Professional Documents
Culture Documents
wild flowers
of the Limpopo Province
by
Sylvie Kremer-Köhne
Pretoria
2021
S TRELITZIA
This series has replaced Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa and Annals of the Kirst-
enbosch Botanic Gardens which the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) inherited
from its predecessor organisations.
The plant genus Strelitzia occurs naturally in the eastern parts of southern Africa. It comprises three
arborescent species, known as wild bananas, and two acaulescent species, known as crane flowers or
bird-of-paradise flowers. The logo of SANBI is partly based on the striking inflorescence of Strelitzia
reginae, indigenous to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal that has become a garden favourite world-
wide. It symbolises the commitment of SANBI to champion the exploration, conservation, sustainable
use, appreciation and enjoyment of South Africa’s exceptionally rich biodiversity for all people.
Suggested citation
KREMER-KÖHNE, S. 2021. Photographic guide to the wild flowers of the Limpopo Province.
Strelitzia 44. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria & South African Environ-
mental Observation Network, Pretoria.
ISBN: 978-1-928224-53-2
Obtainable from: SANBI Bookshop, Private Bag X101, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa
Tel.: +27 12 843 5000
E-mail: sanbibookshop@sanbi.org.za
Website: www.sanbi.org
Printed by: Harry’s Printers Tshwane, 69 Pretorius Street, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.
Tel. no.: +27 12 3264514. Website: www.harrysprinters.com
Copyright © 2021 by South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright
owners.
The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of SANBI. The author and publisher have made their
best efforts to prepare this book, and make no representation or warranties of any kind with regard to the completeness
or accuracy of the contents herein. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent
of the artists concerned and no responsibility is accepted by the publisher or printer for any infringement of copyright or
otherwise arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that the credits accurately
comply with the information supplied by the author. Although great care has been taken regarding accuracy of the
information, SANBI, the author and the funders do not assume responsibility for any harm resulting from the medicinal
use of any plants described in this publication.
Sonnette Krynauw
1962–2010
and her passion for the flora of northeastern South Africa
CONTENTS
Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Geology and climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Vegetation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Family descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Species descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
White/cream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Yellow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Orange/red/pink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Blue/purple/mauve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Green. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
vi S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FOREWORD
South Africa is a well-known global biodiversity and, especially, floral hotspot. While the Cape flora
has been explored since the early 17th century, the flora of the northern part of the country was only
investigated from the 19th century onwards, and this part of South Africa remains comparatively
under-botanised. Historically, botanical information was confined to scientific literature, mostly una-
vailable to and impossible to understand by the general public. To make the rich and varied flora of
northeastern South Africa more accessible to laypersons, illustrated books on wild flowers covering,
inter alia, today’s Limpopo Province started appearing about 60 years ago, initially with beautiful
paintings and then with photographs. Wild flower books are not only tremendously useful for wild
flower enthusiasts in general, but also for students studying the flora and researchers trying to under-
stand changes in vegetation from the invasion of alien plants, changing fire regimes and global climate
change, to mention a few. This Photographic guide to the wild flowers of the Limpopo Province is
filling gaps left by previously published field guides, as it presents, for the first time, some species
which are Limpopo endemics, as well as some species with distribution ranges extending from Lim-
popo into northern neighbouring countries.
It was the Limpopo endemic species Aloe lettyae, including its pollination biology, that Sylvie Kremer-
Köhne studied for her Master of Science degree at Wits and she is currently a Visiting Research Fel-
low at Wits. She lived on Westfalia Estate on the Limpopo escarpment since the mid-1980s, before
moving to the village of Haenertsburg, adjacent to Limpopo’s most threatened ecosystem, the Wood-
bush Granite Grassland, some 15 years ago. She is concerned about the extent to which Limpopo’s
biodiversity is being depleted and has a passionate interest in documenting, researching and con-
serving the province’s flora. Over a period of ten years, she undertook numerous, often adventurous,
field trips to remote mountainous areas in the Limpopo Province to photograph wild flowers in their
habitat, with the aim of compiling this field guide to the area’s diverse flora. Her excellent photo-
graphs, the easy to understand text, and the distribution maps indicating where the plants occur in
the Limpopo Province should facilitate relatively fast identification of the different species. Interesting
additional information is given on medicinal and other uses of the plants where these are known. I
highly recommend this inspiring, meticulously prepared book to students, academics, environmental
decision-makers and wild flower enthusiasts.
Edward Witkowski
School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
August 2021
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The enjoyable project of documenting Limpopo’s wild flowers spanned a decade, and I wish to thank
all those who contributed in many different ways to producing this guide.
Assistance with plant identifications: Clare and Robert Archer, Kevin Balkwill, Dirk Bellstedt, Pieter
Bester, Stephen Boatwright, John and Sandie Burrows, Benny Bytebier, Neil Crouch, Gerrit Germishui
zen, René Glen, David Gwynne-Evans, Norbert Hahn, Andrew Hankey, Paul Herman, Anne Johanns-
meier, Marie Jordaan, Ronell Klopper, Marinda Koekemoer, Marianne le Roux, Natasha Lombard,
Mervyn Lötter, John Manning, Jean Meyer, Mashiane Mothogoane, Tandiwe Nkonki, Syd Ramdhani,
Tony Rebelo, Brian Schrire, Yashica Singh, Gideon Smith, Shirley Smithies, Herbert Stärker, Hester
Steyn, Barbara Turpin, Mienkie Welman, Bram van de Beek, Timo van der Niet, Pieter Winter.
Distribution maps were generated by Koos de Wet from datasets provided by SANBI from the Botan-
ical Database of southern Africa (BODATSA), the Lydenburg Herbarium (Mpumalanga Tourism and
Parks Agency), the Buffelskloof Herbarium (Buffelskloof Private Nature Reserve), Herbarium Sout-
pansbergensis, Stefan Siebert (for Sekhukhuneland) and the author.
Photographs: Melissa Andriessen, Glenda Cooper, Graham Grieve, Stefan Siebert, Martin Smit, Mike
Strever, Pieter Winter.
Traditional uses of plants and their common names: Piet Makwela, the late Rahaba Makwela, Rebek-
ka Seabi, Dorophina Thema.
Assistance with the layout and constructive criticism of earlier text drafts: John and Sandie Burrows,
Elizma Fouché, Kate Grieve, Barbara Turpin. Special thanks are due to an anonymous reviewer for
suggesting improvements to the manuscript.
Varied inputs including, amongst others, field trips and the loan of valuable books: Patricia Barag-
wanath, Bronwyn and Lorraine Egan, Anne-Lise Fourie, Kevin Gill, Lesley Henderson, Stefan Köhne,
Sonnette Krynauw, Dione Kufner-McComb, John Lategan, Sandy Lennox, Toban McMahon, Errol
Nienaber, Joan Provis, Dave Thompson, Nipper and Sylvia Thompson, Elaine and Kemen Tribe, James
Turner, Anita and Josef Unterpertinger, Sally van Aardt, Lize and Rudi von Staden, Pieter Winter.
Editing, proofreading and layout: Elizma Fouché, Alicia Grobler, Nicole Meyer, Sandra Turck.
SAEON is an emerging facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF), established in 2002 to
drive critical environmental change research. Funded primarily by the Department of Science and
Innovation (DSI), SAEON leads and facilitates research in a wide range of environmental fields, from
organismal ecology to earth system science, to create knowledge that is critical for detecting, under-
standing, predicting, and responding to, environmental change.
As one of the NRF National Research Infrastructure Platforms responsible for environmental change
research, SAEON maintains a network of platforms in both terrestrial and marine environments in
South Africa. These platforms constitute: long-term research sites, where repeated observations,
experimental treatments and related data are permanently maintained; laboratories, in situ instru-
ments, infrastructure and other equipment needed for conducting environmental research; datasets
and models relating to environmental change; scientific and technical support for government depart-
ments and agencies, universities and other research institutions, researchers, postgraduate students,
schools, industry partners and NGOs; and data portals for public access to environmental data and
decision-support systems.
www.saeon.ac.za
SAEON’S VISION
World-class environmental research platforms for a sustainable society.
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 1
INTRODUCTION
Scope
This easy-to-use photographic field guide presents wild flowers occurring in the southern African sum-
mer rainfall area, with a focus on the Limpopo Province. The guide contains a total of 90 families,
343 genera and 770 species. Most of the species documented here are herbs and shrubs; some trees,
aquatic herbs and introduced species are also included. The selection covers both frequently seen and
less common plant species. Technical botanical terms are kept to a minimum and a glossary explains
those that have been used.
Background
Some 200 years after the earliest plant explorations in the Western and Eastern Cape, first records
were collected in the northern part of the country. Plant collectors in the region covered by this book,
and after whom plants featuring in this guide have been named, include Polish botanist and geologist
Anton Rehmann (1840–1917), English nurseryman and collector William Nelson (1852–1922),
Swiss missionary and botanical explorer Henri A. Junod (1863–1934), German botanist Friedrich
R.R. Schlechter (1872–1925) and South African botanist Albert O.D. Mogg (1886–1980).
Documenting the flora in the Province of the Tranvaal, of which today’s Limpopo Province was part of
until 1994, began with botanist Joseph Burtt Davy (1870–1940) who compiled a first checklist and
later published A manual of the flowering plants and ferns of the Transvaal with Swaziland, South
Africa in 1926 (Part I) and 1932 (Part II). These small books with small print on thin paper were
designed to be taken into the field and their use required a fair knowledge of systematic botany. Con-
currently, plant pathologist and botanist Illtyd B. Pole Evans (1879–1968), who joined Burtt Davy in
the Transvaal Department of Agriculture in 1905, collected plant specimens and photographed the
major types of vegetation throughout South Africa.
The Transvaal Threatened Plants Programme was initiated in 1976 and field surveys were done from
1980 to 1996. After a gap, the citizen science programme for surveying, monitoring and conservation
of plants, the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers, started in Limpopo in 2012. In addi-
tion, from the 1960s onwards, thorough botanical studies were undertaken to document the flora in
specific areas such as the northeastern Transvaal Escarpment, Sekhukhuneland and the Soutpansberg.
Illustrated books on wild flowers occurring in the northern part of South Africa have stimulated the
interest of the general public and botanists, and have contributed towards biodiversity conservation.
Renowned botanical artist Cythna L. Letty (1895–1985) published her book Wild flowers of the
Transvaal in 1962. This was followed by two books illustrated with paintings by Anita Fabian and
authored by Gerrit Germishuizen that appeared in 1982 and 1997, respectively. At about the same
time, in 1984 and 1996, Jo Onderstall was the first to publish photographic wild flower guides for
the Transvaal Lowveld and Escarpment, and Mpumalanga and Northern Province, respectively, to
reach the widest possible audience. To make ‘it unnecessary to collect specimens and deplete the
countryside of its beautiful natural heritage’ Germishuizen published a pocket guide illustrated with
Brenda Clarke’s paintings in 2003. Subsequently, two photographic guides appeared, one on the
orchids of northern South Africa by Douglas McMurtry and co-authors in 2008, and the other on
2 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
the wild flowers of the Limpopo Valley by Retha van der Walt in 2009. The production of each of
these books required extensive field work and hence contributed to documenting the flora in today’s
Limpopo Province.
As a result of the complex geology, relief and variable climate, soil patterns are very intricate. Soils
derived from weathered sandstone and quartzite are usually sandy, relatively acidic and nutrient-poor
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 3
Table 1. Topographic features in the Limpopo Province, their main rock types, highest elevation (m) and average annual rainfall
(mm)
Topographic feature Main rock types Highest elevation (m) Rainfall (mm)
2 Blouberg 2 051
while e.g. dolomite-derived soils are usually deep and fairly rich in plant nutrients.
