Plants of the Week

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E.g., 01/12/2024

Dianthus albens

Dianthus albens plants
Common names: wild pink
Family: Caryophyllaceae

Many people think of Dianthus or carnations as cut flowers from places in Europe and very little is known about our very own indigenous species. Although...

15 / 12 / 2008 | Gary Shanks | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Dialium schlechteri

Dialium schlechteri tree
Common names: sherbet tree, zulu podberry (Eng.); zoeloepeulbessie (Afr.); umThiba (Zulu); ensiba (Tsonga); enziva (Ronga)
Family: Fabaceae

This very attractive forest tree, with shiny leaves and mottled white bark, will appeal to every tree lover in South Africa....

09 / 01 / 2012 | Jean Meyer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Dewinteria petrophila

Dewinteria petrophila
Common names: Kaokoveld klipblom (Afr.)
Family: Pedaliaceae

Dewinteria petrophila is remarkable for its amazing reproduction on cliff faces. Apart from producing normal leaves, fruits and wind-dispersed seed,...

22 / 01 / 2007 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Desmodium setigerum

Common names: bristly tick-clover
Family: Fabaceae

See Grona setigera...

08 / 11 / 2023 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Desmodium repandum

Common names: orange tick-clover
Family: Fabaceae

See Hylodesmum repandum...

08 / 11 / 2023 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Dermatobotrys saundersii

Dermatobotrys saundersii
Common names: tree jockey
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Dermatobotrys saundersii is unusual in that it is an epiphytic shrublet, which grows in the forks of a variety of trees, and occasionally on the forest...

30 / 09 / 2002 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Delosperma zoutpansbergense

Delosperma zoutpansbergense in flower in habitat
Common names: Soutpansberg delosperma (Eng.), Soutpansberg-vygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Delosperma zoutpansbergense is only known from south-facing upper cliffs along the upper Soutpansberg near Louis Trichard (Machadu) in Limpopo Province....

13 / 03 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Delosperma zeederbergii

Delosperma zeederbergii in flower in its habitat
Common names: Spekboom River mesemb (Eng.); spekboomriviervygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Delosperma zeederbergii is only known from cliffs along the upper Spekboom River near Lydenburg (Mashishing) in Mpumalanga. A fast grower, it has soft...

06 / 02 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Delosperma waterbergense

Delosperma waterbergense in flower at Kirstenbosch
Common names: Waterberg delosperma (Eng.), waterbergvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Delosperma waterbergense is only known from cliffs along the upper Waterberg near Thabazimbi in the Limpopo Province. A fast grower, it has soft flaccid...

27 / 02 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Delosperma velutinum

Delosperma velutinum white flower EVJ
Common names: silky-leaved cliff-delosperma (Eng.); syblaarkransvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Delosperma velutinum grows widespread along riverine cliffs in KwaZulu-Natal. It is a cliff-hugger with a spreading habit and can be used as a pot plant...

24 / 10 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Delosperma tradescantioides

Delosperma tradescantioides
Common names: Kei-delosperma (Engl.); Keivygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

The Kei-delosperma is a cliff-hanger, mat-forming plant endemic to the Kei River and its tributaries, in the Eastern Cape. It has large, flat, hairy to...

12 / 01 / 2015 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Delosperma sutherlandii

Delosperma sutherlandii
Common names: Sutherland’s ice plant, fire sheepfig (Eng.); Sutherland-se-vygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Delosperma sutherlandii is a drought-tolerant perennial succulent with fleshy green foliage, and bright purple flowers in spring and summer. It is a ground...

14 / 10 / 2024 | Murendeni Kwinda | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Delosperma saxicola

Delosperma saxicola
Common names: Tsitsikamma cliff vygie, Tsitsikamma cliff mesemb (Eng.); Tsitsikamma vygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

A rare endemic of the coastal cliffs of the Tsitsikamma National Park. Its mat-forming habit makes it a great ground cover, especially for seafront, water-wise,...

30 / 09 / 2019 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Delosperma nubigenum

Delosperma nubigenum in flower at the Denver Botanic Gardens
Common names: cloud-born delosperma (Eng.), geel-kransvygie (Afr.); mabone, motabo (Sesotho)
Family: Aizoaceae

The cloud-born delosperma is a mat-forming leaf succulent which becomes pendent on cliffs. It is endemic to the Drakensberg and highlands of Lesotho where...

01 / 04 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Delosperma lydenbergense

Delosperma lydenburgense groundcover
Common names: Lydenburg vygie (Eng.); klipvygie, rotsvygie (Afr.)
Family: Mesembryanthemaceae

This flat-growing ground cover or small shrub with its purple flowers can take full sun and is an attractive plant for gardens in warmer climates....

23 / 11 / 2009 | K Bayloyi | Pretoria NBG
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Delosperma frutescens

Delosperma frutescens in flower
Common names: dwarf tree mesemb, shrubby delosperma (Eng.); dwerg-boomvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

The dwarf tree mesemb is a long-lived, slow-growing, ascending, much branched, tree-shaped mesemb with greyish, smooth stems, succulent greyish-green leaves...

18 / 03 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Delosperma abbottii

Delosperma abbottii
Common names: Pondoland cliff-delosperma (Eng.); Pondokransvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

A cliff-dwelling, mat-forming, mesemb with yellow to magenta flowers in summer, known only from sandstone cliffs in the Pondoland region, in the Eastern...

03 / 10 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Delosperma

Delosperma cooperi
Common names: Afrikaans names of species: D. carolinense, D. vogtsii : klipvygie, rotsvygie; D. floribundum : skaapvygie; D. herbeum : witbergvygie; D. macellum : r
Family: Aizoaceae

This predominantly summer rainfall genus has long been overlooked as a garden plant. Growth forms vary vastly and showy flowers are produced over long...

17 / 10 / 2005 | P Burgoyne | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Deinbollia oblongifolia

Deinbollia oblongifolia
Common names: dune soapberry (Eng.); duineseepbessie (Afr.); iqinisamasimu, igolo-lenkawu, iphengulula, umuthi-wezithutha, maqinisa, intisamasimu (Zul.); umasibele,
Family: Sapindaceae

Deinbollia oblongifolia is a shrub or small tree with masses of pale yellow fruits during the winter months; it is an excellent plant to feed garden wildlife,...

27 / 07 / 2009 | Alec Naidoo | Pretoria NBG
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Daubenya aurea

Daubenya aurea
Common names: none recorded.
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Although it is dormant during summer and autumn and has a very narrow distribution area, this extraordinary, beautiful member of the Hyacinth family is...

13 / 01 / 2014 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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