016 | Ebraime Hull | Harold Porter NBG
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Vangueria esculenta

Vangueria esculenta
Common names: Chirinda wild-medlar, forest wild-medlar, (Eng.); Chirinda-wildemispel, bosmispel, blinkblaarmispel (Afr.); mobilo (Lobedu)
Family: Rubiaceae

Vangueria esculenta is an ideal tree or shrub for smaller gardens, with glossy foliage and an interesting shape, and its flowers release a pleasant sweet...

18 / 07 / 2016 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Blighia unijugata

Clusers of bright pink to red, leathery, pear-shaped capsules.
Common names: triangle-tops (Eng.); driehoektolletjies (Afr.); musadema (Shona); umdlaguva (isiZulu)
Family: Sapindaceae

A medium to large evergreen tree, with sweetly scented flowers that attract butterflies to the garden, followed by pink to red, pear-shaped fruit that...

11 / 07 / 2016 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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Agathosma ciliaris

Agathosma ciliaris
Common names: mountain anise buchu (Eng.); bergboegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

This is a hardy, easy-growing, aromatic shrublet, which is suitable for pots and the harsh coasts and mountains in the fynbos....

11 / 07 / 2016 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Jatropha zeyheri

Jatropha zeyheri (Brenden Pienaar)
Common names: verfbol (Afr.); sefapabadia (Sesotho); xidomeja (Xitsonga); mafuredonga (Tshivenda); ugodide (isiZulu)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

A common medicinal plant used in women’s health care in many rural communities in southern Africa....

04 / 07 / 2016 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Halleria elliptica

Halleria elliptica (Tony Rebelo, iSpot)
Common names: rock tree-fuchsia, bush honeysuckle, wild fuschia (Eng.); kinderbessie, bergnotsung, klipnotsung (Afr.)
Family: Stilbaceae

Pretty, orange, fuchsia-like flowers, burgeoning with nectar and irresistible to insects and birds, on a neat, shade-loving, versatile shrub or small tree,...

04 / 07 / 2016 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Buxus natalensis

Buxus natalensis
Common names: large-leaved box, Natal box, box-wattle (Eng.); grootblaarbuksboom, Natalsebuksboom (Afr.); umgalagala, isixesa, umngquzu (isiXhosa); igudlangulubi, u
Family: Buxaceae

This much-branched shrub to small tree is characterized by its glossy, leathery, dark green leaves that make it most outstanding amongst the rest of the...

27 / 06 / 2016 | Zama Sibisi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Curio crassulifolius

Small, discoid flowerheads in late winter, spring and early summer
Common names: blue fingers (Eng.); blouvingertjies (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A low-growing, mat-forming groundcover with upward-pointing cylindrical, bluish grey-green, succulent leaves that provides unusual foliage colour, texture...

27 / 06 / 2016 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senecio oxyriifolius

Senecio oxyriifolius has discoid, yellow flowerheads
Common names: false nasturtium (Eng.); kappertjieblaar (Afr.); idumbe, idumbe lasendhle, ihlula (isiZulu)
Family: Asteraceae

An unusual succulent herb with ornamental nasturtium-like leaves that is a rewarding, low maintenance and water-wise garden plant or container plant for...

20 / 06 / 2016 | Lungani Mlaba | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Trichocephalus stipularis

Trichocephalus stipularis flowerheads
Common names: dogface (Eng.); hondegesiggie (Afr.)
Family: Rhamnaceae

A hardy, rounded shrublet, with evergreen dark foliage, starry pink flowers in white-woolly, rounded flowerheads in autumn and winter followed by reddish,...

20 / 06 / 2016 | Ramadimetja Junia Maleka | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Triumfetta sonderi

Triumfetta sonderi has attractive, bristly, hairy fruits. (Nicky van Berkel, iSpot)
Common names: Sonder’s truimfetta (Eng.); waaierbossie, maagbossie, rolbossie, spinnekopbossie, tolbossie (Afr.); mokuku (Sepedi)
Family: Malvaceae

A beautiful shrub from the grasslands, with small, star-shaped, light yellow flowers and attractive rounded, pinkish-red, hairy fruits....

13 / 06 / 2016 | Refilwe Maria Malatji | Pretoria NBG
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Phylica gnidioides

Phylica gnidioides
Common names: pink phylica, pink hardleaf (Eng.); pienk-hardebos (Afr.)
Family: Rhamnaceae

Phylica is a genus predominantly found in the Cape flora with about 138 species, of which 90% are endemic. The genus exhibits a significant range of shrub...

13 / 06 / 2016 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria crispa

Ledebouria crispa (John N. Trager, Huntington Botanical Garden)
Common names: Polokwane African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Although rare in cultivation, this interesting dwarf ledebouria with its narrow, strongly crinkled, green to grey grey-green leaves, makes an attractive...

06 / 06 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Stachys tubulosa

Stachys tubulosa
Common names: mauve sage, mauve stachys
Family: Lamiaceae

Best grown in shady conditions, Stachys tubulosa is an attractive, evergreen and hardy plant that displays its tubular mauve flowers during the summer...

06 / 06 / 2016 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euphorbia groenewaldii

Euphorbia groenewaldii (Seloba Chuene)
Common names: none
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia groenewaldii is a rare and endemic succulent from the Limpopo Province....

30 / 05 / 2016 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Streptocarpus meyeri

Streptocarpus meyeri
Common names: Cape primrose, wild gloxinia (Eng.)
Family: Gesneriaceae

A lovely, neat, pretty species of Streptocarpus that has flat-growing, rough leaves and delicate flowing stems presenting white flowers with a violet blush...

30 / 05 / 2016 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Clitoria ternatea var. ternatea

Clitoria ternatea var. ternatea (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: butterfly pea, blue pea, kordofan pea, cordofan pea, asian pigeon-wings
Family: Fabaceae

A very attractive species because of its hanging blue flowers, which makes it loved by horticulturists and landscapers. The standard petal with yellow...

23 / 05 / 2016 | Tandiwe Nkonki | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Cyclopia meyeriana

Cyclopia meyeriana
Common names: Meyer honeybush tea (Eng.); woltee, heuningtee (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

A decorative fynbos shrub covered with masses of bright yellow flowers in spring, and one of the species that give us Honeybush Tea....

23 / 05 / 2016 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG
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