Plants of the Week

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E.g., 03/10/2024
E.g., 03/10/2024

Ammocharis coranica

Ammocharis coranica
Common names: karoo lily, koranna lily, sore eye flower, bible flower, ground lily (Eng.); berglelie, gifbol, seeroogblom (Afr.); boka (Sesotho); isidiya, icukudo,
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Ammocharis coranica lives up to its common name, sore eye flower. This striking beautiful bulb, with its umbel inflorescence, delivers spectacular flower...

20 / 11 / 2017 | Ricardo Riddles | Karoo Desert NBG
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Ammocharis longifolia

Ammocharis longifolia
Common names: Malgas lily (Eng.); seeroogblom (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The name Malgas lily is taken from the abundance of this bulb in the Malgas area near the Breede River in the Cape. It is one of South Africa's showiest...

16 / 08 / 2004 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Amphithalea tomentosa

Amphithalea tomentosa, inflorescence
Common names: hairy amphithalea
Family: Fabaceae

Ampithalea tomentosa is a striking plant found in Lowland Fynbos, with eye-catching, silvery foliage and yellow blossoms almost hidden by the hairy calyx,...

18 / 12 / 2023 | Naomi Mdayi | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Anastrabe integerrima

Photo copyright Geoff Nichol
Common names: pambati tree (Eng.); isipambatihout , pambatihout , pambatieboom (Afr.); isiBhembedu, isiNqunjana (Z); isiPambatho (Z, X)
Family: Stilbaceae

With its clusters of custard-yellow pouch-shaped flowers combined with very attractive leaves that contrast their dark green tops with silvery white and...

24 / 12 / 2012 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anchusa capensis

Anchusa capensis
Common names: Cape-forget-me-not, anchusa (Eng.); vergeetmynietjie, ystergras, koringblom, ossetongblaar (Afr.); petlekheme (Sesotho)
Family: Boraginaceae

The Cape-forget-me-not is easy to find flowering in the fields of daisies throughout Namaqualand in the spring, and, although it may be a bit weedy, its...

22 / 08 / 2016 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ancylobotrys capensis

Climbing hooks and flowers at tip hooks
Common names: rock milk apricot, wild apricot, dwarf wild apricot, wild peach ( Eng. ); klipmelkappelkoos, wilde-appelkoos, wilde-perske (Afr.); morobe (Northern So
Family: Apocynaceae

The fragrant, hardy, indigenous wild apricot, Ancylobotrys capensis, is a good substitute for the Chinese jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) the scent of which...

10 / 10 / 2005 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Androstachys johnsonii

Androstachys johnsonii, fruits. (E. Schmidt)
Common names: Lebombo-ironwood (Eng.), Lebombo-ysterhout (Afr.), umsimbitsi (seSwati), nsimbitsi (seTswana)
Family: Picrodendraceae

Lebombo-ironwood is an evergreen tree which occurs in hot savannas; it is reputed for its hard and long-lasting wood. Many strong structures around the...

27 / 10 / 2014 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Anemone bracteata

Anemone bracteata
Common names: blistering leaves (Eng.), brandblaar (Afr.), umvuthuza (isiZulu), umvuthuza (isiXhosa)
Family: Ranunculaceae

Anemone bracteata is an understory plant, with densely hairy stems and leaf stalks, and greenish white flowers in summer; the whole plant is harvested...

12 / 07 / 2021 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Anemone fannini

Plant in flower
Common names: giant wild anemone (Eng.); syblom, groot anemoon (Afr.); umanzamnyama (Zulu)
Family: Ranunculaceae

This stately anemone with beautiful white flowers and large, velvety palmate leaves from the eastern grasslands of South Africa would be an asset to any...

07 / 11 / 2005 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Anemone knowltonia

 Unusual flowers resembling green buttercups
Common names: blistering leaves (Eng.); brandblare, katjiedrieblaar (Afr.)
Family: Ranunculaceae

This is a very handsome plant with unusual flowers resembling green buttercups, that does well in shady situations....