Climatically, the Limpopo Province is characterised by hot, wet (drier towards the west) summers. Av-
erage annual rainfall varies greatly, even within a mountain range. On the Wolkberg rainfall is highest
along the escarpment crests, while the Leolo Mountains fall within the rain shadow of the escarpment
and are, therefore, relatively dry compared with surrounding areas. On the Blouberg and Soutpans-
berg mountains the southern slopes receive more rain and are much wetter than the northern slopes.
4
3
5
6
Relief map of the Limpopo Province: 1, Soutpansberg; 2, Blouberg; 3, Waterberg; 4, Woodbush Plateau; 5, Wolkberg; 6,
Strydpoort Mountains; 7, Leolo Mountains.
4 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Winters are cool (frost infrequent) and dry. In the Blouberg, Soutpansberg and Wolkberg mountains,
as well as on the Woodbush Plateau, mist is common at high altitudes in both summer and winter.
Vegetation
Savanna vegetation occupies 96% of Limpopo Province’s area and consists of a grassy ground layer
and an upper layer of woody plants. The woody layer may be near the ground (shrubveld) or tall
(woodland) and intermediate stages are referred to as bushveld. Savanna vegetation is conserved in
the Kruger National Park and several smaller reserves.
Grasslands occupy only 3% of Limpopo Province’s area and are mostly situated on the Drakensberg
escarpment. At first glance the vegetation appears to be a nearly continuous cover of grasses. How-
ever, grasslands are among the most diverse vegetation types and herbs contribute largely to the total
plant biodiversity. Most grassland herbs are long-lived and have underground storage organs such as
swollen roots, potato-like tubers or bulbs from which flowering shoots are produced annually and die
back in the cold, dry season or in a fire. Limpopo’s most threatened ecosystem is the Woodbush Gran-
ite Grassland on the Woodbush Plateau to the north of the Wolkberg; its largest remnant is protected
in the Haenertsburg Nature Reserve. Other grassland types are conserved in the Wolkberg Nature
Reserve, the Bewaarkloof Nature Reserve and the Marakele National Park.
Forests, which are many-layered vegetation units dominated by trees, make a minute contribution
to Limpopo Province’s vegetation. Small patches of species-rich Northern Mistbelt Forest relevant to
this book occur primarily in east-facing fire refugia and moist sheltered kloofs at altitudes of 1 000–
1 600 m. On their upper boundary these forests border on grasslands, while they often border on
bushveld below.
In the 1990s, areas with high concentrations of plants having a natural distribution confined to a
particular geographical region, referred to as endemic and near-endemic (range stricted) species or
subspecies, were identified in the Limpopo Province. This gave rise to the recognition of three centres
of endemism, namely the Wolkberg, Sekhukhune and Soutpansberg centres of endemism.
The high altitude Wolkberg Centre on the northeastern Drakensberg escarpment extends into Mpu-
malanga and is characterised by high rainfall. The vegetation is predominantly montane grassland
with scattered pockets of Northern Mistbelt Forest and small isolated stands of Fynbos on some of the
highest peaks. Nearly all Wolkberg Centre endemics are grassland species.
The mountainous Sekhukhuneland Centre straddles the provincial boundary between Limpopo and
Mpumalanga and is characterised by parallel belts of rocky ridges and mountains. The vegetation is
unique bushveld with grassland on some mountain slopes; the vegetation differs between north- and
south-facing aspects of mountains.
The Soutpansberg Centre is situated on a relatively narrow, west–east mountain range in the northern
part of Limpopo Province; it includes the adjacent Blouberg in the west and runs into the northern
parts of the Kruger National Park in the east. The vegetation consists of different types of bushveld
and thicket, with pockets of Northern Mistbelt Forest; grasslands are found at higher altitudes, par-
ticularly on southern slopes.
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 5
Within a colour section, the species have been grouped according to family. Brief family descriptions
are included to provide the reader with an understanding of some of the distinctive characteristics
defining the respective family. The families used here are those of the South African National Plant
Checklist 2021, but the Anthericaceae (sometimes included in Agavaceae or Asparagaceae) and the
Eriospermaceae (sometimes included in Ruscaceae or Asparagaceae) have been retained, as they
appeared more appropriate for the genera presented here (Chlorophytum and Eriospermum respec-
tively). The families are arranged alphabetically, as are the species within each family. The species
names also follow the South African National Plant Checklist 2021, except for retaining the names of
two species each in the Asteraceae and Orchidaceae, which have recently been synonymised.
Species names
Up to date scientific names, consisting of a genus name (which is captalised, comparable to a sur-
name) and a species name (in lowercase letters, comparable to a given or first name), are provided and
are followed by the name(s) of the author(s) who formally described the species. If a species contains
lower taxonomic ranks, such as subspecies or varieties, and several of them occur in South Africa, the
species name is repeated for the ‘type’ (the plant specimen to which the scientific name is attached),
e.g. Moraea moggii subsp. moggii or Lobelia eurypoda var. eurypoda. If only the typical subspecies or
variety occurs in South Africa, this repetition is omitted, e.g. Crocosmia aurea subsp. aurea is reduced
to Crocosmia aurea. Infraspecific names are listed below the species name for those relevant and
occurring in the Limpopo Province. Where applicable, notes to distinguish between other infraspecific
taxa are mentioned under ‘General’.
From time to time, scientific studies result in the reclassification of a species with subsequent scientific
name changes. The old scientific name (synonym) is given in brackets preceded by an equal sign, e.g.
(= Chaetacanthus setiger), if a species’ name has changed since the respective species appeared in a
botanical book previously published for northeastern South Africa. This enables the user to cross-refer-
ence between books. The meanings of scientific names are explained and common names are provided
when available. Common names may be confusing as two or more species are sometimes known
under the same name, or a single species has more than one common name. Nevertheless, common
names should be recorded, especially in the case of largely spoken, not written, languages.
Species descriptions
These are succinct and contain information on the plant’s growth form, size at flowering, leaves, flowers,
fruit, geographical distribution, habitat, flowering time and, in some instances, traditional uses. Features
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 7
helpful for identifying the species are in italics. If more than one subspecies or variety occurs in the Lim-
popo Province, the distinguishing characteristics are outlined under ‘General’. The photograph completes
the description and helps with the identification. To cater for both botanists and non-specialist readers,
technical botanical terms are kept to a minimum, while effort has been made not to compromise on
the accuracy of the plant description. A glossary for some of the botanical terms used in this book are
provided on p. 291.
Geographical distribution
The species’ currently known provincial distributions in South Africa are indicated. Many plants oc-
curring in the eastern provinces have also been recorded in Eswatini and Lesotho as the distribution
of plants is affected by climate and geological formations, rather than by provincial or international
borders. Each map, compiled from six datasets, shows the currently known distribution of the species
(data were combined for subspecies or varieties where applicable) in the Limpopo Province.
FAMILY DESCRIPTIONS
ACANTHACEAE (acanthus family)
Perennial herbs, shrubs, some climbers and small trees. Leaves opposite, without stipules. Flow-
ers tubular, 4- or 5-lobed, 1- or 2-lipped, or ± divisible into mirror images in more than 1 vertical
plane; bisexual; inflorescence often with large leafy bracts, often coloured and sometimes spiny,
usually supporting individual flowers. Fruit an explosive, ± club-shaped capsule; seeds often with
water absorbent hairs.
papery scales. Flowers small to medium-sized, mostly showy, bisexual; inflorescence few-flowered.
Fruit a capsule; seeds usually ± angular, whitish. Previously part of the Portulacaceae.
bisexual; in showy clusters, usually branched, often flat-topped. Fruit usually dry, in clusters, often
enclosed by dry petals.
female flowers on the same plant; inflorescence a tall, erect spike, sometimes with male flowers
above and female below. Fruit small, fleshy, 1-seeded.
male and female flowers on separate plants; inflorescences many-flowered, in leaf axils or on leaf-
less twigs. Fruit slightly fleshy, 1-seeded; seed often curved, horseshoe-shaped.
base of stalk to form a tubular, often 2-lobed or fringed sheath (ocrea). Flowers small, 2–6-lobed,
bisexual or unisexual; inflorescences in leaf axils or terminal. Fruit small and dry or a nutlet, lens-
shaped or triangular.
lower one 3-lobed, often blue, mauve or white, bisexual, stamens 4, 2 longer than the others;
solitary or in variously structured inflorescences. Fruit usually a capsule, many-seeded.
SPECIES DESCRIPTIONS
White/cream
22 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ACANTHACEAE
ACANTHACEAE
ACANTHACEAE
ACANTHACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 23
ACANTHACEAE
(= Chaetacanthus setiger)
dys: poorly, khoristos: separated – refers to the weakly bilobed stigma; se-
tigera: bristle-bearing.
ACANTHACEAE
ACANTHACEAE
Justicia betonica L.
ACANTHACEAE
24 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ACANTHACEAE
ACANTHACEAE
AIZOACEAE
khadi: drink made from the roots of this plant; borealis: of the north.
ACANTHACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 25
AIZOACEAE
ALLIACEAE
(= Prototulbaghia siebertii)
Tulbaghia: named after Ryk Tulbagh (1699–1771), Dutch Governor of the
Cape; siebertii: named after Stefan J. Siebert (b. 1974), South African
botanist.
Small, deciduous herb, up to 150 mm tall. In dense stands. Rhizome short,
vertical. Leaves erect to spreading, almost cylindrical, long, very narrow, with
hooked tips. Flowers bell-shaped, on long stalks, facing upwards, ± 6 mm long,
lobes white fading to pink, anthers bright yellow; lasting a single day; 2–4 in a
terminal cluster at the tip of a long stem. Gener-
al: cultivated by bulbous plant collectors. Ende-
mic to the Leolo Mountains, Sekhukhuneland.
LIM.
Seepage areas in grassland.
M. Smit
Summer.
AMARANTHACEAE
AIZOACEAE
26 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
AMARANTHACEAE
AMARANTHACEAE
AMARYLLIDACEAE
apod: without a foot, lirion: white lily; buchananii: named after John Bu-
chanan (1821–1903), clergyman and plant collector.
Natal crocus (E); phela ennyane (S)
Perennial, bulbous herb, up to 60 mm tall. Leaves 1 or 2, grass-like, ap-
pearing after flowers. Flowers solitary, ± 25 mm in diameter, with stem-like
tube, white to pink, sweetly scented; opening in the late afternoon and clos-
ing by noon the following day. Fruit club-shaped, hidden within the sheaths
of the neck of the bulb. General: used in traditional medicine to treat coughs,
influenza, rashes.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring (after fire).
AMARANTHACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 27
AMARYLLIDACEAE
krinon: Greek name for lily; macowanii: named after Peter MacOwan
(1830–1909), British colonial botanist and professor in South Africa.
River lily (E); rivierlelie (A)
Robust, deciduous, perennial herb, up to 900 mm tall. Bulb large. Leaves
long, channelled, margins wavy. Flowers trumpet-shaped, tips of lobes curl
back, nodding, tube up to 100 mm long, white to pale pink with dark pink
stripes, anthers black, horseshoe-shaped; scented; in a 5–25-flowered ter-
minal inflorescence. Fruit roundish, knobbly. General: showy garden plant.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky mountain grassland, near rivers.
Spring–summer.
