Plants of the Week

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E.g., 10/12/2024
E.g., 10/12/2024

Lampranthus affinis

Lampranthus affinis
Common names: cliff lampranthus (Eng.), kransvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Lampranthus affinis is a striking, easily grown shrublet, with large, pale pink flowers, and is one of only a few mesembs that will flower in shady...

03 / 03 / 2003 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lampranthus aureus

Lampranthus aureus
Common names: golden vygie (Eng.), gouevygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

One of the most colourful succulent plants is undoubtedly the beautiful bright orange Lampranthus aureus. It is one of the 'must-have' plants for...

21 / 07 / 2003 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Lampranthus haworthii

Flowers
Common names: purple vygie, ice plant, mesemb
Family: Aizoaceae

This is a tall, robust plant by vygie standards, with large, metallic pink, white or light purple flowers....

18 / 08 / 2003 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Lampranthus bicolor

Bright yellow Lampranthus bicolor flowers
Common names: Bicoloured lampranthus (Eng.); bont vygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

This is a beautiful species; when in bud, it displays the orange-red on the reverse of the petals, and as it opens it reveals their bright yellow upper...

07 / 02 / 2011 | Olivia Tyambetyu | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Lampranthus hoerleinianus

Lampranthus hoerleinianus flowers
Common names: purple vygie
Family: Aizoaceae

Lampranthus hoerleinianus, a tall mesemb with showy purple flowers, is found in northern Namaqualand, the Richtersveld and southern Namibia....

06 / 07 / 2009 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Lampranthus roseus

Lampranthus roseus
Common names: rose vygie, roosvygie
Family: Aizoaceae

Commonly cultivated shrubby succulents, covered with brilliant pink flowers in spring...

30 / 10 / 2000 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lampranthus tenuifolius

Flowers
Common names: None
Family: Aizoaceae

Lampranthus tenuifolius is the ideal plant for the harsh conditions experienced on the Cape Flats. Its waterwise nature and beautiful flowers will provide...

25 / 03 / 2013 | James Deacon | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lannea discolor

New leaves
Common names: dikbas (Afr.); live-long, tree grape (Eng.); morulamopsane, mokgôkgôthwane (Sepedi); muvhumbu (Venda)
Family: Anacardiaceae

...

12 / 11 / 2012 | T.T. Masupa | Pretoria NBG
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Lapeirousia corymbosa

Lapeirousia corymbosa
Common names: blue cabong (Eng.); bloucabong, koringblom, koringblommetjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Lapeirousia corymbosa is now classified as Codonorhiza corymbosa  ...

07 / 01 / 2013 | Sarah-Leigh Hutchinson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Laportea grossa

Foliage
Common names: spotted nettle (Eng.); gevlekte brandnetel (Afr.); ubazi, ububasa (Xhosa); imbabazane, imbathi (Zulu)
Family: Urticaceae

Laportea grossa has decorative, glossy dark green foliage with conspicuous white spots - an excellent plant to brighten up a shady bed, but it needs careful...

03 / 03 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lasiospermum bipinnatum

Plant in flower: Photo Anthony Magee
Common names: ganskweek, gansbossie (Afr.); cocoonhead (Eng.)
Family: Asteraceae

Lasiospermum bipinnatum is a prolific and showy perennial daisy with beautiful white-rayed flowerheads and aromatic leaves. Although it has been recorded...

18 / 06 / 2012 | B Busch | Compton Herbarium
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Laurophyllus capensis

Laurophyllus capensis female tree in habitat
Common names: iron martin (Eng.); ystermartiens, filabos(sie), vlakwitels (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Reindeer antlers on an African tree? Endemic to the Western and Eastern Cape, the iron martin has separate male and female trees. The female trees carry...

25 / 05 / 2009 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Lebeckia

Lebeckia sepiaria
Common names: ganna (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

The genus Lebeckia is a group of 14 species that occur in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. All the species have attractive...

21 / 02 / 2011 | S Boatwright | Compton Herbarium
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Ledebouria genus

Ledebouria cooperi
Common names: African hyacinth, ledebouria, common squill.
Family: Hyacinthaceae

The genus Ledebouria was described in 1821 by Roth, although the history of the genus dates back even further, with several authors placing it...

11 / 07 / 2011 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria zebrina

Ledebouria zebrina
Common names: giant false scilla; giant African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This large attractive bulbous plant is the largest of all the ledebourias, the handsome broad leaves which are often marked with dark purple-brown...

25 / 11 / 2013 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Leonotis leonurus

Leonotis leonurus
Common names: wild dagga, lion's ear, leonotis (Eng.); wildedagga, duiwelstabak (Afr); imvovo, utywala-bengcungcu, umfincafincane, umunyamunya (isiXhosa); umfincafi
Family: Lamiaceae

This plant is a firm favourite in South African gardens for its colourful flower display coupled with its ability to attract nectar feeding sunbirds by...

04 / 05 / 2015 | B Busch | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Lessertia

Lessertia - pressed herbarium specimen
Family: Fabaceae

This group of plants, which now includes Sutherlandia (the cancer bush group), is reported to be useful medicinally and also good for pasture....

04 / 10 / 2004 | Tandiwe Nkonki | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Leucadendron argenteum

Leucadendron argenteum growing wild on the Kirstenbosch Estate.
Common names: silver tree (Eng.), witteboom, silwerboom (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

The sight of these giant silver proteas against the mountain must be one of nature's finest and is one to treasure. These beautiful trees, with their...

02 / 10 / 2000 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucadendron laxum

Leucadendron laxum
Common names: Bredasdorp conebush (Eng.); vleirosie (Afr.).
Family: Proteaceae

...

01 / 10 / 2001 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucadendron salignum

L.salignum
Common names: common sunshine conebush (Eng.); geelbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron salignum is the most widespread species of the family Proteaceae, occurring in a large part of South Africa. ...

11 / 12 / 2000 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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