Plants of the Week

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Xerophyta retinervis

Xerophyta retinervis in flower
Common names: black-stick lily ( Eng.); besembos, bobbejaanstert (Afr.); sifunti (Swazi); isigqumana, isiphmba (Zulu)
Family: Velloziaceae

Xerophyta retinervis is a fascinating plant with blackened stems in the winter months but totally transformed in the early summer when covered with...

02 / 06 / 2008 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Ximenia americana var. microphylla

Ximenia americana var. microphylla
Common names: small blue sourplum (Eng.); kleinblousuurpruim (Afr.); ukolotshane, umtunduluka-omncane, umkholotshwana (Zul.);umtfundvuluka, umthunduluka (Swa.); nt
Family: Olacaceae

A spiny shrub of African savannas that bears brightly coloured, edible fruits, and has a long history of medicinal value for traditional healers and western...

20 / 07 / 2020 | Mpho Mathalauga | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Ximenia caffra

Ximenia caffra © Geoff Nichols
Common names: large sourplum (Eng.); grootsuurpruim (Afr.); umThunduluka-obmvu (Zulu); Morokologa (Northern Sotho)
Family: Olacaceae

The large sourplum is a small tree or shrub with many traditional uses and colourful fruit. It is suited to growing in a bush clump or as part of a boundary...

23 / 08 / 2004 | J K Baloyi | Pretoria NBG
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Xylia torreana

Xylia torreana
Common names: hairy sand-ash (Eng.); harige sandessenhout (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

An attractive deciduous tree with fragrant yellow flowers in little balls in early summer, followed by large, woody pods....

24 / 12 / 2018 | Sephatle Evans Molekoa | Lowveld NBG
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Xylotheca kraussiana

Male flower X. kraussiana  © Geoff Nichols
Common names: African dog rose (Eng.); umbalekani, isishwashwa (Zulu); umdubu (Xhosa); Afrikaanse hondsroos (Afr.)
Family: Achariaceae

The African dog rose, Xylotheca kraussiana, is a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that forms a good focal point in a garden with its beautiful flowers...

02 / 08 / 2004 | R Williams | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Xyris capensis

Xyris capensis (Graham Grieve)
Common names: Cape yellow-eyed grass, common xyris (Eng.); hloho-tsa-makaka, kaka-hlothona (Sesotho); umuzi (SiSwati); udoyi oluncane (isiZulu)
Family: Xyridaceae

Xyris capensis is a perennial grass-like plant growing from a more or less creeping rhizome. Its yellow flowers are clustered in a roundish spike which...

18 / 01 / 2016 | Aluwani Tshiila | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Xysmalobium involucratum

Flowers
Common names: scented xysmalobium (Eng.); hongersnoodwortel, hongersnoodbossie, melkbossie (Afr.); udambisomkhulu, udelunina (isiZulu)
Family: Apocynaceae

The long, narrow, green leaves make Xysmalobium involucratum inconspicuous in unburned grassy areas unless it is flowering. In grasslands that are grazed...

15 / 11 / 2004 | Mkhipheni Ngwenya | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Xysmalobium pedifoetidum

Flower head
Common names: northern red-flowered cartwheel
Family: Apocynaceae

Despite the fact that Xysmalobium pedifoetidum is the most recently described member in its genus, it has been known by taxonomists for more than 50 years....

29 / 07 / 2013 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Xysmalobium undulatum

Xysmalobium undulatum flowers
Common names: milk bush, milkwort, uzura, wild cotton, wave-leaved xysmalobium (Eng.); bitterhout, bitterwortel, bitterhoutwortel, melkbos (Afr.); leshokoa, poho-t�
Family: Apocynaceae

The wave-leaved xysmalobium is a well-known feature of the verges of most of the highways in the grassland biome during November and December. Initially...

29 / 12 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Zaluzianskya capensis

Flowers open in evening
Common names: drumsticks (Eng.); verfblommetjie (Afr.)
Family: Marsileaceae

This plant fills the evening air with a sweet fragrance that will give you joy from May to November. The flowers open towards the evening and remain open...

