Plants of the Week

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E.g., 03/12/2024
E.g., 03/12/2024

Delosperma nubigenum

Delosperma nubigenum in flower at the Denver Botanic Gardens
Common names: cloud-born delosperma (Eng.), geel-kransvygie (Afr.); mabone, motabo (Sesotho)
Family: Aizoaceae

The cloud-born delosperma is a mat-forming leaf succulent which becomes pendent on cliffs. It is endemic to the Drakensberg and highlands of Lesotho where...

01 / 04 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Vachellia sekhukhuniensis

Vachellia sekhukhuniensis
Common names: Sekhukhune thorn (Eng.), moletla (Sepedi)
Family: Fabaceae

Having the largest leaflets, that distinguishes it from all the vachellias, the Sekhukhune thorn is only known to occur in a small location in Sekhukhuneland...

25 / 03 / 2024 | Ntsakisi Masia | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Drosanthemum aasvoelbergense

Drosanthemum aasvoelbergense in flower
Common names: Aasvoelberg mesemb (Eng.); Aasvoelberg-douvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

The Aasvoelberg mesemb is a rare endemic of the upper south-facing cliffs of the Aasvoelberg, north west of Willowmore in the Eastern Cape. The sprawling...

25 / 03 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Acacia sekhukhuniensis

Common names: Sekhukhune Thorn
Family: Fabaceae

This plant is now called Vachellia sekhukhuniensis...

22 / 03 / 2024 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe chabaudii

Aloe chabaudii
Common names: Chabaud’s aloe, grey aloe, Dwala aloe (Eng.); grysaalwyn (Afr.); inhlaba (siSwati, isiZulu); inkalane (isiZulu); mangani (Tswana;) tshikhopha (Venda
Family: Asphodelaceae

Grey aloe is a water-wise garden plant which can be planted in a rockery garden and flower beds to add colour during the winter season. It is a stemless...

18 / 03 / 2024 | Itumeleng Machete | Pretoria NBG
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Delosperma frutescens

Delosperma frutescens in flower
Common names: dwarf tree mesemb, shrubby delosperma (Eng.); dwerg-boomvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

The dwarf tree mesemb is a long-lived, slow-growing, ascending, much branched, tree-shaped mesemb with greyish, smooth stems, succulent greyish-green leaves...

18 / 03 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ornithogalum longibracteatum

Common names: pregnant onion
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This plant is now called Albuca bracteata...

11 / 03 / 2024 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Albuca bracteata

Albuca bracteata
Common names: pregnant onion, false sea onion, sea-onion (Eng.); witui (Afr.); umababaza (isiZulu); masxabana (isiXhosa)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A clump-forming bulbous geophyte with green and white flowers on tall stems during summer, the common name pregnant onion is derived from the onion-like...

11 / 03 / 2024 | Mlondi Sikhosana | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Athanasia trifurcata

Athanasia trifurcata
Common names: trifid-leaf athanasia, coulter bush, klaas louw bush, three-tooth athanasia (Eng.), kouterbos, klaaslouwbos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A fast-growing shrub with grey 3-forked leaves, displaying showy clusters of beautiful yellow flower heads in early summer, well suited for fynbos, renosterveld,...

11 / 03 / 2024 | Maria van der Westhuizen | Karoo Desert NBG
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Ruschia promontorii

Ruschia promontorii in habitat flowering in spring
Common names: Peninsula cliff ruschia (Eng.); Skiereiland-kransvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

The Peninsula cliff ruschia is a mat-forming leaf succulent which becomes pendent on cliffs. It is endemic to the Cape Peninsula, where it grows on sea-facing...

04 / 03 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Buddleja dysophylla

Buddleja dysophylla flowers attract flying insects including bees
Common names: white climbing sagewood (Eng.), witranksaliehout (Afr.); umhlabangubo (isiXhosa)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

A large, scrambling shrub with showy heads of sweet-scented, white flowers in winter, that are visited by bees and butterflies....

04 / 03 / 2024 | Ofentse Naanyane | Free State NBG
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Ledebouria venteri

Ledebouria venteri in habitat on a shale cliff on a farm along the Gouritz River
Common names: Gouritz cliff squill, Venter’s African hyacinth (Eng.); Gouritz krans-slangkop (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Ledebouria venteri is a cluster forming bulbous plant with pale green, uniformly coloured leaves in an apical rosette and a spreading inflorescence of...

26 / 02 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Hygrophila auriculata

Hygrophila auriculata
Common names: marsh barbel (Eng.); kokilasha, gokulakanta, vayalchulli, neermulli (India); neeramulli (Sri Lanka); kulekhara (Bangladesh)
Family: Acanthaceae

Hygrophila auriculata is a spiny herbaceous shrub that grows in marshes and on the edges of water bodies; it has numerous medicinal uses, the leaves can...

26 / 02 / 2024 | Ziphezinhle Madonsela | Lowveld NBG
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Glottiphyllum carnosum

Glottiphyllum carnosum
Common names: fleshy tongue-leaf mesemb, fleshy tonguefig (Eng.); tongblaarvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Occurring in a biome such as Succulent Karoo with very limited rainfall, the hardy yet fragile Glottiphyllum carnosum is adapted to withstand it all, with...

19 / 02 / 2024 | Yandisa Ndzeku | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eriosema latifolium

Eriosema latifolium
Common names: Pondoland eriosema
Family: Fabaceae

Eriosema latifolium is an erect perennial herb characterized by velvety hairy stems, trifoliolate leaves and distinctive yellow, reflexed flowers on stalks...

19 / 02 / 2024 | Simphiwe Mtsweni | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Helichrysum citricephalum

Helichrysum citricephalum, shrubby habit, siver-grey leaves and yellow flower heads
Common names: Ixopo everlasting (Eng.)
Family: Asteraceae

Helichrysum citricephalum has a unique combination of features and does not resemble any South African Helichrysum species, which makes it very easy to...

12 / 02 / 2024 | Keitumetse Lenong | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Kniphofia porphyrantha

Kniphofia porphyrantha
Common names: dwarf red-hot poker, highveld red-hot poker (Eng.), hoëveld vuurpyl (Afr.), icacane, umathunga (isiZulu), leloele (Sesotho)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Kniphofia porphyrantha is a small, red-hot poker with numerous flowering stems, upright leaves becoming reflexed, and beautiful bi-coloured orange-red...

12 / 02 / 2024 | Lesego Maunatlala | Pretoria 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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Babiana rubrocyanea

Babiana rubrocyanea
Common names: blue-and-red babiana, wine-cup baboon-root, winecup babiana (Eng.); kelkiewynbobbejaantjie, rooibloubobbejaantjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Babiana rubrocyanea is perfect for those seeking a visually stunning and unique floral display. Its striking dark blue flowers with a red centre are truly...

05 / 02 / 2024 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Uvaria caffra

Uvaria caffra
Common names: small-fruited cluster-pear, small cluster pear, (Eng.), kleinvrugtrospeer, kleintrospeer (Afr.), idwaba (isiXhosa), inkonjane, umazwenda omnyama, umaz
Family: Annonaceae

...

29 / 01 / 2024 | Umpha Pharamela | National Herbarium Pretoria
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