Plants of the Week

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

Lapeirousia corymbosa

Lapeirousia corymbosa
Common names: blue cabong (Eng.); bloucabong, koringblom, koringblommetjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Lapeirousia corymbosa is now classified as Codonorhiza corymbosa  ...

07 / 01 / 2013 | Sarah-Leigh Hutchinson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lapeirousia jacquinii

Lapeirousia jacquinii
Common names: harlequin cabong, purple cabong, Jacquin's lapeirousia, purple corn-lily, wild violet (Eng.); kabong, paletblaar, rukkeperdjie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

A small plant with vibrant purple, white and reddish flowers, best enjoyed at close quarters. It is perfectly suited for pots in small spaces, grows easily...

04 / 04 / 2022 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Lapeirousia pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis

Lapeirousia pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis
Common names: pyramid cabong, painted petals (Eng.); naeltjie, koringblom (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

This hardy, dwarf irid is ideal for arid areas and has strikingly attractive, fragrant flowers in spring....

27 / 01 / 2020 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Laportea grossa

Foliage
Common names: spotted nettle (Eng.); gevlekte brandnetel (Afr.); ubazi, ububasa (Xhosa); imbabazane, imbathi (Zulu)
Family: Urticaceae

Laportea grossa has decorative, glossy dark green foliage with conspicuous white spots - an excellent plant to brighten up a shady bed, but it needs careful...

03 / 03 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lasiosiphon deserticola

Lasiosiphon deserticola 
Common names: saffron curryflower (Eng.); saffraan, saffraanbos, verfbossie, hotnotsverfbossie (Afr.)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

 An evergreen shrub with bright, ochre-yellow, night-scented flowers, which can be used to make a yellow dye....

21 / 10 / 2019 | Odwa Obose | Compton Herbarium
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Lasiosiphon kraussianus

Gnidia kraussiana.  Image Geoff Nichols
Common names: yellow heads (English); harige gifbossie (Afr.); isidikili, imfuzane, umsilawengwe (isiZulu); umarhedeni (isiXhosa)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

Lasiosiphon kraussianus is a useful medicinal plant, but it can be very poisonous to humans. It can also be very poisonous to foraging animals....

31 / 12 / 2013 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Lasiosiphon rigidus

Lasiosiphon rigidus (John Manning)
Common names: none recorded
Family: Thymelaeaceae

A small-leaved shrublet with fragrant, bright chrome-yellow flowers surrounded by vivid yellow bracts, flushed with dark red....

23 / 10 / 2017 | Refilwe Kolokoto | Compton Herbarium
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Lasiosiphon triplinervis

Heads of flowers
Common names: None recorded
Family: Thymelaeaceae

 An attractive yellow shrub that flowers throughout the year. This is one of the most underrated grassland forbs, drawing attention from a distance...

02 / 01 / 2006 | S Khanyile | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Lasiospermum bipinnatum

Plant in flower: Photo Anthony Magee
Common names: ganskweek, gansbossie (Afr.); cocoonhead (Eng.)
Family: Asteraceae

Lasiospermum bipinnatum is a prolific and showy perennial daisy with beautiful white-rayed flowerheads and aromatic leaves. Although it has been recorded...

18 / 06 / 2012 | B Busch | Compton Herbarium
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Laurophyllus capensis

Laurophyllus capensis female tree in habitat
Common names: iron martin (Eng.); ystermartiens, filabos(sie), vlakwitels (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Reindeer antlers on an African tree? Endemic to the Western and Eastern Cape, the iron martin has separate male and female trees. The female trees carry...

25 / 05 / 2009 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Lebeckia

Lebeckia sepiaria
Common names: ganna (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

The genus Lebeckia is a group of 14 species that occur in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. All the species have attractive...

21 / 02 / 2011 | S Boatwright | Compton Herbarium
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Ledebouria apertiflora

Ledebouria apertiflora
Common names: desert African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A medium-sized bulbous plant normally associated with arid areas. This species is widely distributed over a vast area of South Africa, most common in the...

22 / 10 / 2018 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria asperifolia

Ledebouria asperifolia, Buffelskloof Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga.
Common names: rough-leaved African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Although this species is seldom seen in cultivation, there are some very attractive forms which have beautiful markings on the leaves. It occurs over a...

06 / 03 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria atrobrunnea

Ledebouria atrobrunnea
Common names: dark brown African hyacinth (Eng.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This dwarf, range-restricted African hyacinth with erect leaves and characteristic dark brown persistent leaf bases, is an interesting and attractive plant...

21 / 12 / 2020 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria atropurpurea

Ledebouria atropurpurea
Common names: purple African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

An uncommon bulbous plant with broadly lanceolate, hairy leaves and small purple flowers in spring....

28 / 11 / 2022 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria burkei subsp. burkei

Ledebouria burkei subsp. burkei
Common names: brown African hyacinth (Eng.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Dwarf bulbous plant usually with leaves pressed to the ground or presented close to the ground. The leaves are brownish-green and usually deep red underneath....

22 / 02 / 2021 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria burkei subsp. stolonissima

Ledebouria burkei subsp. stolonissima
Common names: Lebowa African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

...

15 / 04 / 2024 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria caesiomontana

Ledebouria caesiomontana
Common names: Blouberg African hyacinth
Family: Asphodelaceae

This small and cryptic species remains very elusive in its natural habitat, due to its ability to hide amongst grasses and other vegetation, as a result...

09 / 08 / 2021 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria comptonii

Ledebouria comptonii
Common names: Compton’s African Hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A small and attractive species which proliferates to form dense stands, with brightly coloured flowers produced en-masse in early spring. The species is...

15 / 11 / 2021 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria concolor

Ledebouria concolor
Common names: Karoo African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A large and handsome, African hyacinth, with bright green leaves and stout semi-erect, dense flower spikes, that makes a fine pot plant. This attractive...

06 / 03 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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