Plants of the Week

Senegalia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha

Common names: white-stem thorn (Eng.); witdoring (Afr.); mooka, mpho-kamagwa (Northern Sotho); xigatlu, nkowankowa (Tswana)?; tshikwalo (Venda); umnga (Xhosa)

Family: Fabaceae

This is one of the most attractive acacias in Africa. It often has one stem with branching commencing fairly high up, and a neat flattish crown. It has...

13 / 06 / 2005 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Mimusops zeyheri

Common names: Transvaal red milkwood (Eng.); moepel (Afr.); mmupudu (Northern Sotho); umpushane (Zulu); nhlantswa (Tsonga); mubululu (Venda)

Family: Sapotaceae

The Transvaal red milkwood has gained its popularity with people, birds as well as monkeys and baboons through its tasty fruit which are sweet and high...

06 / 06 / 2005 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Lagenaria siceraria

Common names: bottle gourd, calabash (Eng.); kalbas (Afr.); moraka (North Sotho); segwana (Tswana); iselwa (Xhosa, Zulu)

Family: Cucurbitaceae

...

06 / 06 / 2005 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Acmadenia obtusata

Common names: dune porcelain flower ( Eng. ); duineboegoe, steekboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

Acamadenia obtusata forms a variable shrub, displaying floriferous pink flowers with aromatic foliage. Characteristic of the citrus family are oil...

06 / 06 / 2005 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gasteria acinacifolia

Common names: coast ox-tongue (Eng.); kus-beestong (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria acinacifolia is the largest of all Gasteria species, strictly coastal and ideal for coastal gardens. It is at once recognized by its large rosette...

30 / 05 / 2005 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cynoglossum hispidum

Common names: hound's tongue (Eng.); beestongblaar, knoppiesklitsbossie, ossetongblaar (Afr.); bohomenyana (Southern Sotho)

Family: Boraginaceae

This is a biennial or perennial herb with small, drooping, purplish red flowers. It is characterized by loosely branched inflorescences and fruits...

30 / 05 / 2005 | Elizabeth Retief | National Herbarium Pretoria

Berchemia zeyheri

Common names: red ivorywood, purple ivory, pink ivory (Eng.); rooi-ivoor, rooihout (Afr.); monee (Sesothosa Leboa); umNeyi (siSwati); xiniyani (Xitsonga); moye (Set

Family: Rhamnaceae

The Berchemia zeyheri tree is valuable to the people, animals and birds of South Africa....

30 / 05 / 2005 | Avhurengwi Phillemon Ndou | Walter Sisulu NBG

Searsia leptodictya

Common names: mountain karee, rock karee ( Eng. ); bergkaree, klipkaree (Afr.); inHlangushane (siSwati); Mohlwehlwe (Northern Sotho)

Family: Anacardiaceae

The mountain karee is an essential 'bird-garden' tree, which also makes a good frost-hardy, and drought-tolerant shade tree. Another special feature...

23 / 05 / 2005 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Momordica cardiospermum

Common names: bitter gourd (Eng.); inshubaba (siSwati); ntwe (seTswana)

Family: Cucurbitaceae

This climber has a foetid smell, but makes up for it with showy orange-yellow flowers and large, fleshy, bulging orange-red ripe fruits that...

23 / 05 / 2005 | M Welman | Pretoria NBG

Athrixia phylicoides

Common names: Bushman's tea (Eng.); Boesmanstee (Afr.); Icholocholo, itshelo, umthsanelo (isiZulu)

Family: Asteraceae

This is a stunning plant that has a great horticultural potential in cultivation. Its beautiful flowers and the soft texture of the leaves make it an asset...

23 / 05 / 2005 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Sceletium tortuosum

Common names: kanna, tortuose fig marigold (Eng.); kanna, kougoed, tandtrekbos (Afr.); kanna (Khoi)

Family: Aizoaceae

Sceletium tortuosum is one of the oldest mesembs known to the western world. It became known to the early colonizers of the Cape in the 17th century and...

16 / 05 / 2005 | Pascale Chesselet | Compton Herbarium

Crassula ovata

Common names: kerky bush, jade plant, pink joy (Eng.); beestebul, kerkij, kerky, plakkies (Afr.); t'karkai (Khoi); umxhalagube (X) (= Crassula argentea, C. portula

Family: Crassulaceae

This is probably the most commonly grown crassula in South Africa and well-known as a container plant all over the world, both indoors and outdoors....

16 / 05 / 2005 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Bauhinia tomentosa

Common names: Yellow Bauhinia (Eng) Geelbeesklou (Afr): IsiThibathibana (Zulu)

Family: Fabaceae

This medium to large shrub with its attractive, light green, two-lobed leaves produces beautiful, bright yellow flowers with black to maroon coloured centres...

16 / 05 / 2005 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Trichodesma physaloides

Common names: Chocolate Bells

Family: Boraginaceae

Drooping flowers with large, brownish purple calyces and white corollas characterise this plant which is conspicuous in early spring, especially where...

09 / 05 / 2005 | Elizabeth Retief | National Herbarium Pretoria

Pelargonium transvaalense

Common names: Transvaal perlagonium (Eng)

Family: Geraniaceae

This plant has grown in the Lowveld National Botanical Garden happily for many years in both sunny and shady positions....

09 / 05 / 2005 | T Mukoma | Lowveld NBG

Calpurnia aurea

Common names: common calpurnia, calpurnia, wild laburnum, Natal laburnum, Cape laburnum (E); geelkeurboom, geelkeur, Natalse geelkeur (A); inDloli, umSitshana (X);

Family: Fabaceae

With decorative foliage, showy yellow flowers and a graceful habit, Calpurnia aurea is an asset in any garden....

09 / 05 / 2005 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pyrrosia

Common names: felt ferns

Family: Polypodiaceae

Pyrrosia is a genus of mostly epiphytic and simple-leaved ferns....

02 / 05 / 2005 | Koos Roux | Compton Herbarium

Crassula rupestris

Common names: kebab bush, concertina plant (Eng.); sosatiebossie, sosaties, bergkraaltjies, konsertinabossie (Afr.)

Family: Crassulaceae

The beauty of this plant lies in its very attractive leaf shape and markings. In summer the leaf margins take on red and yellow hues....

02 / 05 / 2005 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG

Adenandra obtusata

Common names: Agulhas china flower

Family: Rutaceae

Showy, white flowers that shimmer in the sun brighten up this evergreen shrub and attract insects, butterflies and bees to your garden. Belonging to the...

02 / 05 / 2005 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Merxmuellera macowanii

Common names: molalashlolo, moseha (South Sotho)

Family: Poaceae

M. macowanii is a wiry grass, forming large, lax tussocks and flowering in summer. Grasses are the most important plant family in the world,...

25 / 04 / 2005 | Thabiso Mpongo | National Herbarium Pretoria

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