01 / 09 / 2003 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anemone vesicatoria

Leaves and flowers
Common names: blisterleaf (Eng.); brandblaar, katjiedrieblaar, tandpynblaar, peperwortel (Afr.)
Family: Ranunculaceae

Anemone vesicatoria is one of the few and best fynbos plants for the shady garden. Tough and water-wise, a mature clump of this plant with its attractive...

04 / 02 / 2008 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anginon difforme

Anginon difforme
Common names: common needle-leaf, common finkel (Eng.); wildevinkel, wildeseldery (Afr.)
Family: Apiaceae

Anginon difforme is an endemic of southern Africa with reduced, needle-like leaves that resemble pine needles, so much so that it sometimes is confused...

30 / 01 / 2023 | Nokukhanya Nozipho Mhlongo | Compton Herbarium
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Anisodontea dissecta

Anisodontea dissecta
Common names: Ruens mallow (Eng.)
Family: Malvaceae

Anisodontea dissecta is an attractive shrub with a bright showy display of white to light pink flowers to brighten your garden in spring.Fig. 1: The white...

05 / 10 / 2020 | Lindokuhle Sibisi | Compton Herbarium
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Anisodontea julii

Anisodontea julii
Common names: Drakensberg mallow, mountain mallow, African mallow (Eng.); bergroos (Afr.); letjeane-la-noka, llefeta (SS)
Family: Malvaceae

Anisodontea julii, valued for its quick growth, is a tall, graceful shrub with velvety, maple-like leaves and wonderful displays of large pink flowers...

21 / 03 / 2005 | L Badenhorst | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anisodontea scabrosa

Anisodontea scabrosa flower and foliage
Common names: rough-leaf African mallow, sand rose, pink mallow, hairy mallow (Eng.); sandroos, pienk-kiesieblaar, harigemalva (Afr.)
Family: Malvaceae

Who can resist a bright cheerful shrub that flowers throughout the year? This mallow is ideally suited for home gardens being able to withstand coastal...

02 / 05 / 2011 | N Stoll | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Annona senegalensis

Ripe fruit of Annona senegalensis
Common names: wild custard apple, African custard apple (Eng.), wildesuikerappel (Afr.), umphofu (Zul.), umtelembu (Swa.), muyembe (Tso.), muembe (Ven.)
Family: Annonaceae

Annona senegalensis is a multi-stemmed, deciduous African fruit tree that is found in semi-arid to subhumid areas. It has a long history of traditional...

20 / 11 / 2023 | Accurate Sondlhana | Lowveld NBG
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Ansellia africana

Heavily spotten form Photo Martin von Flintel
Common names: leopard orchid (Eng.); luiperdorgidee (Afr.); imfeyenkawu(Zulu)
Family: Orchidaceae

...

24 / 11 / 2003 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Anthocleista grandiflora

Flowers
Common names: forest fever tree, big-leaf fever tree, big leaf, forest big-leaf, cabbage tree, tobacco tree (Eng.); grootblaarboom, koorsboom, wildetabakboom (Afr.)
Family: Gentianaceae

Anthocleista grandiflora is a striking tree with a tall straight trunk topped with a crown of huge leaves. It needs a warm, sunny garden with plenty of...

10 / 03 / 2014 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anthospermum spathulatum subsp. spathulatum

Anthospermum spathulatum
Common names: spoon flowerseed, spathulate anthospermum, jackal's tail (Eng.), jakkalsstert, skaapbos (Afr.)
Family: Rubiaceae

A dense, woody shrublet with small, needle-like leaves densely covering the stems to form an interesting arrangement of foliaged branches....

08 / 01 / 2024 | Thabang Makola | Karoo Desert NBG
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Antidesma venosum

Antidesma venosum in fruit (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: Tasselberry (Eng.), Voëlsitboom, Tosselbessie (Afr.); isiBangamlotha, Isiqutwane, Umhlabahlungulu, Umhlalanyoni (isiZulu); modulane (Northern Sotho),
Family: Phyllanthaceae

This is an evergreen to semi-deciduous shrub or small tree with a dense, rounded crown, flowers in long, thin catkins that attract insects and insect-eating...

08 / 09 / 2014 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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