ANTHERICACEAE
ANTHERICACEAE
(= Anthericum cooperi)
cooperi: named after Thomas Cooper (1815–1913), English botanist and
plant explorer.
Cooper’s anthericum (E); lenthekhu, makakane (S)
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Rhizome horizontal,
woody. Leaves in 2 ranks, in a fan. Flowers ± 25 mm in diameter, lobes
spreading, white with a central greenish brown band; in a flattened cluster
near tip of unbranched stem; opening at daybreak and closing by midday.
General: used in traditional medicine to treat
kidney and bladder problems; as a tonic.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Summer.
AMARYLLIDACEAE
28 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ANTHERICACEAE
ANTHERICACEAE
(= Anthericum fasciculatum)
fasciculatum: clustered.
Koba molomo (S)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Rhizome horizontal, woody, knob-
bly. Leaves few, long and narrow, usually folded, outer leaves small. Flowers
with lobes ± 14 mm long, spreading, white with a greenish brown centre
line; flowers clustered in axils of bracts, in a spike-like inflorescence overtop-
ping the leaves. General: variable species, with
a wide distribution. Used as a charm to keep
someone quiet.
Widespread across SA.
Rocky grassland.
Spring–summer.
ANTHERICACEAE
ANTHERICACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 29
ANTHERICACEAE
ANTHERICACEAE
ANTHERICACEAE
(= Anthericum longistylum)
recurvus: bent backwards; folium: leaf.
Perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. Roots numerous, rhizome woody. Leaves long,
tapered in upper half, folded, curled back, many, in a basal rosette. Flowers
with lobes spreading, ± 15 mm long, white, with a central olive-green band;
anthers long (± 7 mm), stamens 4 erect, 2 reclining together with the style;
solitary in axils of small bracts; inflorescence lax, usually branched, overtop-
ping leaves, flowers opening consecutively. Fruit a capsule with a pointed tip.
Widespread across SA.
Bushveld, rocky slopes, sandy flats.
Spring–summer.
ANTHERICACEAE
30 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APIACEAE
APIACEAE
APIACEAE
setifera: bristle-bearing.
Kalmoes (A); lesoko (S)
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Leaves fringed with nu-
merous long bristles; basal leaves in a rosette, spreading, stalked, oval;
upper leaves many, stem-clasping. Flowers small; in few dense, terminal
13–15-flowered clusters, surrounded by greenish white bracts resembling
petals (smaller than those of A. peduncularis); inflorescence branched. Gen-
eral: easily overlooked in long grass.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer–autumn.
APIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 31
APIACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
APIACEAE
32 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APOCYNACEAE
aspidos: small shield, glossa: tongue – refers to the shape of the corona
lobes; albocoronatum: white-crowned.
Segwete (S)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Tuber underground; stem rarely
branched; all parts with milky sap. Leaves usually opposite, narrow, margins
rolled under. Flowers with dark olive-green lobes, rolled up, corona 5-lobed,
white, conspicuous; in a rounded terminal cluster, ± 30 mm in diameter.
Fruit spindle-shaped, with soft prickles. General: endemic to Sekhukhune-
land. Tubers given to children to chew to keep
them busy.
LIM and MP.
Rocky grassland, mountain slopes.
Summer.
APOCYNACEAE
keros: wax, pege: fountain – refers to the texture and form of the flowers;
ampliata: enlarged, increased.
Elephantine ceropegia (E); boesmanspypblom (A)
Twining perennial herb, stems up to 2 m long, succulent, apparently leaf-
less, rooting at nodes. Rootstock with a tuft of fleshy roots. Leaves minute,
drop off early. Flowers ± 60 mm long, straight or slightly curved, tube above
inflated base ± 12 mm wide, lobes narrowed to united tip, whitish, finely
striped pale greenish, lobes bright green, fragrant; 2–4 in clusters. General:
climber in bushes.
Widespread across SA.
Bushveld, dry hillsides.
Summer.
APOCYNACEAE
(= Brachystelma circinatum)
circinata: coiled inwards from tip – refers to flower lobes.
Bird-cage brachystelma (E); wilde-aartappel (A)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 200 mm tall. Tuber up to 100 mm in diameter;
stems 1–3, branching in upper part. Leaves flat or folded upwards, margins
± wavy, stalks short. Flowers with cylindrical beak in bud, up to 25 mm
long; lobes erect, narrow, divided nearly to base, tips united, cage-like, open
part becoming broader than base, white to ma-
roon; mostly in pairs at the nodes.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Spring.
APOCYNACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 33
APOCYNACEAE
G. Grieve
APOCYNACEAE
(= Brachystelma pachypodium)
pachys: thick, podion: foot – refers to the tuber.
Perennial herb, stems several, up to 200 mm long, ± erect or spreading. Tu-
ber relatively large, up to 130 mm in diameter, often exposed above ground.
Leaves broadly egg-shaped; stalks short, grooved above. Flowers ± 20 mm
long, with slender lobes insecurely united at tips, or sometimes free; cream
to greenish yellow; flowers 1 or 2, on both sides of leaf stalk. General: seems
to be restricted to quartzite rock formations of the Wolkberg.
LIM.
Shady kloofs of mountains.
Spring.
APOCYNACEAE
(= Sarcostemma viminale)
kynos: dog, anchein: to strangle or throttle; viminale: with long slender shoots.
Caustic vine (E); melktou (A); mutungu (V)
Trailing or twining shrub, stems up to 5 m long, greyish green, succu-
lent, becoming woody; sap milky. Often in dense masses on other plants.
Leaves reduced to scales. Flowers ± 10 mm in diameter, lobes slender;
sulphur-coloured or greenish white; corona white; fragrant; in clusters at
nodes and tips of stems. Fruit spindle-shaped, seeds with silky hairs. Gen-
eral: subsp. suberosum (Meve & Liede) Goyder
distinguished from subsp. viminale by its basal
part having a corky bark. Browsed by animals.
Widespread across SA.
Bushveld, rocky places.
Summer.
APOCYNACEAE
34 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APOCYNACEAE
gompho: club, carpus: fruit; physo: bladdery – refers to the inflated fruits.
Balloon cottonbush, hairy balls (E); balbossie (A)
Bushy, perennial herb, up to 1.6 m tall. All parts with milky sap. Leaves
opposite, narrow, tapering gradually towards the base. Flowers small, lobes
bent backwards, white; in nodding clusters. Fruit large, up to 70 mm in di-
ameter, roundish, inflated, covered in soft spines. General: a weed in places;
reportedly poisonous. Used traditionally to treat headache. For green fruit,
see p. 262.
Widespread across SA.
On wet soils, disturbed areas.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
(= Pachycarpus validus)
pachy: thick, carpus: fruit – refers to the thick-skinned fruit; asperifolius:
with rough leaves.
Giant milkweed (E); grootmelkbos (A)
Erect, robust, perennial herb, up to 900 mm tall. Stem unbranched. All parts
with milky sap. Leaves large, opposite, leathery, bristly hairy on both surfaces,
margins ± wavy, with fringe of hairs. Flowers ± 25 mm in diameter, nodding,
lobes bent backwards, margins rolled under, greenish white, often tinged with
purple, corona lobes ± blob-like; several togeth-
er at nodes. Fruit large, round, inflated.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky grassland.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 35
APOCYNACEAE
strophe: a twist, anthos: flower – refers to the flower lobes; speciosus: beau-
tiful.
Forest poison-rope (E); giftou (A); morarwane (S)
Woody climber, stems up to 20 m long, rope-like. Sap watery. Leaves nar-
rowly elliptic, veins sunken above, glossy dark green above, paler below,
3-whorled. Flowers showy, tubular, lobes slender, ± 30 mm long, twisted,
creamy or yellowish with red at base of lobes, scented; several in terminal
clusters. Fruit slender, paired; seeds with tufts of silky hairs. General: reput-
edly poisonous.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Mistbelt forest.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
xusma: fragment, lobos: lobe – refers to the corona divisions; a-: without,
cerato-: horned – refers to the two humps on inside of each petal.
Segadya (S)
Low-growing, perennial herb, stems up to 500 mm long. Branches re-
clining or lying on the ground; sap milky. Leaves opposite, long, lance- to
egg-shaped, wavy, roughly hairy on both sides. Flowers small, lobes erect,
cream-coloured; in ± 20-flowered, stalked clusters, ± 25 mm in diameter,
next to leaf axils or at branch tips. General: used traditionally to treat skin
cancer.
LIM and MP.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
36 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APOCYNACEAE
APONOGETONACEAE
Delicate, aquatic herb, up to 120 mm tall. Tuber round, covered with long,
fine roots. Leaves basal, stalks very long; blades narrow, floating on water
surface. Flowers small, white; in ± 5 mm long clusters. General: plant grows
fast under favourable conditions, tuber becoming dormant when pool dries
up.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Granite or sandstone rockpools.
Summer–autumn (depending on rainfall).
ARACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 37
ARACEAE
ASPARAGACEAE
ASPARAGACEAE
ARACEAE
38 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASPARAGACEAE
edulis: edible.
Wild asparagus (E)
Slender, perennial herb. Stems one to few, erect at first, lengthening and
scrambling with age; spines at base of stem, bent backwards; branches at
right angles to stem, young tips drooping in spring. ‘Leaves’ small, ± 5 mm
long, soft. Flowers star-like, small, ± 5 mm in diameter, white; 1–4 together.
Fruit a berry, round, red. General: browsed by game. Young shoots edible.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, scrub.
Spring–summer.
ASPARAGACEAE
ASPARAGACEAE
laricinus: larch-like.
Cluster-leaved asparagus (E); bergkatbos (A); lefalatsamaro (S)
Dense, erect, much-branched shrub, up to 2.5 m tall. Stems woody, whitish;
spines short, hard, on stems, branches and below ‘leaf’ clusters. ‘Leaves’
fine, rigid, cylindrical, in clusters. Flowers small, ± 2.5 mm long, white,
sweetly scented, pollen red/orange; on outside of ‘leaf’ clusters. Fruit a berry,
red. General: young shoots edible. Traditionally used to treat stomach and
menstrual pains; used as charm.
Widespread across SA.
Bushveld, grassland.
Summer.
ASPARAGACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 39
ASPARAGACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
ASTERACEAE
(= Aster comptonii)
afro-: from Africa, astron: star – refers to flower shape; comptonii: named
after Robert H. Compton (1886–1979), South African botanist.
Sekgalaka (S)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 700 mm tall. In clumps. Rootstock woody.
Leaves alternate, lance-shaped, margins toothed; rough to the touch. Flower
heads ± 25 mm in diameter, rays white, disc yellow; many flower heads in a
± flat-topped cluster. General: traditionally used to treat rashes and stomach
complaints.
LIM and MP.
Mountain grassland.
Spring–summer.
ASPARAGACEAE
40 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
(= Aster nubimontis)
nubes: cloud, mons: mountain – refers to the Wolkberg, Limpopo Province.
Very slender, perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Stem erect, only hairy in
lower part. Leaves usually on lower third of stem, egg- to lance-shaped, with
7 veins, roughly hairy, margins slightly toothed. Flower heads ± 25 mm in
diameter, rays white, disc yellow; 1 or 2 flower heads per stem. General:
endemic to the Woodbush Plateau and the Wolkberg; at altitudes above
1 600 m, a mistbelt species.
LIM.
Grassland, rock outcrops.
Spring.
ASTERACEAE
(= Aster harveyanus)
serrulatus: finely toothed – refers to the leaves.