01 / 07 / 2013 | Benjamin Festus | Harold Porter NBG
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Zaluzianskya microsiphon

Zaluzianskya microsiphon
Common names: two-lipped drumsticks (Eng.); malthungthung (Southern Sotho)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

A day-flowering species with strongly zygomorphic, unscented flowers....

04 / 01 / 2021 | Xichavo Mathebula | Compton Herbarium
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Zaluzianskya villosa

Zaluzianskya villosa
Common names: downy drumsticks (Eng.); verfblommetjie (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

These small, dainty, white to mauve flowered annuals can be seen in spring and early summer in the Western Cape of South Africa. Unlike Zaluzianskya capensis,...

11 / 12 / 2023 | Karen Wall | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Zantedeschia

Zantedeschia cut flowers
Common names: arum lilies, calla lilies, pig lily (Eng.); varkblom (Afr.)
Family: Araceae

Clump-forming perennials, cherished around the globe for their lush foliage and ornate blooms of white, yellow, pink and red....

19 / 11 / 2012 | Yashica Singh | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Zantedeschia aethiopica

Zantedeschia aethiopica
Common names: White or common arum lily (English); wit varkoor (Afrikaans); intebe (Xhosa) ihlukwe (Zulu)

Zantedeschia aethiopica is an old fashioned, but very rewarding garden plant....

05 / 11 / 2001 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Zantedeschia odorata

Zantedeschia odorata in flower
Common names: scented arum (Eng.); soetvarkblom (Afr.)
Family: Araceae

Zantedeschia odorata is a rare, winter-growing, white arum with a moderately sweet scent and attractive, arrow-shaped leaves. With careful attention to...

01 / 12 / 2014 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Zanthoxylum capense

Fruit of Zanthoxylum capense
Common names: small knobwood (Eng.); kleinperdepram (Afr.); umlungumabele (isiXhosa); umnungamabele (isiZulu); monokwane (Sotho); khunugumorupa (Tsonga)
Family: Rutaceae

A large number of Zanthoxylum species have been studied and most of them contain biologically active benzophenanthridine alkaloids. Of particular...

16 / 04 / 2012 | Mandisa Kondlo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Zanthoxylum davyi

Zanthoxylum davyi
Common names: forest knobwood, forest knobthorn (Eng.); bosperdepram, knopdoringhout (Afr.); umnugumabele, umnungwane, umnungwane omkhulu (isiZulu); tshamavhudzi, m
Family: Rutaceae

The forest knobwood tree, scientifically known as Zanthoxylum davyi, is a remarkable presence in southern African forests, with its its impressive height,...

06 / 05 / 2024 | Mpho Mathalauga | Pretoria NBG
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Zanthoxylum humile

Zanthoxylum humile
Common names: hairy knobwood (Eng.); harige knophout, harige perdepram (Afr.); monokwane (Sepedi)
Family: Rutaceae

The hairy knobwood is dressed in a layer of short, grey hairs along its branches and armed with dark, sharp thorns, as if it is fully aware of its medicinal...

17 / 05 / 2021 | Lesiba Papo | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Zeuxine africana

Habit of Z. africana
Common names: None
Family: Orchidaceae

Zeuxine africana, listed as Endangered on the South African Red List, is only known from a single locality - the busiest port of southern Africa, Durban...

16 / 09 / 2013 | K Zulu | CREW
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Ziziphus mucronata

Ziziphus mucronata
Common names: buffalo thorn (Eng.); blinkblaar-wag-'n-bietjie (Afr.); umphafa, umlahlankosi, isilahla (isiZulu); umphafa (isiXhosa); umlahlabantu (Swazi); mokgalo (
Family: Rhamnaceae

Ziziphus mucronata, or as it is more frequently known, the wag-'n-bietjie tree represents life as we know it. The young twigs are zigzag,...

23 / 04 / 2007 | N Mazibuko | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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