Plants of the Week

Cotula pruinosa

Common names: yellow bachelor buttons, yellow turban buttons (Eng.); ganskos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Cotula pruinosa is a yellow flowered annual that occurs in the winter rainfall region of South Africa.Fig. 1. The flowerhead of Cotula pruinosa. Photos...

04 / 04 / 2022 | Aarifah Jakoet | Compton Herbarium

Lapeirousia jacquinii

Common names: harlequin cabong, purple cabong, Jacquin's lapeirousia, purple corn-lily, wild violet (Eng.); kabong, paletblaar, rukkeperdjie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

A small plant with vibrant purple, white and reddish flowers, best enjoyed at close quarters. It is perfectly suited for pots in small spaces, grows easily...

04 / 04 / 2022 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria

Euphorbia umfoloziensis

Common names: Umfolozi euphorbia (Eng.); (some euphorbias are commonly known as umhlonhlo in isiZulu)

Family: Euphorbiaceae

In a hot river valley in northern KwaZulu-Natal, this rare, spiny, dwarf succulent can be found. It has only ever been recorded from this one river valley....

28 / 03 / 2022 | Nokukhanya Nozipho Mhlongo | TSP

Haworthiopsis limifolia

Common names: file-leaf haworthiopsis (Eng.); isihlalakahle, omathithibala, umathithibala (isiZulu)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthiopsis limifolia is a small, compact, rosulate, leafy succulent that grows singly or in groups. This species is commonly known as umathithibala...

28 / 03 / 2022 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG

Carpobrotus deliciosus

Common names: delicious sour fig, sweet sour fig (Eng.); suurvy, perdevy, gaukum (Afr.); igcuthuma (Xho.)

Family: Aizoaceae

A flat-growing, rapidly spreading, evergreen, succulent-leaved perennial with large, purple-pink flowers in spring and edible fruits, Carpobrotus deliciosus...

21 / 03 / 2022 | Anam Cimi | Kirstenbosch NBG

Vigna vexillata var. vexillata

Common names: wild cowpea, narrow-leaved wild sweetpea (Eng.); wilde-akkerboontjie, wilde-ertjie (Afr.); mgcenga (siSwati); isikhwali, ubombo, umcwasibe, umnxwasibe

Family: Fabaceae

Vigna vexillata var. vexillata is a perennial, creeping or climbing herb, with beautiful and pleasantly scented, whitish to mauve or dark pink flowers...

21 / 03 / 2022 | Ofentse Mmako | National Herbarium Pretoria

Crassula alba

Common names: grassland red crassula (Eng.); feko, khato (Sesotho); impakatha, isidwe, isikhelekhehlane (isiZulu)

Family: Crassulaceae

A low-maintenance, attractive garden plant, with enormous, scarlet flower heads that offer a splash of colour to our autumn grasslands, and bright green,...

14 / 03 / 2022 | Philile Khuzwayo | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Hermannia scabra

Common names: scabrid doll’s rose, gold cups (Eng.) poprosie (Afr.)

Family: Malvaceae

Hermannia scabra is an evergreen shrublet with gorgeous, eye catching, bright yellow, bell-shaped flowers in winter and spring; ideal for fynbos and renosterveld...

14 / 03 / 2022 | Zoleka May | Kirstenbosch NBG

Nerine ridleyi

Common names: Ridley’s nerine

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Nerine ridleyi is a seldom seen, light pink or rose-pink-flowered geophyte with arching, grey leaves, occurring on upper mountain slopes in the southwestern...

07 / 03 / 2022 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Babiana stricta

Common names: baboon flower, babiana (Eng.), bobbejaantjie, bobbejaanuintjie, katjetie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Babiana stricta is now known as Babiana nervosa....

07 / 03 / 2022 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Babiana nervosa

Common names: baboon flower, babiana (Eng.), bobbejaantjie, bobbejaanuintjie, katjetie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

...

07 / 03 / 2022 | Ofentse Naanyane | Pretoria NBG

Gladiolus permeabilis

Common names: partridge pypie, small afrikander (Eng.); patrysuintjie, kleinafrikaner, koningaandblom, lituin (Afr.); khahla-e-nyenyane (Sesotho); sidvwana (siSwati

Family: Iridaceae

A hardy bulbous plant with dainty and intensely sweet-smelling flowers, perfectly paired with short grasses.Fig. 1. Flowers of Gladiolus permeabilis var....

28 / 02 / 2022 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria

Tylosema esculentum

Common names: gemsbok bean, marama bean, camel’s foot (Eng.); braaiboontjie, gemsbokboontjie, kastaingboontjie (Afr.)

Family: Fabaceae

Tylosema esculentum is a long-lived, underutilized, drought-tolerant, perennial legume that grows wild on the arid and semi-arid grasslands of southern...

28 / 02 / 2022 | Thembeka Malwane | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Haworthia retusa var. turgida

Common names: Langeberg cliff haworthia (Eng.); Langeberg dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia retusa var. turgida is a dwarf, cluster-forming, cliff-hugger, with numerous, small rosettes of light green to reddish succulent leaves, often...

21 / 02 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Bulbine mesembryanthoides subsp. mesembryanthoides

Common names: stone-plant bulbine, window plants, water glass (Eng.); waterglas, waterkannetjies (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

...

21 / 02 / 2022 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG

Haworthia cooperi var. picturata

Common names: Grootrivier cliff-haworthia (Eng.), Grootrivier dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia cooperi var. picturata is a decorative, dwarf, compact, cliff-hugger, consisting of numerous, small, bright green rosettes of green partially...

14 / 02 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Syncolostemon incanus

Common names: Kaapsehoop sagebush (Eng.); Kaapsehoopsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

Syncolostemon incanus is a medium sized, aromatic, sage family shrub that adds a splash of permanent colour in the landscape, all year through, with its...

14 / 02 / 2022 | Fergy Nkadimeng | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Haworthiopsis scabra var. starkiana

Common names: Schoemanspoort haworthiopsis (Eng.), Schoemanspoort dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthiopsis scabra var. starkiana is a dwarf cliff-hugger with numerous small rosettes of yellowish green, ovate-lanceolate, succulent leaves and a solitary...

07 / 02 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gnidia pinifolia

Common names: pine-leaved saffron-bush, needle capesaffron (Eng.), aandbossie, juffertjie-roer-by-die-nag (Afr.).

Family: Thymelaeaceae

Gnidia pinifolia has showy, conspicuous, white blooms, all-year round, that will infuse your garden with a night scent....

07 / 02 / 2022 | Nomfusi Ntsobi | CREW

Haworthia mirabilis var. consanguinea

Common names: Riviersonderend haworthia (Eng.), Riviersonderend-dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia mirabilis var. consanguinea is a dwarf cliff-hugger, with numerous rosettes of light green, ovate-lanceolate, succulent leaves and a solitary...

31 / 01 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

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