Plants of the Week

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E.g., 14/02/2025
E.g., 14/02/2025

Leucospermum vestitum

Leucospermum vestitum, orange-red flowerheads
Common names: silky-haired pincushion (Eng.); bergluisie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Leucospermum vestitum is a very showy pincushion with greyish foliage and large, two-toned flowerheads that start out bright orange and mature to brilliant...

16 / 05 / 2016 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leysera gnaphalodes

Leysera gnaphalodes flower heads Photo H. Brisse
Common names: yellow daisy tea, dune tea bush (Eng.); geelblommetjietee, duinetee, hongertee, teebos, skilpadtee, teringtee (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Leysera gnaphalodes is a perennial aromatic shrublet with radiant yellow flowers that occurs in the winter rainfall parts of South Africa and Namibia....

22 / 08 / 2011 | B Busch | Compton Herbarium
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Leysera tenella

Leysera tenella
Common names: common wireweed, little tortoise-tea, slender leysera, slender-leaved leysera, small-flowered leysera (Eng.); kleinskilpadteebossie, teebossie, vaalte
Family: Asteraceae

A stunning and adaptable short-lived plant with attractive yellow flowers in spring, distributed throughout the arid and semi-arid habitats of South Africa,...

02 / 09 / 2024 | Thabang Makola | Karoo Desert NBG
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Limeum aethiopicum

Limeum aethiopicum
Common names: pest lizard’s-foot (Eng.); koggelmandervoet, koggelmandervoetkaroo, aarbossie, boesmandagga (Afr.)
Family: Limeaceae

Limeum aethiopicum is a well-grazed veld plant, best suited to the arid areas because it is drought resistant....

29 / 08 / 2022 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Limonium capense

Limonium capense
Common names: Saldanha sea-pink (Eng.); saldanha strandroos (Afr.)
Family: Plumbaginaceae

A poorly known, drought-tolerant shrublet for coastal gardens, producing masses of pink papery flowers in early summer....

17 / 12 / 2018 | John Manning | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Limonium peregrinum

Limonium peregrinum flowers
Common names: sea lavender (Eng.); papierblom, strandroos (Afr.)
Family: Plumbaginaceae

...

17 / 01 / 2011 | N Stoll | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Linzia glabra

Linzia glabra
Common names: wild heliotrope
Family: Asteraceae

Linzia glabra is a strong-growing, herbaceous perennial that flowers throughout the summer, producing masses of flowers that look like little mauve...

27 / 01 / 2003 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Liparia angustifolia

Liparia angustifolia flowers
Common names: none recorded
Family: Fabaceae

Liparia angustifolia is an elusive little fynbos shrub growing in the understorey of lowland fynbos vegetation. It is beautiful thanks to bright yellow...

15 / 02 / 2010 | C Cowell | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Liparia hirsuta

Flowers
Common names: common hard-leaved pea (Eng.); gewone hardeblaar-ertjie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

With its silvery, hairy calyx and bright yellow flowers, Liparia hirsuta is an eye-catching plant....

02 / 06 / 2014 | L Knight | CREW
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Liparia parva

Liparia parva
Common names: small mountain dahlia, yellow nodding-head (Eng.); kleinbergdahlia, kleingeelkoppie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

This elusive shrublet is a localized species with a restricted natural habitat. Not too many people have seen this dainty plant, which makes it extremely...

26 / 06 / 2017 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Liparia splendens subsp. splendens

Liparia splendens subsp.splendens
Common names: mountain dahlia, orange nodding-head (Eng.), bergdahlia, geelkoppie, skaamblom (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Liparia splendens is a beautiful fynbos shrub with striking bright orange-yellow, nodding flowerheads in winter-summer, a rare find both in the wild...

17 / 03 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lippia javanica

Flowers. Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: fever tea, lemon bush (English); koorsbossie, beukesbossie, lemoenbossie (Afrikaans); mutswane, umsutane (Swati); inzinziniba (Xhosa); umsuzwane, umsw
Family: Verbenaceae

For the avid herb gardener with an interest in medicinal plants Lippia javanica with its dense creamy white, flower heads and aromatic leaves...

24 / 05 / 2004 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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Litanthus pusillus

Litanthus pusilus
Common names: TomThumb hyacinth, Kleinduimpie-hiasint (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

The Tom Thumb hyacinth (Litanthus pusilus) is a dwarf bulbous plant, widespread but little known due to its size: William Harvey (1844) who first described...

09 / 02 / 2009 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lithops

Lithops in flower
Common names: living stones, stone plants (Eng.); beeskloutjies, perdeklou (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Lithops are one of the most popular of all the succulents. These fat, cheeky little succulents plants have been grown for decades by amateur and professional...

25 / 07 / 2005 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Lithops olivacea

Lithops olivacea
Common names: stone plant (Eng.); beeskloutjie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Lithops species are probably amongst the most well-camouflaged and cryptic plants in the world. Their common name, stone plant, is particularly apt, as...

16 / 06 / 2003 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lithops optica

Lithops optica
Common names: Lüderitz Living Stone, Lüderitz Stone Plant, Lüderitz Beeskloutjie
Family: Aizoaceae

Lithops are probably the most well known and popular member of the large succulent plant family, the Aizoaceae. They are commonly called living stones...

01 / 04 / 2002 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lobelia

Lobelia erinus
Family: Lobeliaceae

A large cosmopolitan genus of many garden ornamentals of which the popular Lobelia erinus is one of the sixty-nine species native to South Africa....

29 / 11 / 2004 | C Cupido | Compton Herbarium
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Lobelia anceps

Lobelia anceps groundcover
Common names: angled lobelia, swamp lobelia
Family: Lobeliaceae

If you are looking for an attractive groundcover for a wet or boggy area, the swamp lobelia could be the perfect plant for you!...

23 / 05 / 2011 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Lobelia aquaemontis

Lobelia aquaemontis at Kirstenbosch
Common names: Waterberg lobelia
Family: Lobeliaceae

Flowering with masses of sky-blue flowers, this delicate little lobelia gives a lovely display for many months in summer....

02 / 04 / 2007 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lobelia jasionoides

Flowers
Common names: No well known common name.
Family: Lobeliaceae

This charming, herbaceous, perennial groundcover with masses of tiny lilac and white flowers is suited to light shady places but will also grow in full...

11 / 11 / 2013 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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