Plants of the Week

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E.g., 30/12/2024
E.g., 30/12/2024

Stilbe vestita

Stilbe vestita
Common names: grey stilbe
Family: Stilbaceae

Stilbe vestita is a fynbos shrub with upright stems that are covered with closely packed, needle-like leaves, and have dense spikes of small white flowers...

18 / 04 / 2022 | Siqamo Yeko | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria megaphylla

Ledebouria megaphylla
Common names: Sekhukune African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

An attractive bulbous plant with broadly ovate, attractively spotted leaves and purple flowers in spring. The species has fast become popular in horticulture...

18 / 04 / 2022 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Restio virgeus

Restio virgeus
Common names: twiggy peg-reed
Family: Restionaceae

A small restio forming dense, tangled tufts, with curly branches when young, that straighten out when mature and produce attractive, reddish-brown inflorescences...

11 / 04 / 2022 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eucomis sonnetteana

Eucomis sonnetteana
Common names: Morgenzon pineapple lily
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This jewel of Mpumalanga is one of the dwarf pineapple lilies, so named, because their flowerheads resemble a pineapple. This one is a recently discovered...

11 / 04 / 2022 | Dineo Dibakwane | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Cotula pruinosa

Cotula pruinosa
Common names: yellow bachelor buttons, yellow turban buttons (Eng.); ganskos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Cotula pruinosa is a yellow flowered annual that occurs in the winter rainfall region of South Africa.Fig. 1. The flowerhead of Cotula pruinosa. Photos...

04 / 04 / 2022 | Aarifah Jakoet | Compton Herbarium
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Lapeirousia jacquinii

Lapeirousia jacquinii
Common names: harlequin cabong, purple cabong, Jacquin's lapeirousia, purple corn-lily, wild violet (Eng.); kabong, paletblaar, rukkeperdjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

A small plant with vibrant purple, white and reddish flowers, best enjoyed at close quarters. It is perfectly suited for pots in small spaces, grows easily...

04 / 04 / 2022 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Euphorbia umfoloziensis

Euphorbia umfoloziensis
Common names: Umfolozi euphorbia (Eng.); (some euphorbias are commonly known as umhlonhlo in isiZulu)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

In a hot river valley in northern KwaZulu-Natal, this rare, spiny, dwarf succulent can be found. It has only ever been recorded from this one river valley....

28 / 03 / 2022 | Nokukhanya Nozipho Mhlongo | TSP
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Haworthiopsis limifolia

Haworthiopsis limifolia
Common names: file-leaf haworthiopsis (Eng.); isihlalakahle, omathithibala, umathithibala (isiZulu)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthiopsis limifolia is a small, compact, rosulate, leafy succulent that grows singly or in groups. This species is commonly known as umathithibala...

28 / 03 / 2022 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Carpobrotus deliciosus

Carpobrotus deliciosus
Common names: delicious sour fig, sweet sour fig (Eng.); suurvy, perdevy, gaukum (Afr.); igcuthuma (Xho.)
Family: Aizoaceae

A flat-growing, rapidly spreading, evergreen, succulent-leaved perennial with large, purple-pink flowers in spring and edible fruits, Carpobrotus deliciosus...

21 / 03 / 2022 | Anam Cimi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Vigna vexillata var. vexillata

Vigna vexillata var. vexillata
Common names: wild cowpea, narrow-leaved wild sweetpea (Eng.); wilde-akkerboontjie, wilde-ertjie (Afr.); mgcenga (siSwati); isikhwali, ubombo, umcwasibe, umnxwasibe
Family: Fabaceae

Vigna vexillata var. vexillata is a perennial, creeping or climbing herb, with beautiful and pleasantly scented, whitish to mauve or dark pink flowers...

21 / 03 / 2022 | Ofentse Mmako | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Crassula alba

Crassula alba
Common names: grassland red crassula (Eng.); feko, khato (Sesotho); impakatha, isidwe, isikhelekhehlane (isiZulu)
Family: Crassulaceae

A low-maintenance, attractive garden plant, with enormous, scarlet flower heads that offer a splash of colour to our autumn grasslands, and bright green,...

14 / 03 / 2022 | Philile Khuzwayo | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Hermannia scabra

Hermannia scabra
Common names: scabrid doll’s rose, gold cups (Eng.) poprosie (Afr.)
Family: Malvaceae

Hermannia scabra is an evergreen shrublet with gorgeous, eye catching, bright yellow, bell-shaped flowers in winter and spring; ideal for fynbos and renosterveld...

14 / 03 / 2022 | Zoleka May | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Nerine ridleyi

Nerine ridleyi
Common names: Ridley’s nerine
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Nerine ridleyi is a seldom seen, light pink or rose-pink-flowered geophyte with arching, grey leaves, occurring on upper mountain slopes in the southwestern...

07 / 03 / 2022 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Babiana stricta

Common names: baboon flower, babiana (Eng.), bobbejaantjie, bobbejaanuintjie, katjetie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Babiana stricta is now known as Babiana nervosa....

07 / 03 / 2022 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Babiana nervosa

Babiana nervosa
Common names: baboon flower, babiana (Eng.), bobbejaantjie, bobbejaanuintjie, katjetie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

...

07 / 03 / 2022 | Ofentse Naanyane | Pretoria NBG
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Gladiolus permeabilis

Gladiolus permeabilis
Common names: partridge pypie, small afrikander (Eng.); patrysuintjie, kleinafrikaner, koningaandblom, lituin (Afr.); khahla-e-nyenyane (Sesotho); sidvwana (siSwati
Family: Iridaceae

A hardy bulbous plant with dainty and intensely sweet-smelling flowers, perfectly paired with short grasses.Fig. 1. Flowers of Gladiolus permeabilis var....

28 / 02 / 2022 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Tylosema esculentum

Tylosema esculentum
Common names: gemsbok bean, marama bean, camel’s foot (Eng.); braaiboontjie, gemsbokboontjie, kastaingboontjie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Tylosema esculentum is a long-lived, underutilized, drought-tolerant, perennial legume that grows wild on the arid and semi-arid grasslands of southern...

28 / 02 / 2022 | Thembeka Malwane | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Haworthia retusa var. turgida

Haworthia retusa var. turgida
Common names: Langeberg cliff haworthia (Eng.); Langeberg dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia retusa var. turgida is a dwarf, cluster-forming, cliff-hugger, with numerous, small rosettes of light green to reddish succulent leaves, often...

21 / 02 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bulbine mesembryanthoides subsp. mesembryanthoides

Bulbine mesembryanthoides subsp. mesembryanthoides
Common names: stone-plant bulbine, window plants, water glass (Eng.); waterglas, waterkannetjies (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

...

21 / 02 / 2022 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Haworthia cooperi var. picturata

Haworthia cooperi var. picturata
Common names: Grootrivier cliff-haworthia (Eng.), Grootrivier dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia cooperi var. picturata is a decorative, dwarf, compact, cliff-hugger, consisting of numerous, small, bright green rosettes of green partially...

14 / 02 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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