Plants of the Week

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E.g., 09/11/2024
E.g., 09/11/2024

Erica calcareophila

Erica calcareophila
Common names: limestone heath (Eng.)
Family: Ericaceae

With the limestone hills of Groot Hagelkraal being its only home, Erica calcareophila occurs on cliffs and rock ledges, showcasing its pure white, urn-shaped...

24 / 07 / 2023 | Yandisa Ndzeku | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Chloris gayana

Chloris gayana spikelet
Common names: Hunyani grass, Rhodes grass, Rhodesian blue grass (Eng.); bruinvingergras, rhodes-gras, rooiklossiegras (Afr.); nyankomo, umyaka (isiZulu)
Family: Poaceae

Rhodes grass is a very leafy grass which spreads by means of stolons. It is a fairly distinctive grass, not easily confused with other grasses....

17 / 07 / 2023 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Aulax pallasia

Aulax pallasia male plant
Common names: needle-leaf featherbush (Eng.); dunbeentjieebos, naaldbaarkanariebos, kersbos (Afr.).
Family: Proteaceae

A needle-leaved, long-lived, evergreen fynbos shrub with male and female flowers on separate plants that look quite different from each other. The male...

17 / 07 / 2023 | Yonela Dyakobe | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euphorbia pseudoglobosa

Euphorbia pseudoglobosa
Common names: false milkballs, false globosa, false globose spurge, false globose euphorbia (Eng.);
Family: Euphorbiaceae

This dwarf succulent has a nearly geophytic habit, with the stems and branches almost entirely subterranean. It flowers in autumn, when it is adorned  with...

10 / 07 / 2023 | Nokukhanya Nozipho Mhlongo | TSP
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Gethyllis afra

Gethyllis afra as a container subject
Common names: kukumakranka, many-leaved Cape crocus (Eng.); bramakranka, koekoemakranka (Afr.).
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Noted for its curious tuft of spirally twisted leaves, sweet-scented blooms and aromatic berries, this Western Cape bulb has for centuries been cherished...

10 / 07 / 2023 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Tylecodon wallichii subsp. wallichii

Tylecodon wallichii ssp. wallichii in flower. Photo Alexey Yakovlev
Common names: pegleg butterbush, quiver bush (Eng.); kokerbos, kandelaarbos, krimpsiektebos, krimpsiekkandelaar, nenta, bandjiesbos, tnjoemsganna, koni-ganna, karke
Family: Crassulaceae

A succulent shrub with thick, knobby branches and many nodding, pale greenish-yellow flowers on long stems in early summer. It is widely spread in dry,...

03 / 07 / 2023 | Zamasodi Mkhungo | Pretoria NBG
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Secale africanum

Secale africanum, African Rye
Common names: African rye, wild rye (Eng.); wilderog, Afrika-rog (Afr.)
Family: Poaceae

The African rye is a tufted, weakly perennial grass to about 1 m high, growing in seasonally moist meadows and river banks on the Roggeveld Plateau. It...

03 / 07 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Protea comptonii

Protea comptonii
Common names: Barberton mountain sugarbush, Barberton sugarbush, Saddleback sugarbush, Compton’s protea (Eng.); barbertonse bergsuikerbos, barberton-suikerbos, co
Family: Proteaceae

A very impressive standing tree with a rounded, open crown, rich green leaves, and a water-lily-like inflorescence when fully in bloom, made up of white...

26 / 06 / 2023 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senecio coronatus

Senecio coronatus
Common names: woolly grassland senecio (Eng.); sybossie (Afr.); lehlomanyane/lehlomane, moremoholo, motabo (Southern Sotho); ikhubalo lesikhova, indlebe yebokwe (is
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio coronatus is one of the most common spring-flowering grassland herbs and is often the first species to flower after a burn. It is easily recognized...

26 / 06 / 2023 | Katlego Molele | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Helichrysum pandurifolium

Helichrysum pandurifolium
Common names: fiddle everlasting; fiddle-leaved strawflower (Eng.); kooigoed (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Helichrysum pandurifolium is a woolly grey shrub with small clusters of gorgeous, yellow flowers surrounded by creamy white, papery bracts. It is an aromatic...