Wild aster (E); bloublommetjie (A)
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 650 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems
sparsely branched; stems, leaves and bracts hairless. Leaves stalkless, al-
ternate, grey-green, lance-shaped, rough margins with minute teeth, 3–5
prominent parallel veins. Flower heads ± 25 mm in diameter, rays white
or mauve, disc yellow; solitary, on long stalks.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, often among rock outcrops.
Spring.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 41
ASTERACEAE
*Bidens pilosa L.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
42 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
dis: twice, morph: shape, theka: fruit – refers to two kinds of fruit in the
same fruiting head; caulescens: having a stem.
Marguerite (E); magriet, bietou (A)
Perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Stems short, tufted, leafy for ± two-
thirds their length. Leaves basal, narrowly lance-shaped, distinct midrib.
Flower heads ± 30 mm in diameter, rays white above, purplish underneath,
disc yellow; solitary on long stems. General: toxic to stock.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky grassland.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
eu: well, morphe: form – alluding to the neatness of the leaves; davyi:
named after Joseph Burtt Davy (1870–1940), South African botanist.
Compact shrub, up to 600 mm tall. Stems erect, branching, nude below
becoming densely leafy. Leaves needle-like, ± 10 mm long, sharply point-
ed. Flower heads ± 20 mm in diameter, rays white, disc yellow; solitary at
branchlet tips. General: a mistbelt species on the Wolkberg and the northern
MP escarpment.
LIM and MP.
On mountains, among rocks.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 43
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
44 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 45
ASTERACEAE
helios: sun, chrysos: gold – refers to the glossy yellow bracts of some spe-
cies; caespititium: growing in clumps.
Speelwonderboom (A); bokgatha, mabjana, mmeetse (S)
Compact, low-growing, perennial herb, ± 10 mm tall. Mat-forming; profuse-
ly branched, densely leafy. Leaves small, needle-like, silvery woolly. Flow-
er heads numerous, very small, ± 2 mm in diameter, disc flowers yellow,
surrounded by white or pink bracts; stalkless; solitary or in small groups.
General: colonises open spaces. Used in traditional medicine to treat hyper-
tension, diarrhoea, diabetes, epilepsy; cleansing
treatment.
Widespread across SA.
Bare or sparsely grassed areas, often in
disturbed areas.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
46 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 47
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
48 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
lophos: a crest, chlaina: a cloak – refers to the shape of the bracts; disticha:
in 2 ranks – refers to the leaves.
White fluff-bush (E); sedumela (S)
Perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Leaves stalkless, continuing a little down
the stem, waxy, alternate; arranged in 2 opposite rows on the stem. Flower
heads small, comprising disc flowers only, creamy white; solitary or a few to-
gether, often partly hidden by leaf-like bracts. General: a distinctive species,
remarkable for the arrangement of its leaves.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Rocky grassland on mountains.
Autumn–spring.
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 49
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
(= Dicoma zeyheri)
Macledium: probably named after William S. Macleay (1792–1865), En-
glish natural historian; zeyheri: named after Carl L.P. Zeyher (1799–
1858), German botanist who collected in South Africa.
Doll’s protea (E); jakkalsbos (A)
Prickly, erect, perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody. Leaves
lance-shaped to oval, green above, white-felted below. Flower heads pro-
tea-like, ± 45 mm in diameter, white at first then brownish red, surrounded by
long bracts, sharply pointed, silvery tinged purple;
solitary or few in terminal inflorescences. Gener-
al: dried flowers remain on the plants in winter.
Widespread across northeastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
senex: old man – refers to whitish grey ring of hairs around the top of the
fruit; penta: five, aktis: rays.
Robust, erect, perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Rootstock woody; stems
several, grooved, unbranched, densely leafy. Leaves on short stalks, lance-
shaped, conspicuously veined, margins sharply toothed. Flower heads
± 14 mm in diameter; rays 5, white, spreading; many, in terminal, much-
branched, slightly rounded inflorescences. General: eaten by stock.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Grassland, shrubland.
Summer.
ASTERACEAE
50 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
Seriphium plumosum L.
(= Stoebe plumosa)
seriph: a stroke or line of a letter – refers to the pattern of wiry branches
forming straight ‘lines’ at right angles to the stem; plumosum: feathery.
Bankrupt bush (E); bankrotbos, slangbos (A)
Spreading, much-branched shrub, up to 1 m tall. Branches slender, wiry,
young parts covered with white-woolly hairs. Leaves small, needle-like,
grey-green. Flower heads minute, in clusters along top of branches, flowers
purple-tipped, inconspicuous. General: large, fluffy, white galls (see image)
usually present and mistaken for flower heads.
Often occurs in mismanaged grassland.
Widespread across SA.
Almost any habitat, overgrazed and disturbed
areas.
Autumn.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 51
BORAGINACEAE
kynos: dog, glossa: tongue – refers to the texture and shape of the leaves;
lanceolatum: lance-shaped.
Hound’s tongue (E); knoppiesklits (A)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. Slightly branched; stem and leaves
covered with stiff hairs. Leaves alternate, lance-shaped, variable in size,
stem leaves reaching the base of the inflorescence. Flowers very small,
5-lobed, white or pale blue; in a loosely branched, terminal inflorescence
which lengthens considerably in fruit. Fruit comprised of 4 nutlets, with
small hooked spines.
Widespread across SA.
Stream banks, vleis, grassland, disturbed
places.
Summer.
BORAGINACEAE
trichos: hair, desmos: bond – refers to hairs uniting the stamens; physaloi-
des: resembles the genus Physalis, the Cape gooseberry.
Chocolate bells (E); sjokoladeklokkies (A)
Bushy, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems erect,
purplish brown. Leaves lance-shaped, stalkless, grey-green; opposite; devel-
oping during flowering. Flowers bell-shaped, ± 20 mm in diameter, nod-
ding, white, with the margins fading to brown; calyx dark pink to brown,
enlarging around the fruit; in branched, terminal inflorescences.
GP, KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland, bushveld.
Spring (abundant after fire).
BRASSICACEAE
nasus: nose, tortus: twisted – refers to acrid smell causing the nose to wrin-
kle; officinalis: medicinal.
Watercress (E); bronkors (A); manokeng (S)
Perennial, aquatic herb, stems up to 1 m long. Mat-forming; erect, creeping
or floating. Leaves bright green, with 3–11 leaflets, terminal leaflet often
larger than side leaflets, margins entire. Flowers small, 5 mm long, 4-lobed,
white; in terminal, elongated inflorescences. General: introduced from Eu-
rope, used in salads. Traditionally used to treat cataracts.
Widespread across SA.
Invades riverbanks and wetlands.
Spring–summer.
BORAGINACEAE
52 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CAMPANULACEAE
kratero-: strong, capsa: box – refers to the hard fruits; tarsodes: mat-form-
ing.
Carpet bell flower (E)
Mat-forming, perennial herb. Tap root thick; stems short, ending in rosettes of
leaves. Leaves lance-shaped, stiff. Flowers stalkless, bell-shaped, ± 15 mm
in diameter, 5-lobed, white or pale blue; solitary, in axils of terminal leaves,
opening one at a time. Fruit a capsule. General: used in traditional medicine
to treat tonsillitis.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky grassland.
Summer.
CAMPANULACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 53
CAMPANULACEAE
CAPPARACEAE
CAPRIFOLIACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
54 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
dios: divine, anthos: flower; mooiensis: from Mooi River, North West Prov-
ince.
Frilly carnation (E); wilde-angelier (A)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems strag-
gling. Leaves bluish green, narrow, tapering to a point; in basal rosette,
stem leaves in pairs, each pair joined at the base into a short sheath, widely
spaced. Flowers ± 20 mm in diameter, lobes deeply fringed, white to pale
pink; calyx tube ± 20 mm long, with several bracts at the base; solitary, at
tip of slender stem.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, rocky slopes.
Summer.
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
CELASTRACEAE
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 55
COLCHICACEAE
(= Androcymbium striatum)
Colchicum: of Colchis, on the Black Sea; striatum: striped.
Pyjama flower (E); patrysblom (A)
Perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Stem short, up to 200 mm long. Leaves
long, narrow, channelled, sheathing the stem; in 2 opposite rows. Flow-
ers several, small, greenish; anthers conspicuous, yellow; hidden by broad
bracts, white with green veins, the whole resembling one flower, ± 75 mm
in diameter. General: found at higher altitudes.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, in rock crevices.
Summer.
CONVOLVULACEAE
Convolvulus farinosus L.
CONVOLVULACEAE
COLCHICACEAE
56 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CONVOLVULACEAE
CONVOLVULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
CONVOLVULACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 57
CRASSULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
cymbiformis: boat-shaped.
Branched shrublet, up to 200 mm tall. Branches thick, lying on the ground
with tips ascending. Leaves fleshy, green often tinged red, broad base, tips
pointed, distinctly boat-shaped; ± 4-ranked. Flowers small, ± 4 mm long,
tubular, 5-lobed, lobes spreading to recurved later, white, stamens with
brown to black anthers; bracts relatively large; in terminal, flat-topped to
irregularly branched inflorescence. General: endemic to the Waterberg.
LIM.
Shallow soil on rocks.
Summer.
CRASSULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
58 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CRASSULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
Crassula perfoliata L.
CRASSULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 59
CRASSULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
vaginata: sheathed.
White stonecrop, yellow crassula (E)
Robust, erect, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rootstock tuberous.
Leaves lance-shaped, margins fringed with hairs; in a basal rosette, leaf
pairs spirally arranged along the stem, base of leaves fused, sheathing the
stem. Flowers small, ± 8 mm in diameter, tubular, creamy white to yellow,
stamens with yellow anthers, scented; in a flat-topped, much-branched in-
florescence, ± 100 mm in diameter.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer.
CUCURBITACEAE
coccinea: scarlet – refers to the red fruit; adoensis: derived from a place
name in Ethiopia.
Wild spinach (E); sipho (NS, V)
CRASSULACEAE
60 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CUCURBITACEAE
CUCURBITACEAE
CUCURBITACEAE
(= Pilogyne scabra)
Zehneria: named after Joseph Zehner, flourished 19th century, Austrian
botanical illustrator; scabra: rough, scabrid.
Dawidjies (A)
Trailing or climbing perennial herb; stems up to 3 m long, branched, short-
ly hairy; tendrils simple. Leaves variable, ± heart-shaped or lobed, margins
toothed. Flowers small, ± 4 mm in diameter, 5-lobed, white becoming yellow-
ish with age; male (3–60 in clusters) and female (solitary or in clusters of up to
10) on separate plants. Fruit oval, red, ± 10 mm
in diameter. General: leaves used as vegetable.
Widespread across SA.
Bushveld, scrub.
Summer.
CUCURBITACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 61
CYPERACEAE
CYPERACEAE
Kyllinga: named after Peder L. Kylling (c. 1640–1696), Danish botanist and
apothecary; alba: white.
White button sedge (E); witbiesie (A)
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 450 mm tall. Rhizome thick, short,
woody; roots aromatic, with citronella-like scent. Leaves grass-like, basal.
Flowers tiny, in narrow spikelets clustered in a terminal, round inflorescence,
± 10 mm in diameter, white; bracts few, unequal, long, leaf-like, below
inflorescence. General: often in moist places. From tropical Africa south to
the Cape.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, sandy soil.
Spring–summer.
DIPSACACEAE
CYPERACEAE
62 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
DIPSACACEAE
DIPSACACEAE
Scabiosa columbaria L.
