Plants of the Week

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E.g., 14/12/2024
E.g., 14/12/2024

Searsia batophylla

Searsia batophylla
Common names: bramble currant (Eng.); braamtaaibos (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

The bramble currant is a shrub with conspicuously bicoloured (two-coloured), bramble-like leaves which make it easy to identify.This plant was previously...

08 / 07 / 2013 | J K Baloyi | Pretoria NBG
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Searsia crenata

Leaves and fruits
Common names: dune crow-berry; duinekraaibessie (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

If you live near the coast and need a plant that can serve as a windbreaker, is drought tolerant and able to bind soil effectively, then Searsia crenata is...

16 / 06 / 2014 | Benjamin Festus | Harold Porter NBG
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Searsia magalismontana subsp. magalismontana

S. magalismontana subsp. magalismontana bush Photo: Linette Ferreira
Common names: bergtaaibos (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Nowadays, when small gardens are the order of the day, this lovely little multistemmed shrub has been overlooked as a potential form plant for that special...

18 / 08 / 2008 | K Behr | Pretoria NBG
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Securidaca longepedunculata

Flowers
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
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Selago canescens

In flower
Common names: canescent selago, bitter bush ( Eng. ); blouaarbossie (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Selago canescens bursts into flower in early spring when most plants in the garden are still recovering after the cold winter. An added attraction is the...

13 / 08 / 2007 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Selaginella kraussiana

Selaginella kraussiana
Common names: Krauss' spike moss, forest selaginella, spreading spike moss (Eng.); woud aarmos (Afr.)
Family: Selaginellaceae

Selaginella is the only genus in the family Selaginellaceae. These plants belong to the lycopods, one of the groups previously referred to as fern allies....

20 / 05 / 2013 | Koos Roux | Compton Herbarium
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Senecio bryoniifolius

The Bryony-leaved flowering ivy
Common names: Bryony-leaved flowering ivy
Family: Asteraceae

The Bryony-leaved flowering ivy (Senecio bryoniifolius) is a succulent-leaved creeper from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal which shows promise as a...

03 / 05 / 2010 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senecio elegans

Senecio elegans, white or purple daisies
Common names: wild cineraria, veld cineraria, greater purple ragwort, purple senecio (Eng.); strandblommetjie (Afr.); izuba (isiXhosa)
Family: Asteraceae

During spring, this annual daisy flowers in abundance along the west and south coast of South Africa, making a beautiful display when flowering in mass,...

15 / 11 / 2022 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senecio exuberans

Inflorescence © Peter Wragg
Common names: none recorded
Family: Asteraceae

When Senecio exuberans was described in 1943 it was said to be 'one of the most characteristic features' of the grasslands around Pietermaritzburg...

03 / 09 / 2007 | Lize Agenbag | TSP
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Senecio glastifolius

Senecio glastifolius
Common names: large wild cineraria, holly-leaf senecio (Eng.); waterdissel (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

In late spring it is difficult to miss Senecio glastifolius at Kirstenbosch, for it fills many of the beds with splashes of mauve....

07 / 10 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senecio hederiformis

Senecio hederiformis flower and leaves
Common names: ivy-leaved senecio
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio hederiformis is a rare and still relatively poorly known species from the high-altitude grasslands of Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province, South Africa....

22 / 06 / 2009 | Lize Von Staden | TSP
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Senecio inornatus

Flowerheads
Common names: tall marsh senecio (Eng.); groot vlei-senecio (Afr.); Inkanga, Uhlabo (isiZulu); Lehlongoana-le-leholo (Southern Sotho).
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio inornatus is a tall robust plant that does not go unnoticed in any grassland or wetland. These solitary plants are often much taller than the...

21 / 04 / 2014 | Cynthia Mikateko Baloyi | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Senecio macrocephalus

Senecio macrocephalus
Common names: ngoakoane-ea-loti, sebea-mollo (South Sotho); ihlaba lenkomo (Xhosa); mountain senecio (Eng.)
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio macrocephalus is one of the first large pink-flowered senecios to flower in the grassveld in early spring and often shows up as large patches...

12 / 12 / 2011 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Senecio macroglossus

Senecio macroglossus
Common names: flowering Ivy, madeliefie-klimop, Cape Ivy, Natal Ivy,
Family: Asteraceae

At first glance, Senecio macroglossus looks like a kind of ivy, but on closer inspection, the bright yellow daisy flowers amongst the foliage make it clear...

04 / 03 / 2002 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senecio speciosissimus

Senecio speciosissimus flowers
Common names: none
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio speciosissimus boasts attractive flower heads of pink to mauve flowers from July to December, although it seems to flower more abundantly during...

03 / 11 / 2013 | Benjamin Festus | Harold Porter NBG
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Senecio tamoides

Flowers and leaves
Common names: canary creeper ( Eng. ); kanarieklimop (Afr.); uqobaqoba (Zulu)
Family: Asteraceae

...

04 / 04 / 2005 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Seriphium plumosum

Slangbos
Common names: silver stoebe (Eng.); slangbos, vaalbossie, Khoi-kooigoed (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This intricately branched, heath-like shrublet is well known to hikers who use the plant to make soft mattresses when sleeping outdoors. It might be better...

14 / 06 / 2004 | L Badenhorst | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Serruria florida

Serruria florida in flower
Common names: blushing bride, pride of Franschhoek (Eng.); skaamblom, trots van Franschhoek (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

The delicate beauty of Serruria florida justifies its recognition as the most beautiful of the genus....

12 / 11 / 2007 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Serruria furcellata

Serruria furcellata
Common names: Kraaifontein spiderhead (Eng.)
Family: Proteaceae

This critically endangered spiderhead is being squeezed from its home by urbanization near greater Cape Town....

06 / 10 / 2003 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Serruria aemula

Serruria aemula
Common names: strawberry spiderhead
Family: Proteaceae

Serruria aemula once occurred in huge stands on the Cape Flats near Cape Town from Milnerton to Rondebosch. Sadly this beautiful species has been reduced...

11 / 11 / 2002 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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