Plants of the Week

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E.g., 13/12/2024

Liparia splendens subsp. splendens

Liparia splendens subsp.splendens
Common names: mountain dahlia, orange nodding-head (Eng.), bergdahlia, geelkoppie, skaamblom (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Liparia splendens is a beautiful fynbos shrub with striking bright orange-yellow, nodding flowerheads in winter-summer, a rare find both in the wild...

17 / 03 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lippia javanica

Flowers. Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: fever tea, lemon bush (English); koorsbossie, beukesbossie, lemoenbossie (Afrikaans); mutswane, umsutane (Swati); inzinziniba (Xhosa); umsuzwane, umsw
Family: Verbenaceae

For the avid herb gardener with an interest in medicinal plants Lippia javanica with its dense creamy white, flower heads and aromatic leaves...

24 / 05 / 2004 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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Litanthus pusillus

Litanthus pusilus
Common names: TomThumb hyacinth, Kleinduimpie-hiasint (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

The Tom Thumb hyacinth (Litanthus pusilus) is a dwarf bulbous plant, widespread but little known due to its size: William Harvey (1844) who first described...

09 / 02 / 2009 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lithops optica

Lithops optica
Common names: Lüderitz Living Stone, Lüderitz Stone Plant, Lüderitz Beeskloutjie
Family: Aizoaceae

Lithops are probably the most well known and popular member of the large succulent plant family, the Aizoaceae. They are commonly called living stones...

01 / 04 / 2002 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lithops

Lithops in flower
Common names: living stones, stone plants (Eng.); beeskloutjies, perdeklou (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Lithops are one of the most popular of all the succulents. These fat, cheeky little succulents plants have been grown for decades by amateur and professional...

25 / 07 / 2005 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Lithops olivacea

Lithops olivacea
Common names: stone plant (Eng.); beeskloutjie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Lithops species are probably amongst the most well-camouflaged and cryptic plants in the world. Their common name, stone plant, is particularly apt, as...

16 / 06 / 2003 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lobelia aquaemontis

Lobelia aquaemontis at Kirstenbosch
Common names: Waterberg lobelia
Family: Lobeliaceae

Flowering with masses of sky-blue flowers, this delicate little lobelia gives a lovely display for many months in summer....

02 / 04 / 2007 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lobelia

Lobelia erinus
Family: Lobeliaceae

A large cosmopolitan genus of many garden ornamentals of which the popular Lobelia erinus is one of the sixty-nine species native to South Africa....

29 / 11 / 2004 | C Cupido | Compton Herbarium
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Lobelia anceps

Lobelia anceps groundcover
Common names: angled lobelia, swamp lobelia
Family: Lobeliaceae

If you are looking for an attractive groundcover for a wet or boggy area, the swamp lobelia could be the perfect plant for you!...

23 / 05 / 2011 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Lobelia jasionoides

Flowers
Common names: No well known common name.
Family: Lobeliaceae

This charming, herbaceous, perennial groundcover with masses of tiny lilac and white flowers is suited to light shady places but will also grow in full...

11 / 11 / 2013 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Lobelia valida

Lobelia valida
Common names: limestone lobelia, galjoen flower (Eng.); galjoenblom (Afr.)
Family: Lobeliaceae

True blue flowers are always special. Worldwide they are sought after, a rare colour to find in a flower. The colour is striking by itself, breathtaking...

06 / 11 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lobostemon belliformis

Lobostemon belliformis
Common names: Gouriqua lobostemon (Eng.); Gouriqua agtdaegeneesbos (Afr.)
Family: Boraginaceae

Lobostemon belliformis is an incredibly rare and fabulous shrub from the Borage family; it is spectacular in bloom with its clusters of red tubular...

01 / 08 / 2011 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lobostemon fruticosus

Lobostemon fruticosus
Common names: pajama bush ( Eng. ); agtdaegeneesbos, douwurmbos, luibos, lobos (Afr.)
Family: Boraginaceae

Used as a popular old Cape remedy, this small shrub always attracts admiration with its showy blue and pink flowers....

24 / 10 / 2005 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lobostemon

Lobostemon fruticosus flowers
Common names: pajama bush
Family: Boraginaceae

This endemic genus, with numerous species of densely flowered, attractive shrubs, provides a splash of colour in the early spring, long before other popular...

02 / 10 / 2006 | M Buys | Compton Herbarium
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Lobostemon montanus

Lobostemon montanus shrub
Common names: mountain lobostemon (Eng.); agtdaegeneesbos (Afr.)
Family: Boraginaceae

Lobostemon montanus is a shrub from the Borage family with unusually large leaves for the genus, which are complemented by a cluster of pale blue...

15 / 08 / 2011 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lotononis calycina

Lotononis calycina herb
Common names: hairy Lotononis, namele (Sotho )
Family: Fabaceae

A small flat-growing yellow-flowered leguminous herb graces the dreary Highveld landscape in early spring. This delicate silvery plant highlights the importance...

15 / 11 / 2010 | Alicia Grobler | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Lachenalia corymbosa

Lachenalia corymbosa
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia corymbosa is one of five  brightly coloured, bulbous geophytes, which were previously in the genus Polyxena, but have now been included...

14 / 04 / 2003 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lessertia frutescens

Lessertia frutescens
Common names: sutherlandia, cancer bush, balloon pea (Eng.); umnwele(Xhosa & Zulu); kankerbos, blaasbossie, blaas-ertjie, eendjies, gansiekeurtjie, klappers, ho
Family: Fabaceae

Lessertia frutescens  is a much-respected and long-used medicinal plant that is also an attractive garden plant, and has been cultivated in gardens...

07 / 04 / 2003 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Linzia glabra

Linzia glabra
Common names: wild heliotrope
Family: Asteraceae

Linzia glabra is a strong-growing, herbaceous perennial that flowers throughout the summer, producing masses of flowers that look like little mauve...

27 / 01 / 2003 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucadendron eucalyptifolium

Male and female flower heads
Common names: gum-leaf conebush, tall conebush (English), grootgeelbos, geelbos (Afrikaans)
Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron eucalyptifolium is a decorative, fast-growing fynbos shrub that turns bright yellow in winter-spring....

01 / 09 / 2014 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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