Plants of the Week

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E.g., 14/12/2024
E.g., 14/12/2024

Gonialoe variegata

Gonialoe variegata
Common names: partridge breast aloe (Eng.); kanniedood, bontalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This plant was previously called Aloe variegata. Gonialoe variegata is one of the best known, and most distinctive of the South African aloes. The characteristic...

30 / 06 / 2008 | Werner Voigt | Harold Porter NBG
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Gonioma kamassi

Gonioma kamassi (Andrea Durrheim)
Common names: kamassi, Knysna boxwood (Eng.); kamassiehout (Afr.); igala-gala (isiXhosa)
Family: Apocynaceae

A small, unusual and rewarding, rounded, evergreen shrub with fragrant white or pale yellow flowers that are produced in small clusters at the ends of...

27 / 10 / 2014 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Gorteria diffusa

Gorteria diffusa
Common names: beetle daisy (Eng.); katoog (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Commonly known as the beetle daisy, Gorteria diffusa is characterised by intricate dotted patterns on the ray florets, placed around the central disk of...

12 / 08 / 2024 | Khanya Ntondini | Compton Herbarium
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Gossypium herbaceum subsp. africanum

Gossypium herbaceum subsp. africanum (Ernst Schmidt)
Common names: wild cotton (Eng.); wildekatoen (Afr.); kotini (Xho.); litjinda (Swa.); ugampokwe, umgawuma (Zul.)
Family: Malvaceae

The wild cotton plant, Gossypium herbaceum subsp. africanum, is often only noticed when in fruit or when bearings its hibiscus-like flowers....

13 / 10 / 2014 | Mandisa Kondlo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Graderia scabra

Graderia scabra
Common names: wild penstemon, pink ground-bells (Eng.); uvelabahleke (Xho.), impundu, isimonyo, ugweja, umphuphutho (Zul.)
Family: Orobanchaceae

The attractive pink flowers of Graderia scabra easily catch the eye, especially after veld fires. They belong to a small, semi-herbaceous, partly parasitic...

06 / 04 / 2020 | Tumelo Mofokeng | Pretoria NBG
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Grewia bicolor

Grewia bicolor leaf and flower.  Image Geoff Nichols
Common names: white raisin (Eng.); witrosyntjie (Afr.); umsiphane (Swazi); nsihana, guguna, nsihani (Tsonga); mogwane (Tswana); murabva (Venda); umlalampunzi, imdli
Family: Malvaceae

The bicoloured-leaved Grewia bicolor has beautiful, bright yellow flowers. It is a frost-resistant, hardy shrub or small tree that is adaptable...

10 / 09 / 2012 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Grewia caffra

Grewia caffra
Common names: climbing raisin, yellow starflower (Eng.); rankrosyntjie (Afr); ilalanyathi, umunyumunu, iphata, iklolo, isaka, isilandula (isiZulu); likholo, (siSwat
Family: Malvaceae

A multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with a climbing habit, often seen sprawling into nearby plants for support. It bears striking, yellow, star-like flowers...

04 / 10 / 2021 | Robert Jooste | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Grewia flava

Grewia flava
Common names: velvet raisin, wild currant, brandybush (Eng.); rosyntjiebos, brandewynbos, wilderosyntjie (Afr.); mothetlwa (Nso.); umlalampunzi, unhlwampunzi (Zul.)
Family: Malvaceae

A hardy shrub or small tree up to ± 4 m high, it gives an impressive show of yellow, star-shaped flowers in summer. This tree is ideal to attract...

09 / 12 / 2019 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Grewia flavescens

Grewia flavescens
Common names: sandpaper raisin, rough-leaved raisinbush, square-stemmed raisin (Eng.); skurweblaarrosyntjie (Afr.); mogwane (N. Sotho); loklolo (Swazi); nsihana, nc
Family: Malvaceae

The light green Grewia flavescens has beautiful, bright yellow, and sometimes fragrant flowers. It is a frost-resistant, hardy shrub or small...

05 / 11 / 2012 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Grewia hexamita

Grewia hexamita.  Copyright Geoff Nichols
Common names: giant raisin (Eng.); reuserosyntjie, blinkblaarrosyntjie (Afr.); umsiphane (Swazi); nsihana, guguna, nsihani, sipane (Tsonga); mukunukunu (Venda); uml
Family: Malvaceae

The glossy dark green leafed Grewia hexamita has beautiful large, yellow, honey-scented flowers. It is a frost-resistant, hardy shrub or small...

