Plants of the Week

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E.g., 24/11/2024
E.g., 24/11/2024

Polhillia ignota

Polhillia ignota
Common names: due to the rarity of this species, there are no common names recorded for it.
Family: Fabaceae

Only known from two records made over 80 years ago, this lost species was recently rediscovered by the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW)....

14 / 11 / 2016 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW
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Moraea insolens

Moraea insolens
Common names: Overberg red-moraea (Eng.); Overbergse rooi-uintjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Moraea insolens is a critically endangered, cormous plant, with dazzling orange-red or rarely white- or cream-coloured, salver-shaped blooms, with prominent,...

14 / 11 / 2016 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloiampelos juddii

Aloiampelos juddii
Common names: Koudeberg aloe (Eng.); Baardskeerdersbosvuurpylaalwyn, (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloiampelos juddii is a welcome addition to the Cape flora and in particular the assemblage of Fynbos aloes that are found in the mountainous and coastal...

07 / 11 / 2016 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Ficus glumosa

Ficus glumosa
Common names: hairy rock fig, mountain rock fig (Eng.); harige rotsvy, berg-rotsvy (Afr.); umthombe (Xhosa); inkokhokho, umdenda omnyama, umnyaxa (Zulu); inkiwane (
Family: Moraceae

An ideal tree for planting in water scarce areas; it will provide browsing and food to a number of animals, as well as a habitat for a large range of bird...

07 / 11 / 2016 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Crassula capitella

leaves mature from lime-green to bright red
Common names: red flames (Eng.); aanteelrosie (Afr.); bohobe babadisana (Sesotho)
Family: Crassulaceae

Crassula capitella is a stunning succulent that looks fantastic in rockeries and landscape gardens. It is used ornamentally to add a permanent colour in...

31 / 10 / 2016 | Fergy Nkadimeng | Pretoria NBG
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Dimorphotheca tragus

Dimorphotheca tragus
Common names: ox-eye daisy, Cape marigold, Namaqualand daisy, African daisy (Eng.); jakkalsbossie (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A perennial herb, with thinly scattered, toothed leaves and bright daisy flowers, which create an attractive sight in spring....

31 / 10 / 2016 | Ramadimetja Junia Maleka | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Commelina benghalensis

Commelina benghalesis (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: Benghal dayflower, tropical spiderwort, Benghal wandering Jew (Eng.); blouselblommetjie (Afr.); lala-tau, khopo-e-nyenyane, khotsoana (Sesotho); uhlot
Family: Commelinaceae

Commelina benghalesis is a common, widespread weed found throughout southern Africa, tropical Africa and Asia and it is difficult to eradicate in cultivated...

24 / 10 / 2016 | Aluwani Tshiila | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Protea cryophila

Protea cryophila
Common names: snow protea, snowball protea (Eng.); sneeuprotea, sneeublom (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Protea cryophila is a sprawling, densely tufted shrub with attractive pink and white flowerheads and leathery, ascending, inward-folded leaves. It is confined...

24 / 10 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Othonna euphorbioides

Othonna euphorbioides (Nick Helme)
Common names: spiny othonna (Eng.); doringkers (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A thorny, yet charming, mound-forming species of Othonna with striking yellow flowers to brighten your garden in the cold winter days....

17 / 10 / 2016 | Refilwe Kolokoto | Compton Herbarium
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Cannomois grandis

Cannomois grandis, female plant
Common names: giant river-reed, large bell reed, grand Cape-reed, rekoala, pokers (Eng.); bergbamboes, besemriet, besemgoed, olifantsriet, perdehoef, assegaai (Afr.
Family: Restionaceae

...

17 / 10 / 2016 | Anthony Hitchcock | Compton Herbarium
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Allophylus natalensis

Allophylus natalensis in fruit
Common names: dune false-currant (Eng.); duinevalstaaibos (Afr.); umgqalagquzu, uzingathi (Xhosa); isihlohlela (Zulu)
Family: Sapindaceae

A very decorative, evergreen shrub or small tree, which produces tiny, sweet-scented, white to cream-coloured flowers in autumn. It is hard not to notice...

10 / 10 / 2016 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Capparis tomentosa

Capparis tomentosa (Graham Grieve, iSpot)
Common names: woolly caper bush (Eng.), wollerige kapperbos, wag-‘n-bietjie (Afr.), inkunzi-ebomvu, iqwaningi, umqoqolo, ukhokhwana, umabusane (isiZulu), imfishlo
Family: Capparaceae

Capparis tomentosa is a decorative garden plant that is used for hedging in many rural communities in South Africa. Its most popular common name, wag-‘n-bietjie...

10 / 10 / 2016 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Indigofera flabellata

Indigofera flabellata (Adriaan Grobler)
Common names: fan-leaf indigofera
Family: Fabaceae

The Fynbos Biome is the home of the characteristic dwarf shrub, Indigofera flabellata, with irregular branches and beautiful rose-purple flowers that attract...

03 / 10 / 2016 | Tandiwe Nkonki | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Delosperma abbottii

Delosperma abbottii
Common names: Pondoland cliff-delosperma (Eng.); Pondokransvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

A cliff-dwelling, mat-forming, mesemb with yellow to magenta flowers in summer, known only from sandstone cliffs in the Pondoland region, in the Eastern...

03 / 10 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pelargonium articulatum

Pelargonium articulatum, cream or white flowers in early summer
Common names: cliff pelargonium (Eng.); kransmalva (Afr.)
Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium articulatum is seldom noticed except when it is in flower, then it is one of the showiest of pelargoniums....

26 / 09 / 2016 | Lize Wolfaardt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Pelargonium lobatum

Pelargonium lobatum
Common names: vine-leaved pelargonium (Eng.); aandblom, aandkaneelbol, kaneelbol, nachtbloem (Afr.)
Family: Geraniaceae

This attractive, hardy, geophytic pelargonium is ideally suited for sandy fynbos gardens, rockeries or pots....

26 / 09 / 2016 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Argyrolobium tomentosum

Argyrolobium tomentosum
Common names: velvety yellow bush pea (Eng.); umadlozana, umlomomnandi (isiZulu)
Family: Fabaceae

A scrambling, evergreen shrub with yellow flowers in spring and summer; it is a pretty garden plant and is one of South Africa’s magical medicinal...

19 / 09 / 2016 | Bulannga Mufhati | Lowveld NBG
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Combretum vendae

Combretum vendae var. glabratum  (Wynand Uys, iSpot)
Common names: Venda bushwillow (Eng.); vendaboswilg (Afr.); gopo-gopo, gopokopo-bani (Venda)
Family: Combretaceae

...

19 / 09 / 2016 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Mimetes capitulatus

Mimetes capitulatus (Robbie Thomas)
Common names: conical pagoda (Eng.); skraalstompie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

This striking plant is a lesser-known gem, whose brightly coloured, red and orange flowerheads, appear in spring time, attracting the sunbirds. Populations...

12 / 09 / 2016 | Karen Wall | Harold Porter NBG
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Salvia scabra

Salvia scabra
Common names: coast blue sage (Eng.); kuskruipsalie (Afr.); usikiki (isiXhosa)
Family: Lamiaceae

Salvia scabra is a dainty sage which is adorned with mauve flowers between spring and autumn, with its peak flowering in summer. Being water-wise and its...

12 / 09 / 2016 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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