Plants of the Week

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

Lycium afrum

Lycium afrum (Hedi Stummer)
Common names: kraal honeythorn (Eng.); kraaldoring, kraalkriedoring, slangbessie, bokdoring (Afr.)
Family: Solanaceae

Coming from an economically important family of flowering plants, this is a robust, stiffly branched, moderate sized, thorny shrub, that may grow to be...

25 / 04 / 2016 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria ovatifolia subsp. ovatifolia

Ledebouria ovatifolia, Weza Ngele
Common names: flat-leaved African hyacinth (Eng.); icubudwana (isiZulu); untanganazibomvu (isiXhosa)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Curious and widespread, a variable, bulbous plant, with unique, broad, flat, usually spotted leaves, which are tightly appressed to the soil surface, and...

18 / 04 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Erica glomiflora var. glomiflora

Erica glomiflora (HG Robertson, Iziko Museums of South Africa)
Common names: lantern heath (Eng.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica glomiflora var. glomiflora is a variable and attractive species exhibiting a wide range of flower shapes and forms that brighten up the southern...

18 / 04 / 2016 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Barleria matopensis

Barleria matopensis
Common names: Matopos barleria (Eng.)
Family: Acanthaceae

Barleria matopensis is an attractive shrub, for a sunny, water-wise garden....

11 / 04 / 2016 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Kleinia chimanimaniensis

Kleinia chimanimaniensis flowerheads
Common names: Chimanimani kleinia (Eng.); Chimanimani-kleinia (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Kleinia chimanimaniensis is a sprawling shrublet with succulent leaves and stems and scented yellow flowers, in summer. It is confined to cliffs of the...

11 / 04 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Brachycorythis conica subsp. transvaalensis

Brachycorythis conica subsp. transvaalensis
Common names: Albertina Sisulu Orchid
Family: Orchidaceae

This beautiful and enigmatic orchid was first recorded in 1918; it was last seen in the Gauteng Province in 1956, until its rediscovery in 2007. This species...

04 / 04 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Dyschoriste thunbergiiflora

Dyschoriste thunbergiflora
Common names: purple bells (Eng.); persklokkies (Afr.)
Family: Acanthaceae

A versatile, evergreen shrub for semi-shade, with attractive dark green foliage and eye-catching, large, blue-purple, trumpet-shaped flowers, occurring...

04 / 04 / 2016 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Noltea africana

Noltea africana, flowers and foliage (Geoff Nichols).
Common names: soap glossy-leaf, noltea, soap bush, soap dogwood (Eng.); seepblinkblaar, seepbos (Afr.); umkhuthuhla, amaluleka, iphalode, umglindi (isiXhosa), umahl
Family: Rhamnaceae

An ornamental shrub or small tree with clusters of fragrant white flowers from winter to spring....

28 / 03 / 2016 | Lufuno Nenungwi | Free State NBG
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Astroloba cremnophila

Astroloba cremnophila
Common names: cliff astroloba (Eng.); krans-astroloba (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Astroloba cremnophila is a small, cluster-forming, leaf succulent from the cliffs along the Buffelsrivier. The plant has leafy, succulent stems, the leaves...

28 / 03 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senegalia burkei

Senegalia burkei (Alex Dreyer)
Common names: black monkey-thorn (Eng.); swartapiesdoring (Afr.); umkhaya wehlalahlathi, umbabampala (isiZulu); umkhaya (siSwati); mokgwa, mokoba (Setswana); mokwar
Family: Fabaceae

Senegalia burkei is a distinctive deciduous tree that can be identified easily throughout the year. It has spikes of creamy white flowers in early summer,...

21 / 03 / 2016 | Thobile Mlaba | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Pentzia dentata

Pentzia dentata
Common names: greater skaapkaroo, duck's-foot skaapkaroo (Eng.) grootskaapkaroo, eendepootkaroo (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A wonderful water-wise, aromatic shrub with soft, grey foliage and clusters of yellow inflorescences, from spring to summer....

21 / 03 / 2016 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lachnospermum umbellatum

Lachnospermum umbellatum
Common names: rooiblombossie (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This little-known species from the extreme southwestern corner of the country thrives in the wet fynbos of the Cape Fold Mountains near the coast. Its...

14 / 03 / 2016 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium
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Cotyledon gloeophylla

Cotyledon gloeophylla
Common names: sticky-leaved cotyledon (Eng.); taaiblaarplakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

Cotyledon gloeophylla is an exciting, recently discovered species from the Kouga Dam near Patensie in the Eastern Cape; it is a shrublet with decorative,...

14 / 03 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pelargonium setulosum

Pelargonium setulosum flower, with peculiar, basal nectar spots on the two upper petals (Jeff Shapiro, iSpot)
Common names: bristle-leaf pelargonium, bristle-leaf stork’s-bill (Eng.); malva (Afr.)
Family: Geraniaceae

A beautiful tufted pelargonium from the Western Cape Province, not well known in cultivation but it makes an attractive potplant and is well-suited to...

07 / 03 / 2016 | Marianne le Roux | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Chironia laxa

Chronia laxa
Common names: Cape centaury, wild centaury (Eng.); bitterwortel (Afr.)
Family: Gentianaceae

This is a delightful plant, with shiny, bright pink, star-shaped flowers that are produced in abundance throughout the summer months, ideal for a sunny...

07 / 03 / 2016 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Berchemia discolor

Berchemia discolor (Brian KD2, iSpot)
Common names: birdplum, brown ivory (Eng.); bruinivoor, voëlpruim (Afr.); mogokgomo (Sepedi); nyiyi, nyiri (Xitsonga); motsintsila (Setswana); munie (Tshivenda), n
Family: Rhamnaceae

Birdplum or brown ivory is an attractive garden tree, with tough, yellow-brown wood that makes excellent furniture and sticks. Berchemia discolor is also...

29 / 02 / 2016 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Watsonia pillansii

Watsonia pillansii
Common names: Pillans’ watsonia, summer watsonia, bugle lily, Beatrice watsonia (Eng.); suurkanol, knolpypie, lakpypie (Afr.); igotyibe (isiXhosa)
Family: Iridaceae

...

29 / 02 / 2016 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucadendron chamelaea

Leucadendron chamelaea, female.
Common names: Witsenberg conebush
Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron chamelaea is one of the iconic species of the Upper Breede River Valley. This species once occurred commonly in this area, but through the...

22 / 02 / 2016 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW
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Aloiampelos tenuior

Aloiampelos tenuior var. rubriflora, Kirstenbosch NBG
Common names: fence aloe, slender aloe (Eng.); heiningaalwyn (Afr.); ikhalana, ikalene, intelezi, impapane, umjinqa, umkrakrane (isiXhosa); inhlaba, inhlaba empofu
Family: Asphodelaceae

This rambling aloe forms large clumps topped with masses of delicate, yellow or red flowerheads in summer, and is a useful and undemanding landscape plant....

22 / 02 / 2016 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euclea pseudebenus

Euclea pseudebenus in habitat.
Common names: ebony guarri, ebony tree, black ebony, Cape ebony (Eng.); ebbehoutghwarrie, ebbehout, ebbeboom, swartebbenhout (Afr.); tsawib (Nama)
Family: Ebenaceae

Euclea pseudebenus or ebony guarri is a remarkably drought-hardy and tough indigenous tree with a most graceful appearance contrasting its harsh and unforgiving...

15 / 02 / 2016 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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