20 / 08 / 2012 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Grewia lasiocarpa

Grewia lasiocarpa
Common names: forest raisin (Eng.); bosrosyntjie (Afr.); umhlolo (Xhosa); ilalanyathi (Zulu)
Family: Malvaceae

Grewia lasiocarpa is a wonderful fast-growing small tree, ideal for use as a screen, with lovely large, star-shaped pink flowers and fruit that is...

11 / 06 / 2007 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Grewia microthyrsa

Grewia microthyrsa
Common names: sand raisin (Eng.), sandrosyntjie (Afr.), mufuka (Tshivenda), nsihana (Xitsonga), umunywane, ilalanyathi, ikolo (isiZulu).
Family: Malvaceae

An indigenous shrub with edible fruit and attractive flowers....

30 / 10 / 2023 | Nompumelelo Nkosi | Pretoria NBG
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Grewia monticola

Fruits of Grewia monticola
Common names: grey raisin, silver raisin (Eng.); vaalrosyntjie (Afr.); umsiphane (Swazi); nsihana (Tsonga); mogwanakg & ocirc;mo, mogwana (Tswana); umlalampunzi, is
Family: Malvaceae

The mountain-loving Grewia monticola has beautiful, bright yellow flowers. It is a frost-resistant, hardy shrub or small tree that is adaptable to all...

26 / 11 / 2012 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Grewia occidentalis

Grewia occidentalis
Common names: cross-berry, four-corners (E), kruisbessie (A), Mokukutu (Setsw.), Mogwane (N.Sotho), iLalanyathi (Zulu), umSipane (Siswati), umNqabaza (Xhosa), Mulem
Family: Malvaceae

This attractive indigenous shrub has a wide natural distribution....

19 / 11 / 2001 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Grewia retinervis

Grewia retinervis
Common names: Kalahari raisin, false sandpaper raisin, Kalahari donkey berry, Kalahari grewia, Kalahari raisin bush, kalahari-sand grewia, kalahari sand raisin (Eng
Family: Malvaceae

Grewia retinervis is a hardy shrub with bright yellow flowers in summer and shiny, reddish brown edible fruits....

18 / 03 / 2019 | Cathbert Makgakga | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Grewia robusta

Flowers and fruits of Grewia robusta
Common names: Karoo crossberry, Karoo crossberry raisin (Eng.); karookruisbessie (Afr); umnqabaza (Xhosa).
Family: Malvaceae

The sweetly scented Grewia robusta has beautiful, bright pink flowers. It is a frost-resistant, hardy shrub or small tree that is adaptable to...

24 / 12 / 2012 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Grewia rogersii

Grewia rogersii
Common names: Waterberg raisin (Eng.); Waterberg-rosyntjie (Afr.); mulembu (Tshivenda)
Family: Malvaceae

The Waterberg raisin is a bushy shrub with attractive dark green and whitish bicoloured foliage, star shaped yellow flowers in summer and 4-lobed berry-like...

13 / 05 / 2024 | Sithembile Ndlovu | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Greyia

Flowers of the Family Greyiacaea
Common names: wild bottlebrushes
Family: Melianthaceae

This family occurs only in South Africa, and consists of a single genus, Greyia Hook. & Harv. with 3 species, all small trees or shrubs. The...

20 / 09 / 2010 | F Nonyane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Greyia flanaganii

Flowers
Common names: Kei bottlebrush (E), Kei baakhout (A), uSinga lwamaxhegokazi (X).
Family: Melianthaceae

Greyia flanaganii has great horticultural potential as a spring flowering shrub that is yet to be fully explored by growers and gardeners. This tree...

14 / 10 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Greyia radlkoferi

Greyia radlkoferi
Common names: woolly bottlebrush, Transvaal bottlebrush, wild bottlebrush (Eng.); wollerige baakhout (Afr.); isidwadwa (Zulu); inhlazane, indlebelembila (Swazi)
Family: Melianthaceae

The gnarled branches of Greyia radlkoferi make this small tree or shrub an attractive structural element for any garden. In nature, growing in misty gullies...

11 / 10 / 2004 | De La Cruz P | Kirstenbosch NBG
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