Plants of the Week

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

Capparis tomentosa

Common names: woolly caper bush (Eng.), wollerige kapperbos, wag-‘n-bietjie (Afr.), inkunzi-ebomvu, iqwaningi, umqoqolo, ukhokhwana, umabusane (isiZulu), imfishlo

Family: Capparaceae

Capparis tomentosa is a decorative garden plant that is used for hedging in many rural communities in South Africa. Its most popular common name, wag-‘n-bietjie...

10 / 10 / 2016 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria

Canthium spinosum

Common names: thorny turkey-berry, coastal turkey-berry, coastal canthium, thorny rock-alder (Eng.); doringklipels, doringbokdrol (Afr.); ubuchopho benja, isiphamba

Family: Rubiaceae

A shrub or small tree with spiny branches, pale grey bark and edible berries that are also popular with birds. It makes an excellent hedge, and the wood...

16 / 07 / 2018 | Cathbert Makgakga | National Herbarium Pretoria

Canthium inerme

Common names: turkey-berry; common turkey-berry; criss-cross turkey-berry; Cape date (Eng.); gewone bokdrol; doringels (Afr.); umvuthwamini (Xhosa, Zulu); umnyushul

Family: Rubiaceae

The ecological and cultural aspects of this tree, its lovely aesthetic qualities and its relatively widespread distribution in southern Africa, make this...

12 / 07 / 2004 | Jan-Hakon Burring | Kirstenbosch NBG

Canthium ciliatum

Common names: hairy turkey berry (Eng.); harige bokdrol (Afr.); mulume-khoda (Venda); umnyushulumbe, umdakane, ubuchopho (Xhosa, Zulu), mvutfwamini (Swati).

Family: Rubiaceae

Canthium ciliatum is a hardy shrub or small tree found on forest margins and rock outcrops in the eastern regions of South Africa, and in Swaziland and...

24 / 01 / 2011 | Beate Hölscher | National Herbarium Pretoria

Canthium armatum

Common names: armed turkey-berry, false turkey-berry (Eng.); valsbokdrol, basterbokdrol (Afr.); umphembedu, umvuthwamini, isikhwakwane-inkomazi (isiZulu); mufhaladz

Family: Rubiaceae

A shrub or small armed tree with fragrant white flowers in summer followed by edible fruits, yellow or reddish when ripe, with a shape that varies based...

06 / 03 / 2023 | Mulweli Maswoliedza | Compton Herbarium

Cannomois virgata

Common names: bell reed, rekoala (Eng.); bergbamboes, besemriet,olifantsriet, perdehoef, assegaai (Afr.)

Family: Restionaceae

Cannomois virgata is a fast-growing reed-like plant and is the only member of the genus to be found on the Cape Peninsula....

26 / 07 / 2004 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cannomois grandis

Common names: giant river-reed, large bell reed, grand Cape-reed, rekoala, pokers (Eng.); bergbamboes, besemriet, besemgoed, olifantsriet, perdehoef, assegaai (Afr.

Family: Restionaceae

...

17 / 10 / 2016 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cannabis sativa

Common names: marijuana (Eng.); dagga (Afr.); Umya (Xhosa); Matekwane/Patse (Northern Sotho); Nsangu (Zulu)

Family: Cannabaceae

Current legislation prohibits the cultivation, possession and trade in cannabis in South Africa. This page is being posted for information purposes only...

09 / 08 / 2004 | Cathbert Makgakga | National Herbarium Pretoria

Campanulaceae

Common names: bell flower, bluebell family (Eng.); klokkiesfamilie (Afr.)

Family: Campanulaceae

This is a cosmopolitan family with showy flowers, mainly from the northern hemisphere, but in the southern hemisphere South Africa is particularly rich...

27 / 09 / 2004 | C Cupido | Compton Herbarium

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

Calopsis paniculata

See Restio paniculatus....

| | Kirstenbosch NBG

Calodendrum capense

Common names: Cape chestnut, wild chestnut (Eng.); wildekastaiing, Kaapsekastaiing (Afr.); umbaba, umsitshana (Xhosa); umbhaba, umemezi omhlophe (Zulu), molalakgwed

Family: Rutaceae

Calodendrum capense, a beautiful tree from the Cape, the name says it all: kalos means beautiful, and dendron is Greek for tree, capense is...

17 / 12 / 2001 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Calobota cytisoides

Common names: bush ganna (Eng.), ganna, geelertjiebos, kristinabos (Afr.)

Family: Fabaceae

Calobota cytisoides is an attractive, yellow-flowered shrub which is widespread in the Western Cape Province of South Africa....

14 / 06 / 2010 | S Boatwright | Kirstenbosch NBG

Callilepis leptophylla

Common names: wild daisy (Eng.); bergbitterbossie (Afr.); imphila (siSwati)

Family: Asteraceae

An aromatic perennial herb with needle-like leaves and large flowers early in the season, and it mixes well with grasses. ...

28 / 10 / 2019 | T.T. Masupa | National Herbarium Pretoria

Callilepis laureola

Common names: Ox-eye Daisy (eng.); Wildemargriet (Afr.); mila (Sw); amafuthomhlaba, ihlamvu, impila (Z)

Family: Asteraceae

This is a spring flower of the grasslands with the unusual combination of dark disc, white rays and bright green foliage, making it an attractive garden...

24 / 03 / 2008 | Desiree Marimuthoo | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Calanthe sylvatica

Common names: forest-dwelling calanthe (Eng.)

Family: Orchidaceae

A robust, terrestrial orchid with large, pale lilac or purple blooms during summer....

10 / 04 / 2023 | Siphesihle Precious Sibiya | Kirstenbosch NBG

Caesalpinia rostrata

Common names: beakpod plumeflower/ beaked plumeflower (Eng.); tuitpeulpronkstert (Afr.)

Family: Fabaceae

This medium to large scrambling shrub with its beautiful leaf patterns produces pink flowers towards the end of the year. It is an interesting plant for...

08 / 04 / 2013 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Caesalpinia bracteata

Common names: Gariep plume-flower (Eng.); Gariep pronkstert (Afr.)

Family: Fabaceae

Caesalpinia bracteata represents a fairly recent discovery. It is a rare, thorny shrub with beautiful pink flowers, endemic to the dry desert of the lower...

30 / 01 / 2017 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cadaba aphylla

Common names: leafless cadaba, leafless wormbush, black storm, desert spray (Eng.); swartstorm, bobbejaanarm, bloustam, doubos, douwurmbos, gifhoutjie, rooistorm, s

Family: Brassicaceae

...

03 / 05 / 2004 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG

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