EBENACEAE
DIPSACACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 63
ERICACEAE
ereike: to break – refers to brittle stems; classical Greek name for heath;
drakensbergensis: from the Drakensberg.
Drakensberg heath (E); Drakensbergheide (A)
Much-branched, erect shrub, up to 600 mm tall. Stems woody, twisted;
bark rough, flaking, dark grey; upper branches slender; new growth softly
hairy. Leaves needle-like, ± 4 mm long, erect, overlapping. Flowers small,
urn-shaped, ± 4 mm long, whitish, stamens ± included; style club-shaped,
usually protruding; in clusters. General: at altitudes of 1 200–2 000 m.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky mountain slopes.
Autumn–winter.
ERICACEAE
ERICACEAE
ERICACEAE
64 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ERIOCAULACEAE
ERIOSPERMACEAE
ERIOSPERMACEAE
porphyreus: purple.
Perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Tuber white inside. Leaf solitary, broad-
ly heart-shaped, lying flat, dark green, often purple underneath, appearing
immediately after flowers. Flowers ± 12 mm in diameter when fully open,
lobes cream with a greenish brown centre line, faint scent; up to 50 on the
upper third of the stem, elongating slightly as fruit ripens. Fruit releasing
seeds covered with white hairs. General: found in different habitats.
Widespread across SA.
Mainly in clayey soils or red sandy soil.
Spring–summer.
ERIOCAULACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 65
EUPHORBIACEAE
FABACEAE
erion: wool, sema: sign – refers to the shaggy calyx and fruit in many spe-
cies; buchananii: named after John Buchanan (1821–1903), clergyman
and plant collector.
Perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Rootstock woody; branches hairy. Leaves
with 3 leaflets, stipules ± 10 mm long, lance-shaped, leaf-opposed. Flowers
± 10 mm long, pale pink, lined with purple; in ± 50 mm long inflorescenc-
es, on stalks up to 200 mm long, in upper leaf axils Fruit a pod, ± egg-
shaped, flat, hairy. General: range extends into tropical Africa.
LIM.
Mountain grassland.
Summer.
FABACEAE
EUPHORBIACEAE
66 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
(= Acacia ataxacantha)
Senegalia: refers to a plant found in Senegal, West Africa; ataxacantha:
with scattered thorns.
Flame thorn (E); vlamdoring (A); mogaletlwa (S); muluwa (V)
Vigorously scrambling tree, up to 5 m tall. Thorns single, small, hooked,
scattered irregularly along branches. Leaves alternate, long, narrow, with
many pairs of small leaflets. Flowers yellowish white, fragrant; in elongat-
ed spikes towards tips of branches. Fruit a flat pod, reddish brown, con-
spicuous. General: often forming impenetrable
thickets.
GP, KZN, LIM and MP.
Stream banks, scrub, forest margins.
Spring–summer.
GENTIANACEAE
en-: in, inside, icos: twenty, stema: wreath, circle – refers to the flowers
arranged in circles in the leaf axils along the stem; axillare: growing in
an axil.
Makgonatšohle (S)
Erect perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Leaves stalkless, narrow, longer
than the distance between 2 nodes, 3-veined from the base (distinct below),
opposite. Flowers small, tube ± 5 mm long, 5 lobes spreading and pointed,
white, stalkless; clustered in leaf axils. Fruit a small capsule. General: used
in traditional medicine to cure many ailments.
KZN, LIM and MP.
In grass on sandy slopes, disturbed areas,
along rivers.
Spring–autumn.
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 67
GENTIANACEAE
(= Sebaea grandis)
exo-: out, outside, chainein: to gape; grandis: large – refers to the flowers.
Large-flowered sebaea, primrose gentian (E)
Annual herb, up to 300 mm tall. Stem 4-angled, erect, seldom branched.
Leaves stalkless, lance-shaped, opposite. Flowers large, ± 30 mm in diam-
eter, tube ± 20 mm long, stamens hidden within the tube, 5 lobes spreading
and pointed, white to creamy yellow, calyx lobes lance-shaped, winged to-
wards the base; usually solitary, terminal. Fruit
a small, round capsule.
Widespread across SA.
Open grassland, damp areas.
Summer.
GERANIACEAE
geranos: a crane – refers to fruit resembling crane’s head and beak; wakker-
stroomianum: from Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga Province.
White geranium (E)
Straggling, perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. Taproot thick, woody. Stems loose-
ly branched, hairy. Leaves 5-lobed, ± two-thirds to base, margins toothed.
Flowers ± 15 mm in diameter, lobes deeply notched, white, veined pink
or red. Fruit beaked. General: found at relatively high altitudes of 1 200–
2 500 m; in damp, sheltered places around rocks.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Mountainsides, forest margins, marshy places.
Spring–summer.
GERANIACEAE
GENTIANACEAE
68 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
GERANIACEAE
GERANIACEAE
GERANIACEAE
GERANIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 69
GERANIACEAE
graveolens: strong-smelling.
Rose-scented pelargonium (E); malva (A)
Much-branched shrub, up to 1.3 m tall. Leaves soft, hairy, on long stalks;
deeply divided, margins irregularly toothed; strongly rose-scented. Flowers
small, ± 15 mm wide, 5 lobes with rounded tops, white to pink, markings
on upper 2 lobes wine-red, feathery; in 3–5-flowered inflorescences. Gener-
al: cultivated for the production of geranium oil; easily grown from cuttings.
EC, LIM and MP.
Mountainsides, moist places, in half-shade.
Spring–summer.
GERANIACEAE
GERANIACEAE
GERANIACEAE
70 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
GESNERIACEAE
GESNERIACEAE
rimicola: crack-dweller.
Dwarf herb, up to 50 mm tall. In colonies. Leaf single, close to the ground,
often withered at the tip, hairy on both surfaces, veins sunken above. Flow-
ers tubular, ± 12 mm long; upper lip of 2 lobes, bent backwards, lower lip
3-lobed, white, calyx divided to the base into 5 narrow lobes; in 1–4 erect
inflorescences, each 2–9-flowered. Fruit a capsule, spirally twisted. General:
depends on mist and seepage for moisture; plants die after fruiting. Recorded
only from the Waterberg.
LIM.
Cliffs near summit of mountain.
Summer.
GESNERIACEAE
GESNERIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 71
HYACINTHACEAE
(= Albuca pachychlamys)
albus: white – refers to the colour of the flowers; setosa: bristly.
Fibrous slime lily (E); slymuintjie (A)
Perennial, bulbous herb, up to 400 mm tall. Solitary or in clumps. Bulb
large, scales ending in black bristles. Leaves long, narrow, contain slimy
substance; sometimes produced after flowers. Flowers erect, ± 20 mm long,
thick-textured lobes, white, with broad green to brownish central stripe on
back; inner 3 lobes converging, outer 3 spread-
ing; on long stalks; in erect, many-flowered in-
florescence.
Widespread across SA.
Open habitats, rocky slopes.
Spring.
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
(= Urginea calcarata)
drymis: acrid – refers to the sap which is considered poisonous or irritant in
many species of this genus; calcarata: spurred – refers to bracts.
Slender, bulbous perennial, up to 300 mm tall. Bulb round, scales fleshy,
white. Leaves thread-like, produced after flowers. Flowers small, ± 9 mm
in diameter, lobes spreading, white with a reddish brown stripe underneath;
bracts spurred at the base; in an erect, elongate, lax inflorescence with up to
20 flowers. Fruit a capsule, ± 5 mm long. General: delicate plant, scattered
on slopes.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland, rocky slopes.
Spring (after fire).
HYACINTHACEAE
72 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
HYACINTHACEAE
(= Urginea depressa)
depressa: flattened from above – refers to the inflorescence.
Bergslangkop, jeukui (A)
Small bulbous plant, up to 150 mm tall. Bulb round, scales fleshy. Leaves
produced after flowers, few, narrow. Flowers small, lobes spreading, white
inside, with brown or purplish stripe outside, bracts thin, translucent; open
in the afternoon; in a terminal, rounded inflorescence, ± 25 mm in diameter,
on a long erect stem. General: toxic to sheep
and cattle.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, among stones.
Spring (after fire).
HYACINTHACEAE
(= Urginea multisetosa)
multisetosa: with many bristles.
Slender, bulbous perennial, up to 400 mm tall. Bulb up to 70 mm long, with
tuft of bristles from old leaf bases. Leaves 2, long, narrow, produced after in-
florescence. Flowers ± 9 mm in diameter, lobes spreading, whitish, greenish
or brownish with a darker stripe underneath, bracts of lower flowers spurred
at base; in erect, lax, terminal inflorescence. General: each flower lasts only
up to a single day, visited by moths.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky grassland or bushveld.
Spring (after fire).
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 73
HYACINTHACEAE
Drimia sp.
(= Urginea epigea)
drymis: acrid, many species in this genus are poisonous or irritant.
Robust perennial, up to 1.5 m tall. In colonies. Bulb egg-shaped, large,
± 120 mm in diameter, with overlapping, fleshy scales, above the ground.
Leaves erect, ± 300 mm long, ± 20 mm wide, green, produced after flow-
ers. Flowers ± 10 mm in diameter, lobes white with central green stripe, on
long, wiry stalks; many in an erect, elongate inflorescence. General: once
known as Urginea epigea, this species still requires a name in the genus
Drimia.
LIM.
Bushveld.
Spring.
HYACINTHACEAE
Eucomis pallidiflora Baker
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
74 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
graminifolium: grass-leaved.
Bulbous herb, up to 300 mm tall. Bulb round, ± 20 mm in diameter with
loose, brown outer skins. Leaves few, up to 250 mm long, grass-like,
sheathing the stem, produced with flowers. Flowers ± 15 mm in diameter,
lobes spreading, white inside, with or without green stripe outside, a few
open at a time; in erect, many-flowered, dense inflorescence, lengthening
with age; stem straight or with a basal spiral twist. General: variable in habit
and colour.
Widespread across SA.
Damp, rocky grassland.
Summer.
HYACINTHACEAE
(= Scilla nervosa)
schizocarphus: split fruit – refers to the deeply 3-lobed fruits; nervosus:
veined, nerved – refers to the leaves.
White squill (E); sandlelie (A)
Bulbous herb, up to 400 mm tall. In clumps. Leaves stiff, erect, often twisted,
conspicuous veins on both surfaces. Flowers small, white to greenish yellow,
ovary blackish; stalks wiry; many in compact inflorescence at first, lengthen-
ing during fruit development. General: large (see image), summer- and small,
spring-flowering forms may be separate species.
Used to treat intrauterine sores; luck charm.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
HYACINTHACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 75
IRIDACEAE
dis: twice; etes: an associate – refers to its resemblance to both Iris and
Moraea; iridioides: resembling the genus Iris.
Painted lady, wild iris (E); klein wittulp, wilde-iris (A)
Perennial, evergreen herb, up to 600 mm tall. Often tufted. Rhizome thick,
creeping; stem wiry, irregularly branched. Leaves sword-shaped, in a loose,
basal fan. Flowers ± 60 mm in diameter, lobes spreading, white with yellow
nectar guides, style branches flattened, petal-like, flushed with violet, each
flower lasts a single morning; in clusters.
Widespread across SA.
Forest, bushveld, stream banks.
Spring–summer.
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
76 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 77
IRIDACEAE
Moraea: named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 for his wife Sara E. née Moraea;
marionae: named after Marion E. Blenkiron (1904–2002?), British-born
botanist and lecturer.
