Plants of the Week

Marasmodes

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

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

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

Malephora

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

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

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

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

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

Macrostylis squarrosa

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

Macowania revoluta

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

Macowania corymbosa

The flowerbuds of M. corymbosa form attractive, woolly balls at the tips of the stems.

Common names: No common names are recorded for this species.

Family: Asteraceae

Macowania corymbosa is an extremely attractive shrub. Its slender leaves create a vivid, moss-green foliage that is topped by a bouquet-like cluster of...

01 / 06 / 2015 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium

Maclura africana

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

Macledium zeyheri

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

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

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

Macaranga capensis

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

Lydenburgia cassinoides

Common names: Sekhukhuni bushman's tea (Eng.); sekhukhuni-boesmanstee (Afr.); mohlolodi (Northern Sotho)

Family: Celastraceae

Sekhukhuni Bushman’s Tea is a medium sized tree, occurring in bushveld in Sekhukhuneland and Lydenburg, which showcases its distinctive cream to...

06 / 02 / 2023 | Ntsakisi Masia | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Lydenburgia abbottii

Common names: Pondo Bushman’s Tea (Eng.); pondoboesmanstee (Afr.)

Family: Celastraceae

Pondo Bushman’s Tea is a tall tree, and one of the rarest trees in South Africa, occurring in ravine forest in just two river gorges....

25 / 06 / 2018 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG

Lycium horridum

Common names: buck honeythorn (Eng.); bokdoring, kriedoring, kraaldoring, slangbessiebos, wolwedoring (Afr.)

Family: Solanaceae

Lycium horridum, also known as the buck honeythorn, is a thorny shrub with oblong leaves and distinctive orange to red berries. The plant is known to be...

24 / 06 / 2024 | Sedzani Madongo | National Herbarium Pretoria

Lycium ferocissimum

Common names: Cape box thorn, honey thorn, snake-berry, African box thorn (Eng.); slangbessie, karriedoring, bokdoring (Afr.); ubovu (Xho.)

Family: Solanaceae

A spiny, evergreen shrub with attractive red berries, that are borne sporadically throughout the year and make it a perfect plant to attract birds to the...

27 / 11 / 2017 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG

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