Plants of the Week

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

Terminalia phanerophlebia

Fruits (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: Lebombo cluster-leaf (Eng.); Lebombotrosblaar (Afr.); amaNgwe-amnyama, amaNgwe-omphofu (isiZulu); mambonjwane (SiSwati)
Family: Combretaceae

A decorative shrub to small tree with a hard, heavy brown wood. It is an ideal tree for street planting....

11 / 08 / 2014 | F Nonyane | Pretoria NBG
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Caputia oribiensis

Caputia oribiensis
Common names: Oribi Gorge caputia (Eng.); Oribi-tontelbos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Caputia oribiensis is an ascending, sparsely branched, drought tolerant, succulent shrublet, belonging to the daisy family (Asteraceae), with showy,...

11 / 08 / 2014 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Wardia hygrometrica

Wardia hygrometrica (Jonathan Sleath)
Common names: Ward's moss
Family: Wardiaceae

Wardia hygrometrica is an aquatic moss restricted to the mountains of the Western Cape. It belongs to the Wardiaceae, the only endemic moss family in...

04 / 08 / 2014 | Jacques van Rooy | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Faucaria tigrina

Faucaria tigrina -tiger jaw
Common names: tiger-jaws, shark-jaws (Eng.); tierbekvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

This somewhat ferocious-looking succulent gets its name, tiger-jaws, from the appearance of the toothed, triangular shaped leaves which seem to drip with...

04 / 08 / 2014 | Sarah-Leigh Hutchinson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Encephalartos eugene-maraisii

Encephalartos eugene-maraisii
Common names: Waterberg cycad (Eng.); bergpalm, waterberg-broodboom (Afr.); mofaka (Sepedi)
Family: Zamiaceae

This is a medium-sized to large, bluish-green cycad, which is suited to cool subtropical and temperate regions....

28 / 07 / 2014 | K w Sepheka | Pretoria NBG
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Agathosma thymifolia

Flowers
Common names: limestone buchu, thyme-leaf buchu (Eng.) kalk boegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

This bushy shrub colours the veld in hues of pink and mauve during winter. It is a must-have for sandy coastal fynbos gardens....

28 / 07 / 2014 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Strumaria phonolithica

Plant in flower
Common names: none known
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Strumaria phonolithica is a rare and interesting autumn- and early winter-flowering bulb endemic to southwestern Namibia. Its ornamental leaf fans and...

21 / 07 / 2014 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pelargonium alternans

Plant in flower
Common names: blomkoolmalva, koolmalva (Afr.)
Family: Geraniaceae

The compact growth of the blomkoolmalva makes it an ideal specimen for a bonsai....

21 / 07 / 2014 | Lize Wolfaardt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Mesembryanthemum varians

Plant in flower
Common names: salt mesemb, skeleton plant (English); soutvygie (Afrikaans)
Family: Aizoaceae

Mesembryanthemum varians was previously known as Sceletium varians. It is known to have few medicinal properties —  unlike Mesembryathemum...

14 / 07 / 2014 | Ricardo Riddles | Karoo Desert NBG
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Caputia pyramidata

Plant in flower
Common names: tall caputia (Eng.); groot-tontelbos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Caputia pyramidata is a drought-tolerant succulent-leaved shrub, endemic to the Albany Thicket vegetation in the Eastern Cape. It has showy, ascending...

14 / 07 / 2014 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Indigofera lyalli

Inflorescence
Common names: Red Indigo, Venda Indigo (Eng.); Rooiverfbos, Venda-verfbos (Afr.); Umhlonishwa (isiZulu)
Family: Fabaceae

An attractive, delicate-looking, slender tree with velvety leaves and wine-red flowers usually found growing in clusters in nature....

07 / 07 / 2014 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eucomis humilis

Plant in flower (Nicki Brighton)
Common names: dwarf pineapple flower (Eng.); beskeie berglelie (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This irresistible, remarkable Eucomis humilis is one of the miniature Eucomis species. A summer-growing bulb with wavy margined leaves and an inflorescence...

07 / 07 / 2014 | Sibahle Gumede | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Helichrysum dasyanthum

Plants in flower
Common names: None recorded
Family: Asteraceae

Helichrysum dasyanthum is an attractive silver-grey shrublet with striking, bright yellow flowerheads in summer....

30 / 06 / 2014 | Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Falkia repens

Flower: Image Paul Linder ©
Common names: white carpet, African morning glory, creeping falkia, oortjies (Afr.)
Family: Convolvulaceae

This is an intriguing, fast-growing groundcover with lovely eye-catching white flowers that provides a carpet-like look upon first entering your yard or...

30 / 06 / 2014 | Z Nkabinde | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Paranomus sceptrum-gustavianus

Flower head
Common names: King Gustave's sceptre, bottlebrush, white sceptre, sceptre-like paranomus (Eng.); perdebos, septerpluimbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

This is a favourite among the Paranomus with showy, sweetly scented flowers and attractive foliage....

23 / 06 / 2014 | Nosiphelele Patricia Mapukata | Harold Porter NBG
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Lachenalia pygmaea

PLant in flower
Common names: none recorded; suggested name: pygmy hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This tiny lachenalia with pale, almond-scented flowers belongs to subgenus Polyxena and makes a delightful pot plant....

23 / 06 / 2014 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia crenata

Leaves and fruits
Common names: dune crow-berry; duinekraaibessie (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

If you live near the coast and need a plant that can serve as a windbreaker, is drought tolerant and able to bind soil effectively, then Searsia crenata is...

16 / 06 / 2014 | Benjamin Festus | Harold Porter NBG
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Podalyria buxifolia

Flower
Common names: box-leaf bush-sweetpea (Eng.); keurtjie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Podalyria buxifolia is a delicately beautiful shrub from the southern Cape mountains. It has attractive, dark-green, glossy leaves and the most exquisite...

16 / 06 / 2014 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Sparaxis elegans

Sparaxis elegans
Common names: Cape buttercup, sparaxis, pale harlequin flower (Eng.); spogfluweeltjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Sparaxis elegans is, as its name suggests, one of the most elegant and aesthetically pleasing species the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) has to...

09 / 06 / 2014 | Brittany Arendse | CREW
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Coleus madagascariensis

Coleus madascariensis 'Lynne'
Common names: thicket coleus, Madagascar coleus, candle plant (Eng.); ruigtemuishondblaar, Madagaskarmuishondblaar (Afr.); iboza lehlathi, ilozane (isiZulu)
Family: Lamiaceae

A robust, water-wise and attractive garden plant that will reliably provide colour in the garden....

09 / 06 / 2014 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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