19 / 06 / 2023 | Mduduzi Nkwanyana | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Erica curtophylla

Erica curtophylla. Photo Jenny Potgieter
Common names: curved-leaf heath (Eng.); krulblaarheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica curtophylla produces small pink to dark pink, cup-shaped flowers, mostly in spring, from August to October....

19 / 06 / 2023 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Wurmbea elatior

Wurmbea elatior
Common names: pepper-and-salt flower (Eng.); sout-en-peper-blommetjie (Afr.); khahlana-ea-loti (seSotho)
Family: Colchicaceae

Wurmbea elatior is an attractive plant with striking white flowers marked with dark reddish purple and can be easily identified by its musky smell....

12 / 06 / 2023 | Sibahle Gumede | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Encephalartos hirsutus

Encephalartos hirsutus
Common names: Venda cycad (Eng.); Venda-broodboom (Afr.)
Family: Zamiaceae

The Venda cycad is an extremely rare and highly sought-after cycad, which is reportedly now extinct in the wild, as a result of illegal harvesting for...

12 / 06 / 2023 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Conophytum pageae

Conophytum pageae. Photo Nick Helme
Common names: lips plant, cone plant, button plant, dumplings, living pebbles (Eng.); knopies, toontjies (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

An evergreen member of the Aizoaceae family, Conophytum pageae is a unique succulent with lips that resemble those of a human. Considering how simple it...

05 / 06 / 2023 | Khotatso Baloyi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Syzygium legatii

Syzygium legatii in fruit. Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: mountain waterberry, mountain umdoni, white umdoni, water pear (Eng.); bergwaterbessie, waterpeer, waterbos (Afr.); mutawi (Tshivenda); umdoni-wamanzi
Family: Myrtaceae

...

05 / 06 / 2023 | Winfred Velephi Ngwenya | Lowveld NBG
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Didelta carnosa var. tomentosa

Didelta carnosa var. tomentosa growing in its dune habitat against the backdrop of the majestic Table Mountain
Common names: hairy salad bush (Eng.); harige seegousblom, harige kusslaaibos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A captivating grey-foliage shrublet that is covered in bright yellow flowers from late winter into spring. It grows on dunes and sandy coastal flats and...

29 / 05 / 2023 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Dicoma capensis

Dicoma capensis flowerheads. Photo Marinda Koekemoer
Common names: karmedik, fever bush (Eng.); karmedik, koorsbossie, melktoubos, melktou, bietou (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A small perennial plant with decumbent stems, thistle-like flowerheads and a pappus of two kinds, an outer ring of bristles and an inner one of broad white...

29 / 05 / 2023 | Thuli Makhoba | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Bulbine angustifolia

Bulbine angustifolia
Common names: narrow-leaved bulbine, slender bulbine, golden lily (Eng.); rooistamper, kopieva, katstert, koorsbossie (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbine angustifolia is a stunning plant with delicate, bright yellow flowers and slender leaves, that can add a touch of beauty to any garden or landscape....

22 / 05 / 2023 | Rofhiwa Ingrid Mudau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Indigofera circinnata

Indigofera circinnata
Common names: coiled-pod indigofera (Eng.); krulboontjie, steekboontjie (Afr.); mutahala (Tshivenda)
Family: Fabaceae

A spiny, rigid shrub with white and pink flowers and distinctive circular pods, that is used in traditional medicine in South Africa. The genus Indigofera...

22 / 05 / 2023 | Tambudzani Caroline Machaba | Thohoyandou NBG
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Bowiea gariepensis

Bowiea gariepensis in full flower, growing on a rocky scree
Common names: white-flowering bowiea, white bowiea, Gariep bowiea (Eng.); lopertjie (Afr.)
Family: Asparagaceae

Bowiea gariepensis is a summer-deciduous bulbous plant from the lower Orange River Valley in the Northern Cape and southern Namibia, growing singly or...

15 / 05 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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