Plants of the Week

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E.g., 22/12/2024
E.g., 22/12/2024

Hyparrhenia hirta

Hyparrhenia hirta
Common names: common thatching grass (Eng.); dektamboekiegras (Afr.)
Family: Poaceae

Hyparrhenia hirta is recognized by its hard basal tussock, rough narrow leaves and a scanty panicle of pairs of white villous racemes which do not deflex...

13 / 04 / 2009 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Hyperacanthus amoenus

Hyperacanthus amoenus.Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: Thorny gardenia (Eng.); Doringkatjiepiering (Afr.); Murombe (Tshivenda); Bembethu (Sesotho); isibhembedu, umbambangwe, umthembezwana (isiZulu); isende
Family: Rubiaceae

This shrub or small tree with its glossy green foliage and pretty flowers is an attractive option for gardeners looking to expand their collection of indigenous...

25 / 11 / 2013 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Hypericum revolutum

Bush in flower
Common names: curry bush, forest primrose (Eng.); kerriebos (Afr.)
Family: Hypericaceae

The leaves of the evergreen Hypericum revolutum release a curry-like smell when crushed and after rain. The fresh, green foliage and bright yellow...

13 / 01 / 2014 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Hyphaene coriacea

lala palm
Common names: lala palm, ilala palm, gingerbread tree, fan palm (Eng.); lalapalm, palmboom, waaierpalm (Afr.); Lala-Palme (German); Lilala (Swati); Nnala (Tsonga);
Family: Arecaceae

Could large scale exploitation of lala palms make a significant contribution to the economy of northern Zululand? Almost all parts of this very common...

05 / 07 / 2004 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Hypocalyptus coluteoides

Hypocalyptus coluteoides flower head
Common names: balloon-pod red-keur (Eng.); rooikeur, rooikeurtjie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Attractive, upright, bright pink to magenta flower heads at the ends of the branches are bound to catch one's attention when this lovely shrub is in...

28 / 05 / 2012 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Hypocalyptus sophoroides

Flowerhead
Common names: red keur (Eng.); rooikeur (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

 Hypocalyptus sophoroides is a graceful shrub producing lots of colour in spring along with a beautiful sweet fragrance....

10 / 12 / 2012 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Hypodiscus aristatus

Hypodiscus aristatus
Common names: bristly pineapple reed, hedgehogs, needle reed (Eng.); naaldriet (Afr.)
Family: Restionaceae

This beautiful tuft-forming restio, with its spikey inflorescences, is seen growing on the mountain slopes in Betty’s Bay and would make an excellent...

16 / 12 / 2019 | Karen Wall | Harold Porter NBG
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Hypoestes aristata

Hypoestes aristata inflorescences
Common names: ribbon bush (Eng.); seeroogblommetjie (Afr.); uhladlwana olukhulu, uhlonyane, uhlalwane (Zulu)
Family: Acanthaceae

The ribbon bush with its attractive lilac pink flowers is an excellent garden subject....

29 / 03 / 2010 | Patrick Mtsweni | Lowveld NBG
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Hypoestes aristata var. aristata 'Purple Haze'

H.aristata 'Purple Haze'
Common names: ribbon bush (E) lintbos (A) uhlonyane (Z)

This is a special form of the popular ribbon bush Hypoestes aristata which is a garden stalwart....

02 / 07 / 2001 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Hypoxis

Hypoxis acuminata
Common names: yellow stars, star lily, african potato (Eng.); sterretjie, Afrika-patat (Afr.); inkomfe, ilabatheka (isiZulu)
Family: Hypoxidaceae

Hypoxis, a well-known genus of the family Hypoxidaceae, easily recognizable by its bright yellow star-shaped flowers and strap-like leaves, has a long...

05 / 04 / 2004 | Yashica Singh | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Hypoxis colchicifolia

Hypoxix colchicifolia©G Nichols
Common names: broad-leaved hypoxis (Eng.); iLabatheka (Zulu)
Family: Hypoxidaceae

This is a must for every South African  gardener, not only for its medicinal uses, but also for its bright yellow flowers in late spring....

02 / 06 / 2003 | Siyabulela Nonjinge | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Common names: star flower, yellow star (Eng.); sterblom, geelsterretjie, gifbol (Afr.); moli kharatsa, lotsane (S Sotho); inkomfe, inkomfe enkulu (Zulu), inongwe, i
Family: Hypoxidaceae

Hailed as`miracle muti' and `wonder potato', Hypoxis hemerocallidea has been very much in the limelight during the past two decades and is today...

09 / 11 / 2009 | Beate Hölscher | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Hypoxis membranacea

Hypoxis membranacea
Common names: small white star flower
Family: Hypoxidaceae

A remarkable and delicate, small, white-flowered hypoxis, well suited to small gardens, in moist areas....

22 / 06 / 2020 | Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ilex mitis

Ilex mitis female fruiting
Common names: African holly, Cape holly, wild holly, water tree (Eng.); waterboom, waterhout, without (Afr.); monamane (Northern Sotho); iPhuphuma (Zulu), umDuma (X
Family: Aquifoliaceae

The African Holly has attractive bark and berries. It grows throughout the country, making it suitable for colder, frosty gardens too....

19 / 07 / 2004 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Impatiens flanaganiae

In flower
Common names: Mrs Flanagan's impatiens
Family: Balsaminaceae

Impatiens flanaganiae is a little known member of the popular busy lizzy family and has a lot of potential as a potplant or for growing near a shady water...

16 / 10 / 2006 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Impatiens hochstetteri subsp. hochstetteri

Impatiens hochstetteri subsp. hochstetteri
Common names: wild balsam, common wild forest impatiens (Eng.); kruidjie-roer-my-nie (Afr.); ihlula, umadolwane (Zul.).
Family: Balsaminaceae

...

02 / 04 / 2018 | Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Imperata cylindrica

Imperata cylindrica in flower in habitat
Common names: silver-spike, cogon grass, cottonwool grass, beady grass, bedding grass, Ramsammy grass, river grass, silky grass, susenke, sword grass (Eng.); donsgr
Family: Poaceae

Silver-spike or cogon grass has a distinctive flowerhead, which is silky-white or cream and shaped like a cylindrical plume. The leaves are hard, rigid...

26 / 08 / 2024 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Indigofera circinnata

Indigofera circinnata
Common names: coiled-pod indigofera (Eng.); krulboontjie, steekboontjie (Afr.); mutahala (Tshivenda)
Family: Fabaceae

A spiny, rigid shrub with white and pink flowers and distinctive circular pods, that is used in traditional medicine in South Africa. The genus Indigofera...

22 / 05 / 2023 | Tambudzani Caroline Machaba | Thohoyandou NBG
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Indigofera denudata

Indigofera denudata
Common names: denuded indigo (Eng.)
Family: Fabaceae

...

05 / 02 / 2024 | Samkelisiwe Mathonsi | Compton Herbarium
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Indigofera flabellata

Indigofera flabellata (Adriaan Grobler)
Common names: fan-leaf indigofera
Family: Fabaceae

The Fynbos Biome is the home of the characteristic dwarf shrub, Indigofera flabellata, with irregular branches and beautiful rose-purple flowers that attract...

03 / 10 / 2016 | Tandiwe Nkonki | National Herbarium Pretoria
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