Slender, erect, cormous herb, up to 300 mm tall. Leaf solitary, narrow, pro-
duced after flowering. Flowers small, iris-like, outer lobes spreading horizon-
tally, ± 15 mm long, white to pale bluish, with nectar guides; inner lobes
shorter, erect, 3-fingered (short side lobes and a long slender central lobe),
yellow speckled brown; style branches flattened, petal-like; few, in terminal
cluster.
LIM and MP.
Open, low grassland.
Spring.
IRIDACEAE
LAMIACEAE
Aiolos: Greek god of the winds, allusion unclear, anthos: flower; buchneri-
anus: named after 18th century German naturalist Buchner.
Spur bush (E)
Perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Stems ± erect, hairy. Leaves fleshy,
± 30 mm long, stalked, egg-shaped, margins bluntly toothed. Flowers
± 5 mm long, tube narrowly cylindrical at base, widening upwards; 2-lipped,
upper lip 4-lobed, lower lip larger, boat-shaped; whitish, pale mauve to rosy
pink; bracts numerous, overlapping, hairy; in fairly dense inflorescences.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Shallow soil among rocks.
Summer–autumn.
IRIDACEAE
78 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
(= Becium obovatum)
Ocimum: classical Greek name for the genus; obovatum: inverted egg-
shaped, i.e. attached at the narrow end.
Cat’s whiskers (E); katsnor (A)
Perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems several, erect,
thinly hairy. Leaves variable in shape, margins entire or shallowly toothed.
Flowers ± 15 mm long, white to pale mauve; 2-lipped, upper lip frilly,
streaked with purple, lower lip cupped; stamens long, protruding by
± 20 mm; in whorls, crowded near stem tips.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Dense grassland.
Spring–summer (after fire).
LAMIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 79
LAMIACEAE
plektron: a spur, anthos: flower – refers to the flower spur; hadiensis: from
Hadiyah in the Yemen.
Hairy spurflower (E); harige spoorsalie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. Stems erect to lying on the ground with
upright ends. Leaves egg-shaped to rounded, semi-succulent, densely hairy
on both surfaces, margins shallowly toothed. Flowers ± 12 mm long; tube
bent about the middle, widening to the throat; 2-lipped, upper lip shorter
than lower boat-shaped lip; mauve or white; in whorls, on spike-like, termi-
nal inflorescences. General: 3 varieties differing
mainly in the type of hairs, inflorescence length
and branching.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Among rocks in bushveld or grassland.
Summer–autumn
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
80 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 81
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
(= Hemizygia albiflora)
syn-: united, kolos: stunted, stemon: stamen – refers to the joined lower
stamens; albiflorus: white-flowered.
Erica-leaved sage bush, white mountain hemizygia (E)
Shrublet, up to 1 m tall. Stems gnarled, woody, densely branched. Leaves
stalkless, small, narrow, leathery, margins rolled under, upper surface dark
glossy green, white-felted below. Flowers ± 15 mm long, tube narrow,
2-lipped, white, stamens protruding beyond lower lip; in whorls near ends
of branches. General: usually at altitudes of
1 800–2 400 m.
LIM and MP.
Crevices in quartzite rocks.
Summer–autumn
LAMIACEAE
82 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
(= Hemizygia rehmannii)
rehmannii: named after Anton Rehmann (1840–1917), Polish plant geog-
rapher who visited South Africa.
Wolkberg hemizygia (E)
Round, soft shrub, up to 800 mm tall. Rootstock woody, stems hairy. Leaves
stalkless, elliptic, greyish green above, grey below, margins finely toothed
in upper half. Flowers ± 17 mm long, tube widening towards the mouth;
stamens and style conspicuously protruding; pale mauve; in whorls of 4–6,
in simple or branched inflorescences. General:
restricted to the escarpment from Woodbush to
The Downs, at 1 500–2 000 m.
LIM.
Rocky grassland, often near forest margins.
Summer–autumn.
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 83
LENTIBULARIACEAE
utriculus: little bottle – refers to the insectivorous leaf-sacs; livida: the blue-
grey colour of lead.
Bladderwort (E); blaaskruid (A)
Slender herb, up to 150 mm tall. In colonies. Leaves not always present
at flowering, few, small, narrow; traps many, minute, bladder-like. Flowers
± 10 mm, resembling miniature snapdragons; upper lip very short; lower lip
round, ± same length as the spur; violet, mauve or white with a yellow spot
on the lower lip, calyx 2-lobed; 1–8 in erect inflorescence.
Widespread across SA.
Wet grassland, shallow wet soil over rocks.
Spring–winter.
LILIACEAE
Lilium: Greek and Latin name for lily; formosanum: from Formosa, old name
for Taiwan.
St Joseph’s or Formosa lily (E); trompetlelie (A)
Robust, erect, perennial herb, up to 2 m tall. Bulb; small bulbils forming
around old bulb. Leaves narrow, in whorls. Flowers showy, large, ± 180 mm
long, trumpet-shaped; white with reddish line outside, rarely pure white,
white inside, sweetly scented; 3–10 in terminal clusters. Fruit a capsule;
seeds many, flat, round, papery. General: ornamental plant introduced from
Taiwan.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Invades grasslands, roadsides.
Summer.
LINDERNIACEAE
Stemodiopsis kamundii K.Balkwill
(= Stemodiopsis rivae)
stemon: thread, stamen, di-: two, -opsis: appearance – refers to 2 pairs of
stamens of unequal length; kamundii: named after Dickson A.I. Kamun-
di (1961–2007), Malawian botanist.
Small perennial herb, stems much branched, erect to ascending or branches
lying on rock surface, 4-angled, up to 350 mm long. Short woody rootstock
in older plants; plant densely covered with short, stiff, whitish hairs. Leaves
egg-shaped, base tapering gradually towards stalk, margins toothed. Flowers
tubular, up to 7 mm long, 2-lipped, upper lip 1-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed, white
with pink to purple throat; solitary in leaf axils.
Fruit a capsule, shortly beaked, turned down-
wards, hairy.
LIM.
Rock crevices.
Spring–summer.
LENTIBULARIACEAE
84 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
LOBELIACEAE
kyphos: bent, a twiner; corylifolia: with leaves like the genus Corylus, a
hazel.
Climbing, perennial herb, stems up to 2 m long, 4-angled, minutely hairy.
Leaves widely spaced, alternate; stalked, broadly elliptic, pointed, base ta-
pering gradually, margins finely toothed; decreasing in size upwards. Flowers
small, unequally 5-lobed, 2-lipped, cream-coloured; in few-flowered clus-
ters, in axils of upper leaves. General: distribution poorly known; in the Lim-
popo Province, only recorded from Sekhukhuneland.
KZN and LIM.
Grassland, scrub.
Summer.
LOBELIACEAE
elata: tall.
Pipitwane ye kgolo, seltapišo (S)
Erect herb, up to 900 mm tall. Stem simple, leafy. Leaves erect, stalkless,
lance-shaped, clasping stem, margins finely toothed, leathery, veined be-
low; decreasing in size upwards, becoming bracts. Flowers small, ± 9 mm
long, 5-lobed, tips of lobes curving back; white to yellow; in dense terminal
inflorescence. General: largest species of this genus. Used traditionally to
strengthen babies.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, rocky slopes.
Summer–autumn.
LOBELIACEAE
LOBELIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 85
LOBELIACEAE
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
Hibiscus aethiopicus L.
LOBELIACEAE
86 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
MALVACEAE
Hibiscus trionum L.
trionum: flower of an hour – refers to the short opening period of the flower.
Bladderweed (E); lekgokgosha (S); delelemukhwayo (V)
Annual, erect herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves variable, entire to deeply
3–5-lobed, margins toothed. Flowers ± 35 mm in diameter; pale cream,
with a dark purple centre; close in afternoon; solitary, in leaf axils; calyx
conspicuously veined, becoming inflated, enclosing fruit. General: the illus-
trated ‘form’ may warrant future recognition as a distinct indigenous species,
not to be confused with the common alien ‘form’ of H. trionum. Used as a
vegetable.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, forest margins, disturbed places.
Summer–autumn.
MALVACEAE
Sida rhombifolia L.
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 87
MELASTOMATACEAE
MENISPERMACEAE
kissos: ivy, ampelos: vine – refers to rambling ivy, fruit resemble bunch of
grapes; torulosa: with small swellings.
Kidney-leaf (E); davidjies (A); mokolao (S)
Slender climber. Stems twining, branched distantly. Leaves broadly heart- or
kidney-shaped, on long stalks inserted at margin; paler underneath, veins
visible. Flowers tiny, whitish; male in small clusters, female in spikes up to
100 mm long; inflorescences in leaf axils. Fruit small, round, orange. Gener-
al: used in traditional medicine to stimulate appetite.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland, forest margins, riverbanks.
Summer–autumn.
MENISPERMACEAE
MELASTOMATACEAE
88 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
MOLLUGINACEAE
MOLLUGINACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
(= Habenaria bonatea)
Bonatea: named after Guiseppe A. Bonato (1753–1836), Italian botanist;
boltonii: named after Daniel Bolton (d. 1860), soldier and naturalist in
Grahamstown.
Erect, perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Roots tuberous. Leaves 5–13,
sheathing stem, green to greyish green, elliptic. Flowers green and white,
spider-like, upper hood; lip deeply 3-lobed, midlobe up to 22 mm long,
narrow, bent near middle; slender spur at base; 4–10 in terminal inflores-
cence, fairly densely flowered. General: grows
in full sun.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky grassland, bushveld.
Summer.
MOLLUGINACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 89
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
90 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ORCHIDACEAE
dis: double, pera: pouch – refers to spurs or pouches on the side lobes;
disa: the genus Disa, formis: resembling.
Granny bonnet (E)
Very slender herb, up to 150 mm tall. Leaves 2, egg-shaped, dark green with
silvery veins, clasping, on stem, alternate. Flowers whitish, tinged pinkish
lilac, middle lobe hooded, spur curving downwards, conical, up to 5 mm
long, tip green; side lobes spreading, spurs tiny, 1 mm long; inflorescence
1–4-flowered. General: in light shade. Mainly found in the Eastern Cape;
only known from 2 localities in LIM.
EC, KZN, LIM and WC.
In grass and scrub.
Winter–spring.
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 91
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
habena: strap or thong, aria: possessing – refers to the long spur; clavata:
club-shaped – refers to the stigmatic arms and/or the swollen spur tip.
Erect, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Leaves on stem, sheathing at
base, numerous. Flowers spider-like, 2 lower petal lobes curved upward like
long horns, spur up to 50 mm long, green to yellowish green with conspic-
uous white stigma arms, ± 10 mm long, protruding; in lax inflorescence,
± 200 × 80 mm; many flowers open at the same time; fragrant at night.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Well-drained grassland.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
92 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
(= Eulophia leontoglossa)
ortho-: upright, straight, cheilos: lip; leontoglossus: tongue like a lion.
Lion’s tongue orchid (E); leeutong (A)
ORCHIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 93
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
longicauda: long-tailed.
Blushing bride orchid (E); langsterttrewwa (A)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rootstock tuberous. Leaves 1 or 2,
on separate shoot next to flowering stem. Flowers variable in colour, white to
pink; sweetly scented; lip uppermost, hooded, with prominent, erect, hairy
flap; spurs 2, ± 30 mm long, partly hidden behind bracts; bracts bent down-
wards; inflorescence 15–60-flowered, lax, elongated. General: pollinated by
hawkmoths. For pink-flowered form see p. 208.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Open damp grassland.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
94 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ORCHIDACEAE
OROBANCHACEAE
kyknos: swan – probably refers to the slender, elongated flower tube; adon-
ense: from Addo in the Cape where Cycnium was first collected.
