Plants of the Week

Avicennia marina

Common names: white mangrove (Eng.); witseebasboom (Afr.); mangal, towozi, txomahati (Xironga); isikhungathi (isiXhosa, isiZulu) - these from Van Wyk et al. (2011);

Family: Avicenniaceae

Every travel agent's idea of a tropical paradise involves white, palm-fringed beaches and "the murmur of summer seas" - but what are those...

20 / 06 / 2011 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Wurmbea marginata

Common names: Spider lily (Eng.), Swartkoppie (Afr.)

Family: Colchicaceae

...

13 / 06 / 2011 | Olivia Tyambetyu | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Millettia stuhlmanni

Common names: panga panga, partridge wood (Eng.); panga-panga, patryshout (Afr.); muangaila (Venda); mpangapanga (Swahili)

Family: Fabaceae

Millettia stuhlmannii is a well known timber tree internationally exported for woodwork. Only one subpopulation of this species exists in South Africa...

13 / 06 / 2011 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Pelargonium crispum

Common names: lemon-scented pelargonium, crisped-leaf pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium crispum is ideal for any garden as it produces pretty pink flowers for most of the year....

06 / 06 / 2011 | Olivia Tyambetyu | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Cynorhiza typica

C. typica inflorescence in flower Photo: A. Magee ©

Common names: bierwortel, gatagaai, hondewortel (Afr.)

Family: Apiaceae

Cynorhiza typica is a striking wild carrot, the root of which was once commonly used in the West Coast region of the Cape to brew an intoxicating honey...

06 / 06 / 2011 | Anthony R. Magee | Compton Herbarium

Pteleopsis myrtifolia

Common names: stink-bushwillow (South Africa), two-winged stinkbush (Namibia), two-winged stink-bushwillow (Zimbabwe); stinkboswilg; musunganyemba (ChiManyika), mus

Family: Combretaceae

Here we have a very attractive and under-appreciated tree, most often seen in one of the most unusual environments in South Africa, namely the sandveld...

30 / 05 / 2011 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Gasteria armstrongii

Common names: flat-leaf gasteria (Eng.); platblaar-beestong (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria armstrongii is a dwarf aloe-like, succulent-leaved stone plant, endemic to the Renosterveld flats between Jeffreys Bay and the Gamtoos River...

30 / 05 / 2011 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Lobelia anceps

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

Erica haematocodon

Common names: bloodbell heath

Family: Ericaceae

This erica from the Cape peninsula has blood red flowers....

23 / 05 / 2011 | Julia Dabush | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium ternatum

Family: Geraniaceae

this is a beautiful hardy pelargonium that is suited to a miniature rockery....

16 / 05 / 2011 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Barleria rogersii

Common names: Rogers' bushviolet

Family: Acanthaceae

To cover the bare sunny spots between rocks in your garden you need Barleria rogersii....

16 / 05 / 2011 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG

Pleiospilos nelii

Common names: split rocks (Eng.); kwaggavy(-gie) (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

Pleiospilos nelii is an intriguing little succulent and one of the best examples of mimicry....

09 / 05 / 2011 | Lize Wolfaardt | Karoo Desert NBG

Erica coccinea subsp. coccinea

Common names: tassel heath, small tassel heath (Eng.); hangertjie (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

Erica coccinea subsp. coccinea is a decorative fynbos shrub with large, pendulous tubular flowers, in a range of colours, that attract sunbirds to the...

09 / 05 / 2011 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gladiolus carmineus

Common names: cliff gladiolus, Hermanus gladiolus

Family: Iridaceae

Gladiolus carmineus is a striking geophyte with intensely red-pink flowers....

02 / 05 / 2011 | M Treurnicht | CREW

Anisodontea scabrosa

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

Strelitzia caudata

Common names: mountain wild banana, Transvaal wild banana (Eng.); bergwildepiesang, Transvaal wildepiesang (Afr.); isigude saseMpumalanga (Nguni)

Family: Strelitziaceae

Strelitzia caudata is one of three arborescent banana-like Strelitzia species occurring in southern Africa. It is a good focal point for a mid-size to...

25 / 04 / 2011 | Phakamani Xaba | Kirstenbosch NBG

Brackenridgea zanguebarica

Common names: yellow peeling plane (Eng.); geellekkerbreek (Afr.); mutavhatsindi (Ven.)

Family: Ochnaceae

...

25 / 04 / 2011 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Gladiolus dalenii

Common names: African gladiolus, parrot lily, sword lily (Eng.); papegaaigladiolus, wildeswaardlelie (Afr.); khahla-e-kholo (Sesotho); sidvwana (siSwati); isidwi es

Family: Iridaceae

Gladiolus dalenii and other Gladiolus species are popular garden plants, cultivated in Europe for more than 250 years and renowned for their striking,...

18 / 04 / 2011 | Stemmer Ngalo | Free State NBG

Gasteria ellaphieae

Common names: Ellaphie's gasteria

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria ellaphieae is a dwarf aloe-like, succulent-leaved plant (rock crevice plant) endemic to the Kouga Dam region of the Eastern Cape Province....

18 / 04 / 2011 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Galtonia candicans

Common names: berg lily, summer hyacinth, Cape hyacinth (Eng.); berglelie, Kaapse hiasint (Afr.); isidwa esimhlope (Zulu)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Galtonia candicans is now called Ornithogalum candicans....

14 / 04 / 2011 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

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