Plants of the Week

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

Barleria randii

Flowers and leaves B.randii
Common names: Matopos apricot barleria
Family: Acanthaceae

This barleria with its orange/yellow flowers and white leaf margins will be an attractive addition to a rock garden....

31 / 03 / 2014 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Streptocarpus montigena

Flowers
Common names: Cape primrose, wild gloxinia
Family: Gesneriaceae

An unusual small pot plant for indoors, with rough, hairy slightly sticky leaves. This is quite a difficult species to grow — providing the discerning...

24 / 03 / 2014 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Metarungia galpinii

Flower spike and leaves © Tony Dold
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
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Geranium drakensbergensis

Geranium drakensbergensis
Common names: Drakensberg cranesbill
Family: Geraniaceae

An attractive, floriferous and vigorous herbaceous perennial that makes a wonderful addition to a summer perennial border....

17 / 03 / 2014 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Hyobanche fulleri

Flowers
Common names: Cat nails
Family: Orobanchaceae

Hybanche fulleri is a striking parasitic plant with pale to bright pink flowers found only in dune scrub....

10 / 03 / 2014 | Hlengiwe Mtshali | CREW
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Anthocleista grandiflora

Flowers
Common names: forest fever tree, big-leaf fever tree, big leaf, forest big-leaf, cabbage tree, tobacco tree (Eng.); grootblaarboom, koorsboom, wildetabakboom (Afr.)
Family: Gentianaceae

Anthocleista grandiflora is a striking tree with a tall straight trunk topped with a crown of huge leaves. It needs a warm, sunny garden with plenty of...

10 / 03 / 2014 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Othonna retrofracta

Seedheads
Common names: none known
Family: Asteraceae

Othonna retrofracta, with its bonsai-like appearance, is suitable for water-wise gardens in arid areas....

03 / 03 / 2014 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Crassula spathulata

Crassula spathulata
Common names: spatula-leaf crassula (Eng.); uguwe (isiXhosa)
Family: Crassulaceae

...

03 / 03 / 2014 | Kuphumla Zenze | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucadendron thymifolium

Female flower
Common names: Malmesbury conebush, thymeleaf protea; katsterttolbos, swartveldknoppiesbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron thymifolium is a Critically Endangered plant and experts predict this species could be extinct by 2025....

24 / 02 / 2014 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloidendron pillansii

Stems leaves and old inflorescences
Common names: giant quiver tree, bastard quiver tree (Eng.); reuse kokerboom, baster-kokerboom (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloidendron pillansii is arguably the scarcest of all tree aloes in southern Africa.  It was previously called Aloe pillansii, however a new genus...

24 / 02 / 2014 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pteronia uncinata

Growing in Kirstenboschj
Common names: coast gumbush (Eng.); strandgombos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This honey scented shrublet is a must-have for any coastal garden in the winter rainfall region of South Africa....

17 / 02 / 2014 | Zoleka Maphanga | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Carpobrotus quadrifidus

Bright flowers
Common names: West Coast sour fig, eland sour fig (Eng.); Weskus suurvy, elandsvy (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Carpobrotus quadrifidus, formerly named C. sauerae, stands out in the varied conglomeration of mesembs as the one species with the largest flowers....

17 / 02 / 2014 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Gasteria thunbergii

Inflorescence
Common names: Gouritz gasteria (Eng.); Gouritz-beestong (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria thunbergii is a dwarf aloe-like, opposite-leaved succulent, endemic to the Gouritz River south of the Langeberg Mountains of the Western...

10 / 02 / 2014 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cleome foliosa

Cleome foliosa
Common names: Yellow glory, yellow spindlepod.
Family: Brassicaceae

Cleome foliosa is a charming annual for the water wise garden....

10 / 02 / 2014 | Anthony R. Magee | Compton Herbarium
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Nestlera biennis

Nestlera biennis
Common names: None known
Family: Asteraceae

Nestlera biennis is a small, nondescript and short-lived plant with a very specific habitat on the west coast of South Africa. Although not showy...

03 / 02 / 2014 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium
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Erica recurvata

Image Ross Turner
Common names: Soetmuisberg heath, drooping round-headed heath (Eng.); soetmuisbergheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica recurvata is a critically endangered species that was previously known only from a botanical painting published by Henry Charles Andrews between...

03 / 02 / 2014 | Victoria Wilman | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Protea magnifica

Protea magnifica
Common names: queen protea, queen sugarbush, bearded protea ( Eng. ); wolbaardsuikerbos ( Afr. )
Family: Proteaceae

Protea magnifica has the second largest flower head after P. cynaroides, the king protea. The queen protea is one of the most attractive and sought after...

27 / 01 / 2014 | Melissa Van der Burg | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euclea divinorum

Euclea divinorum, female flowers.  Image Geoff Nichols
Common names: magic guarri (English); towerghwarrie (Afrikaans); mohlakola (Northern Sotho); umhlangula, ubophanyamazane, umncafuzana (Zulu); umdlelanyamatane (Swat
Family: Ebenaceae

The magic guarri is a useful medicinal plant. Although not very tasty to humans, its fruit is enjoyed by birds. The tree is also said to have supernatural...

27 / 01 / 2014 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Erica quadrisulcata

Erica quadrisulcata
Common names: orange rock-heath, Swartkop heath, four-groove heath
Family: Ericaceae

A lovely fynbos shrub with bright golden-orange, curved, tubular flowers in showy heads at the tips of branches in mid-summer —  ideal for a...

20 / 01 / 2014 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cola greenwayi

Cola greewayi ©Geoff Nichols
Common names: hairy cola (Eng.); harige kola (Afr.); iNthandoti (Zulu)
Family: Malvaceae

Cola greenwayi is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree, up to 25m tall with simple, alternate leaves that have a distinct hairy swelling below the blade...

20 / 01 / 2014 | Nonkululo Phephu | National Herbarium Pretoria
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