Plants of the Week

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E.g., 05/12/2024
E.g., 05/12/2024

Erythrophleum lasianthum

Erythrophleum lasianthum
Common names: Maputaland ordeal tree, Swazi ordeal tree, sasswood (Eng.); maputalandoordeelboom, swazi-oordeelboom (Afr.); umbhemise, umhlakazane, umkhwangu (isiZul
Family: Fabaceae

A medium to large tree with glossy, dark green foliage and honey-scented flowers in spring and early summer, followed by woody pods that remain on the...

28 / 12 / 2020 | Mmapitsi Malebye | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria atrobrunnea

Ledebouria atrobrunnea
Common names: dark brown African hyacinth (Eng.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This dwarf, range-restricted African hyacinth with erect leaves and characteristic dark brown persistent leaf bases, is an interesting and attractive plant...

21 / 12 / 2020 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Aloe gerstneri

Aloe gerstneri
Common names: gerstner’s aloe (Eng.); isihlabana (Zul.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

The regal Aloe gerstneri stands tall, with an orange ombre inflorescence, in its natural habitat, the rocky grasslands. ...

21 / 12 / 2020 | Kaveesha Naicker | CREW
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Leonotis ocymifolia

Leonotis ocymifolia
Common names: rock lion's paw, minaret flower (Eng.); klipdagga, wildedagga (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

Leonotis ocymifolia, the lesser known relative to the well-known Leonotis leonurus, is in many ways as worthy of recognition, not only for its usefulness,...

14 / 12 / 2020 | Karen Wall | Harold Porter NBG
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Craibia brownii

Craibia brownii
Common names: None in South Africa
Family: Fabaceae

An eye-catching rounded tree, covered with white to creamy pink, strongly scented flowers in spring and early summer, that will take a starring role in...

14 / 12 / 2020 | Winfred Velephi Ngwenya | Lowveld NBG
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Erica unicolor subsp. georgensis

Erica unicolor subsp. georgensis
Common names: George onecolour heath (Eng.)
Family: Ericaceae

This shrubby heath produces clusters of red, tubular flowers with light yellow tips, which make it very eye-catching when reaching its flowering peak in...

07 / 12 / 2020 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Haemanthus humilis subsp. hirsutus

Haemanthus humilis subsp. hirsutus
Common names: Rabbit’s ears (Eng.); bobbejaanoor, velskoenblaar (Afr.); tsebe ea phofu, sekitla (Sesotho)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

One of the best available bulbous plants to grow in those rocky, shady spots, the rabbit’s ears knows how to put on a show. Whether it is in fruit,...

07 / 12 / 2020 | Ndiyafhi Muthuhadini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Achyranthemum sordescens

Achyranthemum sordescens
Common names: dune chaff-flower
Family: Asteraceae

A very attractive, clump-forming everlasting, with silky, recurved leaves and stunning yellow flowerheads. ...

30 / 11 / 2020 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW
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Cineraria geifolia

Cineraria geifolia
Common names: geum-leaved cineraria
Family: Asteraceae

A cheery, floriferous, spring-flowering ground cover, widespread from the coastal shores to higher altitudes inland and it is easy to grow, making it a...

30 / 11 / 2020 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Orthanthera jasminiflora

Orthanthera jasminiflora
Common names: jasmine creeper, star jasmine (Eng.); sandmelktou, sandmelk, moerwortel, moerworteltjie (Afr.); rapologwane (Setswana); kamongamba (Hmbukushu); mosamo
Family: Apocynaceae

The relatively unknown small genus, Orthanthera consists of six species: five in Africa and one from India, Pakistan and Nepal. It is unknown whether plants...

23 / 11 / 2020 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Aloe condyae

Aloe condyae
Common names: Barberton cliff-aloe (Eng.); barberton grasaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe condyae is a rare, dwarf, cluster-forming, cliff-dwelling succulent, up to 100 mm high, with short, ascending stems and leaves in a rosette. It is...

23 / 11 / 2020 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria leptophylla

Ledebouria leptophylla
Common names: grass-leaved African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A miniature and very well-hidden species, which is easily overlooked in the field because of its small size and grass-like leaves. ...

16 / 11 / 2020 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Podalyria burchellii

Podalyria burchellii
Common names: hairy blossom-pea, hairy Cape sweetpea (Eng.); keurtjie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Hairy blossom-pea, as the name says, is covered with fine white hairs, from leaves to stem and fruits, making it hard to ignore this shrub even from a...

16 / 11 / 2020 | Sibahle Gumede | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Streptocarpus molweniensis

Streptocarpus molweniensis
Common names: Molweni streptocarpus
Family: Gesneriaceae

Colourful, and with a long-lasting display, the Molweni streptocarpus is one of few monocarpic, one-leaved Streptocarpus with a conspicuous inflorescence...

09 / 11 / 2020 | Mpho Mathalauga | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Microloma sagittatum

Microloma sagittatum
Common names: firecracker vine, wax creeper (Eng.); bokhoring, bokhorinkies, bokmaellie, heuningblommetjie, kannetjie, melkblommetjie (Afr.)
Family: Apocynaceae

The uniquely attractive flowers of Microloma sagittatum draw attention to this otherwise insignificant, plain looking, slender climber that grows in between...

09 / 11 / 2020 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Aeollanthus rydingianus

Aeollanthus rydingianus
Common names: Omavanda rock-sage (Eng.); omavanda-klipsalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

A very aromatic, fast-growing, branched, semi-succulent shrublet, with sticky, green leaves, bearing mauve, 2-lipped flowers in winter and spring. It is...

02 / 11 / 2020 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria loskopica

Ledebouria loskopica
Common names: Loskop African hyacinth (Eng.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

With its hairy leaves and strongly scented flowers, the Loskop African hyacinth was only recently formally recognized as a new species, despite being first...

02 / 11 / 2020 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Protea inopina

Protea inopina, flowerheads fully open and starting to open.
Common names: large-nut sugarbush (Eng.)
Family: Proteaceae

...

26 / 10 / 2020 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Freesia grandiflora

Freesia grandiflora
Common names: forest freesia, forest kammetjie (Eng.)
Family: Iridaceae

A beautiful, red-flowered, bulbous plant that deserves more horticultural attention. It is perfect for woodland gardens or as a pot plant and performs...

26 / 10 / 2020 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ledebouria ovalifolia

Ledebouria ovalifolia (Photo Klaus Wehrlin)
Common names: fynbos African hyacinth (Eng.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This curious dwarf species has a restricted distribution mainly in the southern, western and Northern Cape. It makes a great pot plant where it quickly...

19 / 10 / 2020 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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