Plants of the Week

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E.g., 28/11/2024
E.g., 28/11/2024

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Plumbago zeylanica

Plumbago zeylanica
Common names: wild white leadwort, Ceylon plumbago (Eng.); swartwaterbossie (Afr.)
Family: Plumbaginaceae

Plumbago zeylanica is a gorgeous, eye-catching shrub that adds intrigue into any garden; it is covered with pretty trusses of small white or rarely pale...

28 / 12 / 2020 | Keenan Williams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Zaluzianskya microsiphon

Zaluzianskya microsiphon
Common names: two-lipped drumsticks (Eng.); malthungthung (Southern Sotho)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

A day-flowering species with strongly zygomorphic, unscented flowers....

04 / 01 / 2021 | Xichavo Mathebula | Compton Herbarium
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Aloe meyeri

Aloe meyeri
Common names: Rosyntjiesberg aloe (Eng.); rosyntjiesberg-aalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

A rare, small, cliff-dwelling aloe with drooping rosettes of greyish green leaves and simple inflorescences of small, tubular, orange-red flowers with...

04 / 01 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Holothrix randii

Holothrix randii
Common names: tassel orchid (Eng.)
Family: Orchidaceae

This orchid is easier to spot among the grasses in the morning, because the flowers look shiny and silver from a distance. A closer look at the front of...

11 / 01 / 2021 | Fergy Nkadimeng | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Aloe dabenorisana

Aloe dabenorisana
Common names: Dabenoris aloe, Pella aloe (Eng.); pella-aalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe dabenorisana is a rare, medium-sized, cluster-forming, cliff-dwelling aloe, up to 300 mm high, with short, sometimes drooping stems and leaves in...

11 / 01 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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