Plants of the Week

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E.g., 01/12/2024
E.g., 01/12/2024

Strumaria tenella subsp. orientalis

In flower
Common names: Free State snowflake ( Eng. ); tolbol (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

This interesting perennial bulb grows in the cracks and in the topsoil of dolerite rocks surrounded by Nama Karoo vegetation. The plant's most attractive...

10 / 03 / 2008 | Luambo David Rambuwani | Free State NBG
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Liparia splendens subsp. splendens

Liparia splendens subsp.splendens
Common names: mountain dahlia, orange nodding-head (Eng.), bergdahlia, geelkoppie, skaamblom (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Liparia splendens is a beautiful fynbos shrub with striking bright orange-yellow, nodding flowerheads in winter-summer, a rare find both in the wild...

17 / 03 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Sparaxis maculosa

In flower
Common names: Cape buttercup, sparaxis, wandflower (Eng.); botterblom, ferweel, ferweeltjie, fluweeltjie, geelkalkoentjie, geelkalossie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Known from only two localities, one recently discovered, this spectacularly large-flowered species is sadly frail in its magnificence, a shadow cast upon...

17 / 03 / 2008 | Caitlin Von Witt | CREW
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Callilepis laureola

Flower: Photo: von Fintel
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
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Strelitzia reginae subsp. mzimvubuensis

In flower in habitat
Common names: Mzimvubu craneflower
Family: Strelitziaceae

This is a subspecies of the well known Strelitzia reginae which is a garden favourite and a choice cut-flower worldwide....

24 / 03 / 2008 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Encephalartos lanatus

Encephalartos lanatus
Common names: Woolly cycad (Eng.)
Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos lanatus  is normally a medium-sized, single-stemmed plant about 1–1,5 m high. In the garden, it enjoys a position in full sun...

31 / 03 / 2008 | Phakamani Xaba | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Stenostelma umbelliferum

Flowerhead
Family: Apocynaceae

Stenostelma umbelluliferum was recently moved to the genus Stenostelma. Previously known as Schizoglossum umbelluliferum, it  was rediscovered in...

31 / 03 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Euphorbia mauritanica

Euphorbia mauritanica
Common names: yellow milk bush, golden spurge (Eng.); geelmelkbos, beesmelkbos, gifmelkbos, kaalmelkbos, kleinmelkbos (Afr.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

A tall succulent shrub with bright yellow flowers eminently suitable for a rock garden....

07 / 04 / 2008 | Allen Gcina Nene | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Tarchonanthus littoralis

Woolly seedheads
Common names: coastal camphor bush ( Eng. ); kuskanferbos (Afr.); isiduli selindle (Xhosa); igqeba-elimhlophe, isidulu-sehlathi (Zulu)
Family: Asteraceae

For a small evergreen tree that will thrive in windy, coastal conditions, through drought, and in nutrient-poor, sandy soil, look no further than Tarchonanthus...

07 / 04 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Gomphocarpus cancellatus

Flowerheads of G. cancellatus
Common names: wild cotton (Eng.); bergmelkbos, bergtontelbos, dermhout, gansiesbos, katoenbos, melkbos, regopmelkbos (Afr.)
Family: Apocynaceae

Gomphocarpus cancellatus, wild cotton, is an elegant bush, which in the sterile state resembles a protea bush. The flowers are accumulated in dense...

14 / 04 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Leucospermum glabrum

In flower
Common names: Outeniqua pincushion
Family: Proteaceae

Leucospermum glabrum, a prolific flowering pincushion, water-wise and hardy, will make a great addition to any garden....

14 / 04 / 2008 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Chasmanthe bicolor

Chasmanthe bicolor
Common names: red-and-green cobra lily, two-colour chasmanthe (Eng.), suurkanol, suurkanolpypie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Chasmanthe bicolor is a highly ornamental garden subject, which stands out from the other two species in this genus. It is one of three species in the...

21 / 04 / 2008 | Bernard Brown | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia

Young tree
Common names: kudu berry ( Eng. ); koedoebessie (Afr.); Mutondowa (Tshivenda)
Family: Phyllanthaceae

Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia is the only species in this genus. It occurs only on the African continent....

21 / 04 / 2008 | T Ratshibvumo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Erica caterviflora

In flower
Common names: honey tree erica (Eng.); heuningboomheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica caterviflora is a magnificent erica that was thought to have become extinct by the early 1990s, but the author rediscovered it in 2006 while...

28 / 04 / 2008 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ochna pretoriensis

Flowers: Image Beate \Ssachse
Common names: Magalies plane ( Eng. ); Magalies-rooihout (Afr.)
Family: Ochnaceae

Ochna pretoriensis is one of the magnificent evergreen shrubs in South Africa, especially in the warm northern regions of South Africa. It flowers...

28 / 04 / 2008 | A Mothapo | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Bryum argenteum

Bryum argenteum
Common names: silver moss, silvery threads moss
Family: Bryaceae

Bryum argenteum is one of the most cosmopolitan mosses found throughout South Africa. It is most easily recognized by its whitish or silvery green leaves....

05 / 05 / 2008 | Nonkululo Phephu | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Plectranthus oertendahlii

In flower
Common names: silverleaf spurflower, Swedish ivy, Oertendahl's spurflower, November lights ( Eng. ); silwerspoorsalie, bontblaarspoorsalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

Plectranthus oertendahlii is a lovely shade-loving groundcover and very striking potplant with silver variegated leaves that are beautiful throughout the...

05 / 05 / 2008 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Brachiaria serrata

Brachiaria serrata
Common names: red top grass, velvet signal (Eng.) ; rooisinjaalgras (Afr.)
Family: Poaceae

Brachiaria serrata is a perennial grass with bright green leaves and red or purplish-red spikelets covered in silky hairs....

12 / 05 / 2008 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Jensenobotrya lossowiana

Jensenobotrya lossowiana
Common names: druiwetrosvygie
Family: Aizoaceae

This perhaps the most peculiar of all the mesembs, found only in a small isolated area in the Namib desert; yet it is easy to propagate....

12 / 05 / 2008 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Erica regia subsp . regia

Erica regia: copyright Plantweb
Common names: Elim heath, bell heath, royal heath (Eng.); belletjieheide, elimsheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica regia is a very popular garden plant in South Africa and features in many of the older gardening books. It is quite easy to grow and has very...

19 / 05 / 2008 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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