Plants of the Week

Metalasia muricata

Common names: coast metalasia, white bristle bush (Eng.); blombos, witsteekbossie, steekbos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This is a widespread, tough shrub with honey-scented flowers whose garden potential is often overlooked....

13 / 12 / 2004 | Phakamani Xaba | Harold Porter NBG

Metarungia galpinii

Common names: southern orange-lips

Family: Acanthaceae

Metarungia galpinii is a very rare and attractive garden plant that occurs mainly in the East London area in the Eastern Cape....

17 / 03 / 2014 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW

Metarungia longistrobus

Common names: sunbird bush (Eng.); sonbekkiebos (Afr.)

Family: Acanthaceae

Metarungia longistrobus is an unusual, attractive evergreen shrub for the shade garden, with long orange-brown flowers in candle-shaped inflorescences...

25 / 02 / 2013 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Microsorum

Common names: wart ferns

Family: Polypodiaceae

Three species of wart fern occur in South Africa and they all have potential as garden plants for shady, warm areas....

24 / 01 / 2005 | Koos Roux | Compton Herbarium

Millettia grandis

Common names: umzimbeet (Eng.); umsambeet (Afr.); umSimbithwa (Zulu) umKunye (Xhosa)

Family: Fabaceae

This is an attractive shade tree which can also be grown as a specimen tree to display its grey bark, coppery red young leaves and flower buds, lilac to...

30 / 08 / 2004 | J K Baloyi | Pretoria NBG

Millettia stuhlmanni

Common names: panga panga, partridge wood (Eng.); panga-panga, patryshout (Afr.); muangaila (Venda); mpangapanga (Swahili)

Family: Fabaceae

Millettia stuhlmannii is a well known timber tree internationally exported for woodwork. Only one subpopulation of this species exists in South Africa...

13 / 06 / 2011 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Mimetes chrysanthus

Common names: golden pagoda, golden mimetes, gouestompie

Family: Proteaceae

The genus Mimetes is one of the most beautiful of the protea family and indeed in the whole of the Cape Floral Kingdom. ...

29 / 04 / 2002 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimetes fimbriifolius

Common names: tree pagoda, cowl pagoda, fringed pagoda (Eng.); kreupelboom, maanhaarstompie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Mimetes fimbriifolius is a beautiful rounded tree that was once common on Table Mountain, but its numbers have been greatly depleted by harvesting...

16 / 08 / 2010 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimetes hottentoticus

Common names: silver pagoda, Hottentotstompie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

This is a beautiful shrub with silvery leaves and distinctive flowers. Mimetes can be easily distinguished from all other Proteaceae. The beauty...

16 / 12 / 2002 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimetes hirtus

Common names: marsh pagoda, red and yellow bottlebrush, tall pagoda, hairy mimetes, pineapple bush ( Eng. ); kreupelboom, vleistompie, rooistompie, pynappelstompie

Family: Proteaceae

Sima Eliovson, author of Proteas for pleasure, referred to Mimetes hirtus as 'the most magnificent species of Mimetes, the...

13 / 03 / 2006 | Von Witt C | CREW

Mimusops caffra

Common names: coast red milkwood (Eng.); kusrooimelkboom, moepel (Afr.); umhayihayi amasethole-abomvu, umthunzi, umnweba waselwandle, umnole, umagayi, umkhakhayi (Z

Family: Sapotaceae

Gardeners looking for a tree suitable for coastal gardens with windy conditions should not look any further-this tree is a good choice, particularly for...

28 / 08 / 2006 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimusops obovata

Common names: red milkwood (Eng.); rooimelkhout (Afr.); amaSethole-ehlathi, umNolwe, umPhumbulu, (isiZulu); umTunzi wehlathi (isiXhosa)

Family: Sapotaceae

Mimusops obovata is an evergreen tree with sweetly scented whitish yellow flowers to which bumblebees are attracted. Flowers are follwed by edible...

02 / 12 / 2013 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Mimusops zeyheri

Common names: Transvaal red milkwood (Eng.); moepel (Afr.); mmupudu (Northern Sotho); umpushane (Zulu); nhlantswa (Tsonga); mubululu (Venda)

Family: Sapotaceae

The Transvaal red milkwood has gained its popularity with people, birds as well as monkeys and baboons through its tasty fruit which are sweet and high...

06 / 06 / 2005 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Miraglossum davyi

Common names: No known common names.

Family: Apocynaceae

Miraglossum davyi is indeed an astonishing plant when viewed close-up. The remarkable structure of the corona lobes of this rarely seen plant has...

05 / 08 / 2013 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Mitriostigma axillare

Common names: dwarf-loquat (Eng.); dwerglukwart (Afr.) South African National Tree List no. 689.2

Family: Rubiaceae

With its green glossy leaves, white star-shaped flowers, bright orange fruits and sweetly fragrant aroma, this eye-catching small tree is undoubtedly a...

03 / 05 / 2010 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Momordica balsamica

Common names: balsam pear (Eng.); laloentjie (Afr.); mohodu (Sotho); nkaka (Thonga); intshungu, intshungwana yehlathi (Zulu)

Family: Cucurbitaceae

This climber with bright green leaves bears striking orange to red spindle shaped ripe fruit....

20 / 12 / 2004 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Momordica cardiospermum

Common names: bitter gourd (Eng.); inshubaba (siSwati); ntwe (seTswana)

Family: Cucurbitaceae

This climber has a foetid smell, but makes up for it with showy orange-yellow flowers and large, fleshy, bulging orange-red ripe fruits that...

23 / 05 / 2005 | M Welman | Pretoria NBG

Mondia whitei

Common names: White's ginger, tonic root (Eng.); mundondo, mudondo (Angola); mundondo, bondo, molo busio (Cissongo - Central African Republic); nlondo, kimbiolongwa

Family: Apocynaceae

Mondia whitei, White's ginger, is a truly versatile and magical African herb — widely used medicinally and an excellent garden subject...

16 / 11 / 2009 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | Pretoria NBG

Monochoria africana

Common names: there are no known common names for this rather rare plant

Family: Pontederiaceae

Next time you go to the Kruger National Park, try to spot Monochoria africana, one of the most beautiful, rare, indigenous aquatic plants in...

17 / 07 / 2006 | R Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Monodora junodii

Common names: green-apple (Eng.); groenappel (Afr.); ndzivila (xiTsonga); umKotshi (isiZulu)

Family: Annonaceae

Imagine a tree with a flower like an orchid bloom; one so unusual that next to nothing is known about how to grow it. Would this not be a major garden...

08 / 05 / 2006 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

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