Handkerchief flower, ink plant (E); inkblom (A)
Low-growing, perennial herb, up to 200 mm tall. Rootstock woody; partial-
ly parasitic on roots of other plants; roughly hairy. Leaves elliptic, sharply
toothed, sometimes yellowish green. Flowers showy, large, trumpet-shaped,
5-lobed, ± 60 mm in diameter, white turning blue-black when bruised;
solitary or paired in leaf axils. General: conspicuous after fire.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
OROBANCHACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 95
OXALIDACEAE
oxys: acid, als: salt – refers to the oxalic acid content; obliquifolia: with
lopsided leaves.
Oblique-leaved sorrel (E); skuinsblaarsuring (A); motilantilane (S)
Small, bulbous herb, up to 150 mm tall. Rhizome vertical, bulb at the base,
small. Leaves many, stalked, with 3 leaflets; leaflets stalkless, rounded, the
middle one usually shallowly notched, slightly wider than the side ones.
Flowers ± 15 mm in diameter, funnel-shaped, furled at night; white or pink,
tube yellow; solitary, on long stalks. General: used medicinally.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, sandy soil.
Summer.
OXALIDACEAE
PASSIFLORACEAE
basanos: touchstone for gold, black rock – refers to black seeds; sander-
sonii: named after John Sanderson (1820–1881), Scottish horticulturist
and botanical collector in South Africa.
Miniature granadilla (E)
Perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems several, erect
or trailing. Leaves grey-green, short-stalked, lance-shaped, sharp-pointed,
margins remotely toothed. Flowers small, ± 10 mm in diameter, 5-lobed,
corona well developed, whitish, on long stalks; 1–3 in an inflorescence, in
leaf axils. Fruit resembling a miniature grana-
dilla.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Regularly burned grassland, open scrub, forest
margins, on sandy and rocky soil.
Spring–summer.
OXALIDACEAE
96 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
PEDALIACEAE
kerato: horned, theke: a case – refers to the horned fruit; triloba: 3-lobed.
African foxglove (E); wildevingerhoedjie (A)
Erect herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Simple or branched. Leaves variable in shape,
± 3-lobed, margins coarsely toothed, on long stalks. Flowers ± 50 mm long,
funnel-shaped, 5-lobed, finely hairy, lilac to cream, lowest lobe with purplish
stripes; hanging; only 1 or 2 open at a time, in lax inflorescences. Fruit
a capsule tipped with 2 horns. General: unpleasant smell when crushed.
Leaves used as a vegetable; used in traditional medicine for various ailments.
Widespread across SA.
Sandy soil, disturbed places
Summer–autumn.
POLYGALACEAE
POLYGALACEAE
poly: much, gala: milk – refers to the old belief that some European species
increase the milk yield of cows; albida: whitish.
Annual herb, up to 300 mm tall. Stems slender, branched. Leaves alternate,
stalked, narrowly elliptic, up to 70 mm long. Flowers small, shaped like
a pea-flower, with tufted crest on the lower lobe, stalks bent downwards;
white, greenish white or pale pink; in dense clusters, 20–70 mm long, in leaf
axils and at tips of branches. Fruit a capsule. General: widespread through-
out tropical Africa.
GP, KZN, LIM and MP.
Bushveld, grassland.
Summer–autumn.
PEDALIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 97
POLYGALACEAE
hottentotta: refers to the region of the Cape known as the land of the Khoik-
hoi.
Small purple broom (E); lehlokwa la tsela (S)
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems
sparsely branched, wiry, green. Leaves few, widely spaced, alternate, very
narrow. Flowers nodding, small, purple, pink or yellowish white, conspicu-
ously veined, lower lobe with a tuft of mauve hairs; many in terminal inflores-
cence, up to 200 mm long, only few flowers open at a time. General: used in
traditional medicine to treat constipation.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, bushveld.
Spring–autumn.
POLYGONACEAE
PROTEACEAE
POLYGALACEAE
98 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
PROTEACEAE
PROTEACEAE
RANUNCULACEAE
PROTEACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 99
RANUNCULACEAE
ROSACEAE
*Rubus originalis L.H.Bailey
ruber: red, the old Latin name for the plant – refers to the colour of the fruit
of some species; originalis: original.
American bramble (E); Amerikaanse braambos (A)
Thorny shrub, up to 2 m tall. Stems angular, furrowed, prickles ± 6 mm long.
Leaves with 5 leaflets, terminal leaflet with rounded or tapering base, abruptly
narrowing into a tip; hairless above, ± hairy below; margins coarsely toothed;
stipules narrow, ± 8 mm long. Flowers large, ± 30 mm in diameter, petals
white, calyx lobes green with white margin; styles green, shorter than stamens;
stalks ascending; inflorescences leafy, 5–9-flowered, in leaf axils. Fruit red,
turning black. General: introduced from Ameri-
ca. Likely hybridises with indigenous species.
KZN, LIM, MP and WC.
Invades grasslands, forest margins, river-
banks, roadsides.
Spring–summer.
ROSACEAE
Rubus sp.
Bramble (E); braam (A)
Scrambling shrub, up to 1.5 m tall. Stems hairy and with prickles (bent
backwards). Leaves with 5–7 leaflets, ± same colour above and below,
margins toothed, venation on lower surface prominent; midrib sparsely prick-
ly, side veins without prickles. Flowers ± 13 mm in diameter, pink, petals
shorter than calyx lobes; many in terminal inflorescences. Fruit red turning
purplish black. General: the genus requires a revision in South Africa.
Provincial distribution unknown.
Forest margins, scrub, disturbed places.
Throughout the year.
RANUNCULACEAE
100 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
RUBIACEAE
Kohautia: named after Francis Kohaut (d. 1822), Czech plant collector and
inventor; amatymbica: named after the AmaThembu people.
Tremble tops (E)
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stem
unbranched. Leaves few, very narrow, opposite, widely spaced. Flowers
± 12 mm in diameter, tubular; lobes 4, curled back, white to cream-colour-
ed above, brown-purple below; sweetly scented; opening in the afternoon; in
a loose cluster at tip of stem.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, rocky slopes and koppies, dis-
turbed areas.
Spring (after fire).
RUBIACEAE
RUBIACEAE
RUBIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 101
RUBIACEAE
otion: little ear, phoros: bearing; kuphos: bent – refers to shape of the cap-
sule.
Rounded, much-branched shrublet, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock and stems
woody. Leaves opposite or in whorls of 3, small, lance-shaped, glossy green.
Flowers ± 10 mm in diameter, tubular, lobes 5, narrow, curled back; white,
sometimes tinged pink in bud; stamens and styles protruding; many, in clus-
ters at tips of branches. General: range extends into Eswatini.
LIM and MP.
In cracks of rocks, rocky outcrops, rocky
grassland.
Spring–summer.
RUBIACEAE
RUBIACEAE
RUBIACEAE
102 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
RUBIACEAE
SANTALACEAE
(= T. deceptum)
thesium: from the Latin name for toadflax; goetzeanum: named after Walter
Goetze (1872–1899), German naturalist, explorer and collector in East
Africa.
Branched, perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Root parasite. Base woody,
stems leafy. Leaves small, narrowly lance-shaped. Flowers tubular, ± 4 mm
long, lobes 5, short, spreading, white; bracts leaf-like; in leafy clusters, at
tips of branches, vegetative shoots overtopping the highest inflorescences.
General: occurs throughout the eastern parts
of central and southern Africa at an altitude of
1 000–3 000 m.
Widespread across SA.
Rocky grassland.
Spring–summer.
SANTALACEAE
gracilis: slender.
Bushy shrublet, up to 350 mm tall. Root parasite. Stems woody, much-
branched; branches slender, densely leafy. Leaves very narrow, with a sharp
tip, erect, yellowish green. Flowers inconspicuous, tiny, ± 3 mm long, urn-
shaped, white, bracts leaf-like; in leafy clusters, at tips of side branches.
Fruit egg-shaped, ± 5 mm long, finely 10-ribbed. General: grows above an
altitude of 1 600 m.
GP, KZN, LIM and NW.
Rocky grassland, steep slopes.
Spring–summer.
RUBIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 103
SANTALACEAE
scirpus: a rush, -oides: like – resembles the genus Scirpus in the Cypera-
ceae family.
Erect herb, up to 300 mm tall. Root parasite. Stems from a woody rhizome,
few, upright, rush-like, grooved, branched. Leaves reduced to scales, incon-
spicuous. Flowers very small, ± 3 mm in diameter, erect, lobes with dense
woolly beard, white, bracts shorter than flowers; along upper part of branch-
es. General: the genus is under revision in South Africa.
FS, KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
SANTALACEAE
utile: useful.
Besembossie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Parasitic on roots of other plants. Base
woody; stems numerous, upright, branched. Leaves long, very narrow, erect,
alternate, widely spaced, greyish green, turning yellow-green later in the sea-
son. Flowers small, ± 5 mm in diameter, 5-lobed, spreading, white, bracts
shorter than flowers; on upper part of branches. Fruit nut-like, 10-ribbed.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Grassland, hillsides.
Spring.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SANTALACEAE
104 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
dura: hard.
Eastern shrubby slugwort (E); katstert (A)
Shrublet, up to 600 mm tall. Stems branching from the ground, upright,
woody, densely leafy. Leaves long, narrow, shape variable, spreading,
crowded. Flowers tubular, ± 10 mm long, with a 4-lobed limb, white with
orange in throat; many in dense, terminal spikes, bottom flowers opening first
while top ones still in bud, several on upper stems. General: long-flowering.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky and mountain ridge grassland.
Spring–autumn.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 105
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
Nemesia: ancient Greek name for a similar plant; zimbabwensis: from Zim-
babwe.
Leeubekkie (A)
Slender, annual or biennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Stems 4-angled,
branched from base. Leaves opposite, egg-shaped, margins toothed. Flowers
small, snapdragon-like, 2-lipped, upper lip ± 5 mm long, arched, 4-lobed,
lower lip nearly closing the throat, lobe notched, with a spur; white to pale
mauve with purple stripes; few in lax, terminal inflorescences. General:
known to occur in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
LIM.
Rocky terrain, mostly in mountains.
Summer.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
106 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 107
SOLANACEAE
TECOPHILAEACEAE
THYMELAEACEAE
SOLANACEAE
108 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
VALERIANACEAE
VELLOZIACEAE
xeros: dry, phytos: plant – refers to their tough habit; schlechteri: named af-
ter Friedrich R.R. Schlechter (1872–1925), German botanist and plant
collector in Africa.
Low-growing, fibrous, perennial herb, up to 150 mm tall. Mat-forming;
stems very short. Leaves narrow, tough, V-shaped, in basal tuft. Flowers
± 25 mm in diameter, white inside, tinged mauve outside; stamens 6, an-
thers conspicuous, yellow, ± 10 mm long; solitary on long stalks. General:
members of this family are adapted to dry conditions and specific substrates.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Grassland, rock crevices.
Summer–autumn.
VERBENACEAE
chascanon: mask with mouth wide open – refers to the flower shape; hed-
eraceum: resembling the genus Hedera, ivy.
