Plants of the Week

Boophone haemanthoides

Common names: Namaqua century plant (Eng.); gifbol, kwaslelie(Afr.)

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Boophone haemanthoides is a summer-flowering geophyte growing up to 500 mm tall. It looks very much like a primitive plant with at least two thirds of...

28 / 02 / 2011 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Hyaenanche globosa

A young gifboom growing among sandstone rocks

Common names: hyaena-poison (Eng.); gifboom, wolwegifboom, wolweboontjie, boesmansgif

Family: Picrodendraceae

The gifboom is a large evergreen fynbos shrub or small tree endemic to the Gifberg of the northern Bokkeveld Escarpment just south of Vanrhynsdorp (northern...

28 / 02 / 2011 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Asclepias bicuspis

Common names: none known

Family: Apocynaceae

Thought to be extinct and known from only six collections, two of which were collected over a hundred years ago, Asclepias bicuspis, was unexpectedly rediscovered...

07 / 03 / 2011 | Suvarna Parbhoo | CREW

Streptocarpus baudertii

Common names: Cape primrose, wild gloxinia

Family: Gesneriaceae

Streptocarpus baudertii is a small herbaceous delight, with pretty mauve flowers and hairy leaves. It is special because it is not usually found in the...

07 / 03 / 2011 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Bowiea volubilis

Common names: climbing onion, climbing green lily, bowiea (Eng.); knolklimop (Af.); ugibisisila; iguleni (isiZulu); umgaqana (isiXhosa); gibizisila (siSwati)

Family: Asparagaceae

Bowiea volubilis subsp volubilis has an unusual succulent adaptation - climbing inflorescences that harvest photosynthetic light in the absence of aerial...

14 / 03 / 2011 | Suvarna Parbhoo | CREW

Streptocarpus gardenii

Common names: Cape primrose

Family: Gesneriaceae

Streptocarpus gardenii is a delicate, dainty plant with a pale flower that loves the shady gloom found beneath trees....

14 / 03 / 2011 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium grandiflorum

Common names: Large flowered pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

One cannot but stop and admire the beautiful large flowers of this pelargonium....

21 / 03 / 2011 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Sterculia rogersii

Common names: star-chestnut (Eng.); sterkastaiing (Afr.); mokgwakgwatha (NS); samani, nsolodza (Ts)

Family: Malvaceae

This is a small tree with smooth bark flaking to reveal reddish to purple or yellowish under-bark and a characteristic thickset trunk. It has saucer-shaped,...

21 / 03 / 2011 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Erica fairii

Common names: fairy heath, Fair's erica

Family: Ericaceae

Conserve a species on the brink of extinction and marvel at the unique beauty of this unassuming plant....

28 / 03 / 2011 | Julia Dabush | Kirstenbosch NBG

Roella

Family: Campanulaceae

...

28 / 03 / 2011 | C Cupido | Compton Herbarium

Gasteria doreeniae

Common names: Doreen's gasteria (Eng); Swartwaterspoort-beestong (Afr)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria doreeniae is a dwarf aloe-like, succulent-leaved, cliff-dwelling plant (cliff hugger) endemic to the Swartwaterspoort of the Eastern Cape...

04 / 04 / 2011 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Hesperantha pauciflora

Common names: pink evening flower, pink hesperantha (Eng.); pienkaandblom (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Hesperantha pauciflora is an attractive geophyte growing up to 150 mm high. This plant grows as a deciduous perennial and forms small tubers with a hard...

04 / 04 / 2011 | Eugene Marinus | Hantam NBG

Crassula setulosa

Common names: None (proposed name hairy-cushion Crassula)

Family: Crassulaceae

An attractive flowering dwarf cushion-succulent, drought tolerant and excellent for rockeries and living walls....

11 / 04 / 2011 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG

Jordaaniella cuprea

Common names: koper-rankvygie (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

A creeping succulent, with large bright attractive orange daisy-like flowers, this plant is ideal for water-wise gardens....

11 / 04 / 2011 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG

Galtonia candicans

Common names: berg lily, summer hyacinth, Cape hyacinth (Eng.); berglelie, Kaapse hiasint (Afr.); isidwa esimhlope (Zulu)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Galtonia candicans is now called Ornithogalum candicans....

14 / 04 / 2011 | | Karoo Desert NBG

Gasteria ellaphieae

Common names: Ellaphie's gasteria

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria ellaphieae is a dwarf aloe-like, succulent-leaved plant (rock crevice plant) endemic to the Kouga Dam region of the Eastern Cape Province....

18 / 04 / 2011 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gladiolus dalenii

Common names: African gladiolus, parrot lily, sword lily (Eng.); papegaaigladiolus, wildeswaardlelie (Afr.); khahla-e-kholo (Sesotho); sidvwana (siSwati); isidwi es

Family: Iridaceae

Gladiolus dalenii and other Gladiolus species are popular garden plants, cultivated in Europe for more than 250 years and renowned for their striking,...

18 / 04 / 2011 | Stemmer Ngalo | Free State NBG

Strelitzia caudata

Common names: mountain wild banana, Transvaal wild banana (Eng.); bergwildepiesang, Transvaal wildepiesang (Afr.); isigude saseMpumalanga (Nguni)

Family: Strelitziaceae

Strelitzia caudata is one of three arborescent banana-like Strelitzia species occurring in southern Africa. It is a good focal point for a mid-size to...

25 / 04 / 2011 | Phakamani Xaba | Kirstenbosch NBG

Anisodontea scabrosa

Common names: rough-leaf African mallow, sand rose, pink mallow, hairy mallow (Eng.); sandroos, pienk-kiesieblaar, harigemalva (Afr.)

Family: Malvaceae

Who can resist a bright cheerful shrub that flowers throughout the year? This mallow is ideally suited for home gardens being able to withstand coastal...

02 / 05 / 2011 | N Stoll | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Gladiolus carmineus

Common names: cliff gladiolus, Hermanus gladiolus

Family: Iridaceae

Gladiolus carmineus is a striking geophyte with intensely red-pink flowers....

02 / 05 / 2011 | M Treurnicht | CREW

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