Plants of the Week

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E.g., 11/10/2024
E.g., 11/10/2024

Argyrolobium robustum

Argyrolobium robustum
Common names: liquorice bean (Eng.), soethoutbossie (Afr.), umuzimuka (Zul.)
Family: Fabaceae

Argyrolobium robustum is an attractive plant with many-flowered, yellow flower-heads that are produced from spring to early summer; common in grasslands...

31 / 01 / 2022 | Thembeka Malwane | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Gnidia kraussiana

See Lasiosiphon kraussianus...

26 / 01 / 2022 | | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Haworthia marumiana var. batesiana

Haworthia marumiana var. batesiana
Common names: Camdebo cliff haworthia (Eng.), Kamdebo-dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia marumiana var. batesiana is a dwarf, cliff-hugging plant with numerous rosettes of green, ovate-lanceolate, succulent leaves and a solitary inflorescence...

24 / 01 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cissus quadrangularis

Cissus quadrangularis
Common names: climbing cactus, cactus vine, succulent-stemmed wild grape, edible-stemmed vine (Eng.); velddruif (Afr.); ijovane, isinwazi, umhlushwane, umnhlonhlwan
Family: Vitaceae

A climber with square, fleshy, green stems and red berries in summer. The stems, roots and leaves are used in traditional medicine to treat various human...

24 / 01 / 2022 | M Mashiane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Haworthia marumiana var. marumiana

Haworthia marumiana var. marumiana
Common names: Karoo cliff haworthia (Eng.), karroo-dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia marumiana var. marumiana is a dwarf plant with numerous rosettes of dark green, ovate-lanceolate, succulent leaves that hug the cliffs in the...

17 / 01 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Monsonia vanderietiae

Monsonia vanderietiae
Common names: Albany bushman’s candle, Albany candle bush (Eng.), Albany boesmankers, grootkersbos (Afr.); igcegceleya, igceya (isiXhosa)
Family: Geraniaceae

A beautiful, stunted, low growing, tough-looking perennial with shiny leaves, succulent greyish stems and large, delicate-looking, creamy white flowers...

17 / 01 / 2022 | Nomama Mei | Kwelera NBG
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Gladiolus floribundus

Gladiolus floribundus
Common names: common swordlily
Family: Iridaceae

A winter-growing gladiolus with showy spikes of striped, white or pale pink flowers in spring; well suited to winter-rainfall gardens and suitable for...

10 / 01 / 2022 | Mizpah Hoffman | TSP
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Haworthia zantneriana

Haworthia zantneriana in cultivation at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Common names: Steytlerville haworthia (Eng.), Steytlerville dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.).
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia zantneriana is a dwarf, cluster-forming, cliff-hugger, with rosettes of light green, linear lanceolate, succulent leaves with pale, longitudinal...

10 / 01 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Encephalartos heenanii

Encephalartos heenanii growing in habitat. Photo Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency Threatened Plants Project
Common names: woolly cycad (Eng.), wollerige broodboom (Afr.)
Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos heenanii is a medium-sized cycad with an erect stem that may become procumbent with age. This cycad is commonly known as the woolly cycad...

03 / 01 / 2022 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Hermannia salviifolia

Hermannia salviifolia
Common names: sage-leaf hermannia (Eng.); geneesbossie (Afr.)
Family: Malvaceae

Hermannia salviifolia is a lovely bushy, soft, shrub with densely hairy, lime green, scarcely toothed leaves and clusters of yellow to orange flowers in...

03 / 01 / 2022 | Thembakazi Dyariwe | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pachycarpus acidostelma

Pachycarpus acidostelma
Common names: Highflats pachycarpus
Family: Apocynaceae

Recognized by its creamy to pale yellow, saucer-shaped flowers, the elusive Pachycarpus acidostelma remains one of South Africa’s hidden gems.Fig....

27 / 12 / 2021 | Kaveesha Naicker | CREW
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Adenia fruticosa subsp. fruticosa

Adenia fruticosa
Common names: Sekhukhune greenstem, greenstem (Eng.); sekoekoenie-bobbejaangif (Afr.).
Family: Passifloraceae

Adenia fruticosa is one of the succulent plants that is easily recognised by its very attractive, tuberous, swollen, green stem, sometimes splitting into...

27 / 12 / 2021 | Nomndeni Nkosi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Stapelia leendertziae

Stapelia leendertziae
Common names: bell stapelia, Leendertz’s carrion flower, carrion chalice, carrion flower, rugose cup starfish, maroon cup starfish, star flower, black bells (Eng.
Family: Apocynaceae

Stapelia leendertziae is probably the most striking species of the genus Stapelia, especially when in flower, due to the unique, large, bell-shaped, deep...

20 / 12 / 2021 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Aloe simii

Aloe simii
Common names: Sim’s aloe
Family: Asphodelaceae

A beautiful, stemless aloe, with a rosette of broad, milky-green leaves and eye-catching strawberry pink flowers in summer; a rare and endangered endemic...

20 / 12 / 2021 | Winfred Velephi Ngwenya | Lowveld NBG
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Haworthiopsis nigra

Haworthiopsis nigra
Common names: black haworthiopsis
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthiopsis nigra, formerly known as Haworthia nigra, is a slow growing, dwarf, flowering succulent plant, that will instantly capture your attention...

13 / 12 / 2021 | Sihle Nqentsu | Pretoria NBG
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Erica cruenta

Erica cruenta
Common names: crimson heath (Eng.), rooiheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

The beautiful and bright, shiny red flowers of Erica cruenta stand out amongst the fynbos vegetation and put on quite the show....

13 / 12 / 2021 | Karen Wall | Harold Porter NBG
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Erica nabea

Erica nabea
Common names: sepal heath, MacNab’s heath (Eng.)
Family: Ericaceae

This medium sized shrub produces spikes of unusual, greenish flowers from late autumn until the end of winter....

06 / 12 / 2021 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Haworthia monticola

Haworthia monticola
Common names: mountain haworthia (Eng.), Willowmore dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.).
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia monticola is a dwarf, cluster-forming, cliff-hugging plant, with light green, linear lanceolate, succulent leaves with pale, longitudinal markings...

06 / 12 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Erica amoena

Erica amoena
Common names: feathery heath (Eng.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica amoena is a fairly lanky little shrub, growing in marshy and swampy areas on the Cape Peninsula, where it is rare and endemic, which makes it special....

29 / 11 / 2021 | Kamogelo Solomon Modimola | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bulbine succulenta

Bulbine succulenta
Common names: compass plant (Eng.); kopiva, wildekopiva (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbine succulenta is an attractive bulbous plant, and a low-maintenance and rewarding ornamental plant.Fig. 1: Bulbine succulenta, plants in flower, flowers...

29 / 11 / 2021 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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