Plants of the Week

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E.g., 02/10/2025

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Barleria greenii

Barleria greenii
Common names: wild bush petunia, Green's barleria
Family: Acanthaceae

Barleria greenii is a striking and highly habitat-specific shrub, known for its large pink to white flowers that bloom in summer and release their sweet...

| Lungisani Zondi | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Brackenridgea zanguebarica

Brackenridgea zanguebarica
Common names: yellow peeling plane (Eng.); geellekkerbreek (Afr.); mutavhatsindi (Ven.)
Family: Ochnaceae

The yellow peeling plane, better known as mutavhatsindi, is one of the most sought-after trees in South Africa, particularly within the Vhembe District...

| Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Scilla natalensis

This plant is now called Merwilla plumbea....

| | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Acacia ataxacantha

See Senegalia ataxacantha...

| | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Acacia erioloba

See Vachellia erioloba...

| | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Acacia xanthophloea

See Vachellia xanthophloea...

| | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Acacia polyacantha

See Senegalia polyacantha...

| | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Acacia tortilis

See Vachellia tortilis...

| | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Calopsis paniculata

See Restio paniculatus....

| | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Acacia caffra

This tree is now called Senegalia caffra...

| | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Berkheya setifera

Berkheya setifera (Photo Marinda Koekemoer)
Common names: buffalo-tongue thistle (Eng.); rasperdissel, rasperdisseldoring (Afr); ikhakhasi, ulimi-lwenkomo, ulimi-lwenyathi (isiZulu); indlebe-lenkomo (isiXhosa
Family: Asteraceae

A robust perennial, with profuse, bright yellow flowers and bristly leaves; one of the 71 species that are found in South Africa out of the 75 species...

| Bathabile Ndlovu | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Combretum afrum

Combretum afrum tree in fruit, Kirstenbosch NBG
Common names: Eastern Cape bushwillow (Eng.); Kaapse vaderlandswilg (Afr.); umdubu (isiXhosa); umdubu (isiZulu)
Family: Combretaceae

A graceful, spreading tree, known for its attractive willow-like foliage, distinctive 4-winged reddish-brown fruits, and adaptability to a range of ecological...

| Clara Sitoe | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Hemarthria altissima

Hemarthria altissima
Common names: red vlei grass, Batavian quick grass, red swamp grass, swamp couch (Eng.); Bataviese kweek, perdegras, perdekweek, rooikweek, rooivleigras (Afr.); mar
Family: Poaceae

Red vlei grass can be recognised easily from other grasses, because the whole plant has a distinctive rust-red colour. It has a mat forming habit, which...

| Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Freesia laxa subsp. azurea

Freesia laxa subsp. azurea
Common names: small blue freesia, blue flowering grass (Eng.) Natal bloupypie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Small blue freesia is a corm with lilac or pale blue flowers with striking purple markings toward the center....

| Sibahle Gumede | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Leucospermum heterophyllum

Leucospermum heterophyllum
Common names: trident pincushion, snakebush (Eng.); rankluisie, slangbossie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

This is a wonderful cascading fynbos shrub that spreads widely and produces numerous flowerheads, displaying shades of yellow, green and red that gradually...

| Mashudu Nndanduleni | Thohoyandou NBG
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Othonna auriculifolia

Othonna auriculifolia
Common names: lobe-leaf baboon cabbage (Eng.); sandkool, wildepatat (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A low-growing plant with a rosette of fleshy leaves and bright yellow daisies on erect stems, from the arid interior of southwestern and western South...

| Samuel Lekhetho | Free State NBG
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Berkheya angustifolia

Berkheya angustifolia
Common names: narrow-leaved berkheya, needle-leaved Cape thistle (Eng.)
Family: Asteraceae

Berkheya angustifolia is a spiny, thistle-like plant with striking, bright yellow blooms. It is resilient in arid landscapes, a plant that thrives where...

| Mashudu Tshitereke | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Monocymbium ceresiiforme

Monocymbium ceresiiforme inflorescence
Common names: boat grass, oat grass, wild oatgrass (Eng.); bootjiegras, hawergras, wildehawergras (Afr.); meseletso, mobeseletso (Sesotho); tshinwamulwadze (Tshiven
Family: Poaceae

Boat grass is an attractive, short, sometimes dense, tufted grass with a reddish tint. It is easily recognised by the single raceme with its fine, bent...

| Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Treculia africana

Treculia africana
Common names: African breadfruit, African breadnut, African boxwood, wild jackfruit (English), ukwa (Igbo), mwaya (Swahili)
Family: Moraceae

Treculia africana, a fast-growing, multipurpose tree, usually found in forest, along streams or in swampy areas at an altitude up to 1 500 m. It holds...

| Winfred Velephi Ngwenya | Lowveld NBG
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Aponogeton distachyos

Waterblommetjies in Kirstenbosch
Common names: Cape pondweed, water onion, water asparagus (Eng.); waterblommetjie, vleikos, wateruintjie (Afr.)
Family: Aponogetonaceae

This is a well known local delicacy for the cold winter months. It has become so popular that many commercial plantings have been made in ponds around...

06 / 08 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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