Plants of the Week

Cyrtanthus macmasteri

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Cyrtanthus macmasteri was described in 2003 after being found in 1994 by naturalist Cameron McMaster at the Bolo River Gorge in the Eastern Cape....

09 / 10 / 2006 | Suvarna Parbhoo | Pretoria NBG

Lobostemon

Common names: pajama bush

Family: Boraginaceae

This endemic genus, with numerous species of densely flowered, attractive shrubs, provides a splash of colour in the early spring, long before other popular...

02 / 10 / 2006 | M Buys | Compton Herbarium

Greyia sutherlandii

Common names: glossy bottlebrush, mountain bottlebrush, Natal bottlebrush, wild bottlebrush, beacon tree (Eng.); blinkblaarbaakhout, Natalse baakhout (Afr.); isidw

Family: Melianthaceae

This is a most decorative plant and is becoming popular as an ornamental subject in gardens....

02 / 10 / 2006 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Elytropappus rhinocerotis

This plant is now called Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis....

25 / 09 / 2006 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Freylinia longiflora

Common names: Elgin bell-bush, Elgin freylinia (Eng.); Grabou klokkiesbos (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

This critically endangered shrub makes an attractive garden plant....

25 / 09 / 2006 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis

Mature adult bush with many upright branches

Common names: rhinoceros bush, rhenoster bush (Eng.); renosterbos, rhenosterbos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Although renosterbos is not showy or beautiful, it is an interesting and important component of our indigenous flora. It is the dominant member and the...

25 / 09 / 2006 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium

Gazania krebsiana

Common names: terracotta gazania (Eng.); gousblom, botterblom, rooi gazania (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Gazania krebsiana, previously known as Gazania pavonia, must be one of Namaqualand 's most well-known and striking perennial plants....

18 / 09 / 2006 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Drosanthemum micans

Common names: Robertson vygie

Family: Aizoaceae

Drosanthemum micans is a colourful spring flowering vygie (Afr.) that is a good choice for arid gardens across the country....

18 / 09 / 2006 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG

Agathosma gonaquensis

Common names: Gonaqua buchu (Eng.), Hottentotsboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This leafy shrub is compact, low-growing and displays masses of white flowers during spring. The oil glands found on the leaves and fruit release a sweet...

11 / 09 / 2006 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Afzelia quanzensis

Common names: pod mahogany, lucky bean tree ( Eng. ); peulmahonie (Afr.); iNkehli (Zulu); Mambakofi (Swahili)

Family: Fabaceae

Afzelia quanzensis is a very attractive, medium-sized, deciduous tree, with bright green leaves that turn to an attractive yellowish colour in autumn....

11 / 09 / 2006 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Moraea elegans

Common names: poutulp (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

The striking yellow and orange flowers with variable bold markings, and its extreme ease of cultivation make this elegant spring-flowering species an essential...

04 / 09 / 2006 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Balanites maughamii subsp. maughamii

Common names: torchwood (Eng.); groendoring (Afr.); umnunu (Sotho); nulu (Tswana)

Family: Zygophyllaceae

Balanites maughamii is not well known in South Africa. The older trees have an amazing, upright, deeply folded or buttressed trunk, that visually...

04 / 09 / 2006 | K Behr | Pretoria NBG

Securidaca longepedunculata

Common names: violet tree, fibre tree (Eng.); krinkhout , rooipeultjie, seepbasboom (Afr.); mpesu (tshiVenda); mmaba (Tswana), iphuphuma (isiZulu)

Family: Polygalaceae

Securidaca longepeduculata is a slender tree with beautiful flowers. It is a highly regarded medicinal and magical tree, especially by the vhaVenda people...

28 / 08 / 2006 | Avhurengwi Phillemon Ndou | Walter Sisulu NBG

Mimusops caffra

Common names: coast red milkwood (Eng.); kusrooimelkboom, moepel (Afr.); umhayihayi amasethole-abomvu, umthunzi, umnweba waselwandle, umnole, umagayi, umkhakhayi (Z

Family: Sapotaceae

Gardeners looking for a tree suitable for coastal gardens with windy conditions should not look any further-this tree is a good choice, particularly for...

28 / 08 / 2006 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Protea scolymocephala

Common names: thistle protea, thistle sugarbush, small green protea, scoly ( Eng. ); kleingroenroos, witskollie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Protea scolymocephala is a dainty shrub bearing abundant pink-tinged, creamy-green flowerheads in winter/spring, ideal for small gardens on the sandy...

21 / 08 / 2006 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ixia mostertii

Common names: there are no recorded common names for this plant. It is one of the extremely rare species in the genus Ixia and has not been well collected.

Family: Iridaceae

Rare and threatened species are always attractive to most people interested in plants. Ixia mostertii is a strikingly beautiful plant that is...

21 / 08 / 2006 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW

Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. grandiflora

Flower showing vertical anthers and style to one side

Common names: Cape buttercup, sparaxis (Eng.); botterblom, ferweel, ferweeltjie, fluweeltjie, perskalkoentjie, perskalossie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Sparaxis grandiflora is indeed an attractive species and it is not surprising that it was introduced to Kew Gardens as early as 1758. However, as Du Plessis...

14 / 08 / 2006 | Caitlin Von Witt | CREW

Encephalartos friderici-guilielmi

Common names: white-haired cycad

Family: Zamiaceae

Although Encephalartos friderici-guilielmi experiences harsh growing conditions in its natural habitat, it is very adaptable to different climatic conditions....

14 / 08 / 2006 | John Winter | Kirstenbosch NBG

Erica lowryensis

Common names: Sir Lowry's Pass heath

Family: Ericaceae

Like so many jewels of the fynbos, one has to be prepared to walk and climb to view this pretty erica which grows on the mountain ranges of the Kogelberg...

07 / 08 / 2006 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG

Adenandra gummifera

Common names: Potberg china flower, gummy china flower (Eng.); Potberg-porseleinblom (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

A beautiful, aromatic, fynbos shrub with showy white porcelain-like flowers in winter and spring....

07 / 08 / 2006 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

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