Plants of the Week

Paranomus sceptrum-gustavianus

Common names: King Gustave's sceptre, bottlebrush, white sceptre, sceptre-like paranomus (Eng.); perdebos, septerpluimbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

This is a favourite among the Paranomus with showy, sweetly scented flowers and attractive foliage....

23 / 06 / 2014 | Nosiphelele Patricia Mapukata | Harold Porter NBG

Parinari capensis subsp. capensis

Common names: dwarf mobola-plum, sand apple (Eng.); sandappeltjie, bosappeltjie, gruisappeltjie, grysappeltjie, witappeltjie (Afr.); murunda (Tshivenda), mobolo-oa-

Family: Chrysobalanaceae

A dwarf creeping tree of the South African grassland, Parinari capensis subsp. capensis, captivates with its diminutive stature and remarkable adaptability....

01 / 04 / 2024 | Mpho Mathalauga | Pretoria NBG

Parinari curatellifolia

Common names: mobola-plum, cork tree, hissing tree (Eng.); grysappel, bosappel (Afr.); mmola (N. Sotho); mbulwa (Tsonga); mobola (Tswana); muvhula (Venda)

Family: Chrysobalanaceae

This attractive shade-providing tree is a prominent aspect in its environment, and it is no surprise that a tribute to the late Dr David Livingstone (a...

22 / 09 / 2008 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Passerina corymbosa

Common names: gonna bush (Eng.); gonnabos, bakkerbos (Afr.)

Family: Thymelaeaceae

Passerina corymbosa, a medium to tall shrub covered in masses of small creamy flowers, is fast-growing and would be a welcome addition to any fynbos...

27 / 11 / 2006 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Passerina ericoides

Common names: Christmas berry (Eng.); dronkbessie (Afr.)

Family: Thymelaeaceae

It is a most exhilarating experience seeing Passerina ericoides growing on cliff faces at Cape Point and overlooking the vast Atlantic Ocean, with branchlets...

18 / 10 / 2004 | Christien Bredenkamp | Pretoria NBG

Passerina filiformis subsp. filiformis

Common names: bakkerbos (Afr.)

Family: Thymelaeaceae

Passerina filiformis subsp. filiformis is a shrub growing up to 2 m. It is currently quite scarce in the Cape Peninsula, but a healthy community of these...

25 / 10 / 2004 | Christien Bredenkamp | National Herbarium Pretoria

Pauridia aquatica

Common names: Cape star (Eng.); sterretjie, vleiblommetjie, vlei-uintjie, watersterblom, watersterretjie (Afr.)

Family: Hypoxidaceae

Pauridia aquatica is a small geophytic plant suitable for water gardens and wetlands. Its white, star-shaped flowers with bright yellow centres, make a...

04 / 05 / 2015 | Victoria Wilman | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Pavetta

Common names: bride's bush, Christmas bush ( Eng. ); bruidsboom, bruidsbos, kers(mis)bos (Afr.)

Family: Rubiaceae

When in full flower, these trees or shrubs truly remind one of a beautiful, radiant bride stunningly dressed in a specially designed white garment! As...

24 / 12 / 2007 | Paul Herman | Pretoria NBG

Pavetta cooperi

Common names: Christmas bush, pompon bride's bush (Eng.); pomponbruidsbos, kers(mis)bos (Afr.); luphehlwane (Siswati); is-Anywana (Zulu).

Family: Rubiaceae

...

11 / 01 / 2010 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pavetta gardeniifolia

Common names: Christmas bride's bush, Christmas bush, kersbruidsbos (Afr.)

Family: Rubiaceae

Masses of attractive creamy-white nectar-rich flowers hang from branches of glossy dark green foliage and their sweet fragrance fills the air at Christmas...

25 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG

Pavetta lanceolata

Common names: weeping bride's bush, forest bride's bush, bridal bush, Christmas bush ( Eng.); treurbruidsbos, bruidsbos (Afr.); umhleza, ilitoba, umgonogono, umphon

Family: Rubiaceae

In full flower, Pavetta lanceolata looks like a bride adorned in pure white, full of expectation and hope for a long and happy life, hence the...

20 / 11 / 2006 | Paul Herman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Pavetta revoluta

Common names: dune bride's bush ( Eng. ); duinebruidsbos (Afr.); umCilikishe (Xhosa); umHlabambaza (Zulu)

Family: Rubiaceae

This white-flowered shrub or a small tree is a joy to have in the garden; it also attracts wild life to the garden....

31 / 12 / 2007 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pavetta schumanniana

Common names: poison bride's bush (Eng.); gifbruidsbos (Afr.); Sawoti (siSwati); Tshituku ( Venda ); isiMbuzana (isiZulu)

Family: Rubiaceae

What? A poisonous (or poisoned) bride? Surely that is the starting-point of a third-rate horror movie, or a children's fairy tale! No, in fact the...

12 / 02 / 2007 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Pavetta zeyheri subsp. zeyheri

Common names: grey-leaved bride’s bush, small-leaved bride’s bush, narrow-leaved bride’s bush (Eng.); fynblaarbruidbos (Afr.); igcegceleya, igceya (isiXhosa);

Family: Rubiaceae

A flowering plant from the genus Pavetta, P. zeyheri is a shrub or small tree that has beautiful, radiant, faintly scented white flowers in summer, that...

15 / 03 / 2021 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pavonia columella

Common names: pink pavonia (Eng.); indole ebomvu (isiZulu).

Family: Malvaceae

Pavonia columella, a hardy and aromatic subshrub, shows off its delicate, white to pink flowers all year round....

05 / 07 / 2021 | Ashton Welcome | National Herbarium Pretoria

Pavonia praemorsa

Common names: yellow mallow

Family: Malvaceae

Year-round, pretty lemon-yellow hibiscus-like flowers, that each only last for a day, on a low, maintenance hardy, indigenous shrub, with lots of potential...

06 / 04 / 2015 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pearsonia sessilifolia

Common names: silwerertjietee, vaalertjietee (Afr.)

Family: Fabaceae

The sulphur-yellow flowers of Pearsonia sessilifolia, once pollinated, turn bright organge, signalling to their pollinators to reserve their resources...

29 / 12 / 2008 | Alicia Grobler | National Herbarium Pretoria