White trumpets (E)
Semi-erect, perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody; roughly
hairy throughout. Leaves opposite, margins deeply toothed. Flowers with
a long tube, lobes 5, spreading, ± 10 mm in diameter, white; calyx tube
narrow, 5-ribbed, 5-toothed; in slender, lengthening inflorescence. General:
2 varieties in LIM, var. hederaceum is distinguished from var. natalense
(H.Pearson) Moldenke by different types of
hairs.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
VALERIANACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 109
VERBENACEAE
VIOLACEAE
VERBENACEAE
110 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Yellow
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 111
AMARYLLIDACEAE
kyrtos: curved, anthos: flower – refers to the frequently curved flower tube;
breviflorus: with short flowers.
Yellow fire lily, wild crocus (E); geelvuurlelie (A)
Perennial, bulbous herb, up to 300 mm tall. Leaves narrow, strap-shaped,
present or absent at flowering. Flowers ± 30 mm long, erect, funnel-shaped,
bright yellow; stamens protruding shortly beyond the throat; up to 10 flow-
ers in terminal inflorescence. General: one of the first plants to emerge after
fire. Range extends northwards to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and Kenya.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, marshes.
Spring (after fire).
M. Strever
AMARYLLIDACEAE
APIACEAE
(= Peucedanum caffrum)
afro-: from Africa, sciado-: a parasol – refers to the inflorescence; caffrum:
from Caffraria, an old name for the Eastern Cape.
Wild parsley (E); pietersielietabak (A)
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 800 mm tall. Leaves in basal cluster,
much divided into lobed segments, parsley-like, present at flowering. Flow-
ers small, yellow; umbels ± 15-flowered, ± 15 mm in diameter, on long thin
stalks, in terminal umbrella-shaped inflorescences; pungent smell. Fruit el-
liptic, 5-ribbed, winged. General: young leaves
used as spinach.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
AMARYLLIDACEAE
112 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APIACEAE
anison: anise, rhiza: root – refers to the flavour of the tuberous rootstock;
wilmsii: named after Friedrich Wilms (1848–1919), German apothe-
cary who collected plants in South Africa.
Slender, branched, perennial herb, up to 750 mm tall. Roots 1–3, new
root formed each year, tuberous. Leaves few, basal, finely divided, on long
stalks; mainly produced after fruiting. Flowers small, pale yellow; several in
umbels, ± 10 mm in diameter, on long stalks, in umbrella-like inflorescences
at the tips of branches. Fruit ± 5 mm long, without wings. General: genus
endemic to southern Africa.
LIM and MP.
Grassland, rock outcrops.
Spring.
APIACEAE
(= Sium repandum)
Berula: apparently a distortion of the genus Ferula; repanda: with a wavy
margin.
Water parsnip (E); tandpynwortel (A)
Robust, erect, perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Rhizome creeping; stems
ribbed, hollow. Leaves fern-like, with up to 12 pairs of stalkless leaflets,
margins finely toothed. Flowers small, yellowish to greenish white; 20–30
in each umbel, several umbels in terminal, umbrella-shaped inflorescence.
General: rhizome traditionally used as a remedy
for toothache.
Widespread across SA.
At stream sides, often standing in water.
Summer.
APIACEAE
bous: ox, pleura: rib – refers to ridges on the seed, or cattle swelling after
eating the leaves; mundii: named after Johannes L.L. Mund (1791–
1831), German pharmacist who collected plants in South Africa.
Slender, perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. Flowering stem much branched, base
woody. Leaves grass-like, crowded at base of stem, present at flowering.
Flowers tiny, yellow, bracts lance-shaped; in umbels ± 8 mm in diameter, in
lax, terminal inflorescences. Fruit ribbed, crowned with a disc. General: the
only species of this genus indigenous to southern Africa.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, rocky areas.
Summer.
APIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 113
APIACEAE
(= Peucedanum upingtoniae)
Lefebvrea: named after Charlemagne T. Lefebvre (1811–1860), French ex-
plorer and writer who travelled to Abyssinia; grantii: named after James
A. Grant (1827–1892), soldier who explored the region of the Nile.
Robust, erect, perennial herb, up to 2 m tall. Stem usually red or purple-spot-
ted near base. Leaves mostly on lower part of stem, with variously lobed
leaflets, stalked; decreasing in size upwards. Flowers very small, greenish
yellow; inflorescences terminal, umbrella-shaped. Fruit flattened. General:
plant takes several years to mature and flower,
after which it dies.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Forest margins, tall grassland.
Summer.
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
pente: five, rhinos: nose – refers to the 5 corona lobes with pointed horn-like
tip; insipidum: tasteless.
African heartvine (E); hondepisbossie (A); mphyamafi (L); lefotosane (S)
Perennial twining herb, stems up to 3 m long. Rootstock woody; plant sparsely
hairy throughout. Leaves pointing downward, heart-shaped, with a pointed
tip, on stalks. Flowers reddish brown, lobes ± 5 mm long, bent backwards,
corona yellow, fragrant; in stalked clusters at nodes. Fruit solitary, ± beaked,
knobbly. General: leaves cooked as a vegetable. Used in traditional medicine
to treat cardiovascular diseases.
Widespread across SA.
Mixed grassland.
Spring–summer.
APIACEAE
114 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APOCYNACEAE
Stapelia: named after Johannes B. van Stapel (d. 1636), Dutch physician;
gigantea: very large – refers to the flowers.
Giant carrion flower (E); reuse aasblom (A); hlohlwane hlo (S)
Succulent perennial herb, up to 250 mm tall. Stems many, forming dense
clumps, erect, 4-angled, angles flattened, edged with small teeth, leafless.
Flowers star-shaped, ± 300 mm in diameter, lobes with long, tapering tips,
yellowish with fine, wavy lines of reddish brown, sparsely hairy, corona dark
purple; foetid smell; in 1–5-flowered inflorescences near base of stems.
General: used traditionally for the treatment of
gonorrhoea.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Edges of bush clumps, more open grassland,
overgrazed areas.
Summer.
ARACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 115
ASPHODELACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
Bulbine latifolia (L.f.) Spreng.
ASTERACEAE
aniso-: unequal, pappus: a tuft of hairs or scales on the fruit; junodii: named
after Henri A. Junod (1863–1934), Swiss missionary and botanical ex-
plorer of South Africa.
Shrub, up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves alternate, lance-shaped, base lobed, margins
coarsely toothed; veins raised below; stalked. Flower heads ± 15 mm in
diameter, rays and disc yellow; in terminal, dense, ± flat-topped inflores-
cences. General: southern African endemic, distribution restricted to moun-
tain summits between Mariepskop and the Wolkberg. Dotting rocky slopes
in winter.
LIM and MP.
Mountainous areas, in scrub and rocky places.
Winter.
ASPHODELACEAE
116 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
(= Macowania tenuifolia)
Arrowsmithia: named after John Arrowsmith (1790–1873), English cartog-
rapher and map publisher; tenuifolium: with slender leaves.
Rounded shrub, up to 600 mm tall. Stems erect, woody, leafless with promi-
nent leaf scars below, densely leafy in upper part. Leaves long, very narrow,
margins rolled under, tip sharply pointed, midrib raised below, erect. Flower
heads ± 20 mm in diameter, stalkless, rays and disc yellow, surrounding
bracts straw-coloured; solitary, at tips of branches. General: the only species
of this genus known to occur in LIM.
GP, KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland, among rock outcrops.
Spring.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 117
ASTERACEAE
echinacea: prickly.
Robust, thistle-like, perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. In colonies. Rootstock
woody; stem erect, simple, branched above, winged, prickly, leafy to the top.
Leaves basal, large, egg-shaped, often absent; stem leaves elliptic, running
onto stem, forming toothed, bristly wings; upper surface and margins dense-
ly covered with straw-coloured bristles. Flower heads ± 50 mm in diameter,
rays and disc yellow, bracts spiny; solitary or a few in terminal groups. Gen-
eral: flowers visited by blister beetles.
FS, KZN, LIM and MP.
Poor stony grassland.
Summer.
ASTERACEAE
insignis: remarkable.
Perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. In clumps. Rootstock woody; stems sev-
eral, erect, downy. Leaves along the stems, stalkless, narrow, bristle-tipped,
margins rolled under with long bristles along entire edge; lower surface
white-felted. Flower heads large, ± 60 mm in diameter, rays and disc bright
golden yellow, bracts spiny; solitary, terminal. General: used in traditional
medicine as an analgesic. Very showy, especially after fire.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky grassy hillsides.
Spring.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
118 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
setifera: bristle-bearing.
Buffalo-tongue berkheya (E); rasperdisseldoring (A); tsebe ya tlou (S)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 1.2 m tall. In colonies. Rootstock woody. Leaves
few, mainly basal, lance-shaped, tapering to a stalk-like clasping base; upper
surface with straw-coloured bristles, lower surface hairy; margins entire to
shallowly lobed, spiny. Flower heads ± 60 mm in diameter, rays and disc
bright golden yellow, bracts spiny; several, in branched inflorescence, on
long leafless stem. General: used in traditional medicine to treat skin rashes.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Open grassland.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
bidens: 2-toothed – refers to the bristles on the fruit; kirkii: named after
John Kirk (1832–1922), Scottish explorer and botanist.
Erect, perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. Rhizome thick; stems several, irregu-
larly branched. Leaves mainly on the lower part of the plant; variable in the
degree of division, some deeply divided, leaf segments very narrow. Flower
heads ± 30 mm in diameter, rays (5–8) and disc yellow, on long stalks;
several, in branched, terminal inflorescence. General: also recorded in Mo-
zambique, Zimbabwe and Angola. Among tall grass and shrubs.
LIM and MP.
Mountain slopes, bushveld.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 119
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
120 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
eurys: large, ops: eye – refers to the showy flower heads; pedunculatus:
with a flower stalk.
Erect, much-branched shrub, up to 1 m tall. Stems nude below becoming
densely leafy towards the branch tips. Leaves deeply divided; lobes long,
narrow, needle-like. Flower heads ± 20 mm in diameter, rays and disc yel-
low, disc flowers in raised dome; solitary on wiry, up to 250 mm long stalks,
tinged red; several at tips of branches. General: early farmers used the resin
as a substitute for gum.
FS, KZN, LIM and MP.
Mountain grassland, rocky outcrops.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 121
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
122 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
haplo: single, karphos: small dry body – refers to the long scales at the tip
of the fruit; scaposa: with a leafless stalk.
False gerbera (E); bietou, tonteldoosbossie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody. Leaves in basal rosette,
broadly elliptic, somewhat rounded at tip, veins conspicuous; upper surface
green, lower surface white-felted. Flower head large, ± 45 mm in diameter,
rays pale yellow, disc yellow; solitary, on a leafless stalk. General: white felt
of leaves was used as tinder.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
helios: sun, chrysos: gold – refers to the glossy yellow bracts of some spe-
cies; acutus: with sharp point – refers to the sharply pointed bracts.
Sticky everlasting (E); taaisewejaartjie, tontelbossie (A)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems several,
velvety. Leaves silvery grey, woolly, 3-veined with a prominent midrib, el-
liptic, winged base clasping the stem; mainly basal. Flower heads tiny, disc
flowers yellow; surrounded by sharply pointed bracts; in terminal, densely
branched inflorescences, ± 65 mm in diameter; sweetly scented.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer (after fire).
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 123
ASTERACEAE
albilanatum: white-woolly.
Shrublet, up to 1 m tall. Stems many from the base, woody, brittle, long,
slender, densely leafy. Leaves lance-shaped, bases clasping stem, upper
surface woolly or with bristles, lower surface silvery grey-woolly; smaller up-
wards. Flower heads bell-shaped, ± 25 mm in diameter, disc flowers yellow;
surrounded by spreading, glossy, bright yellow bracts, sometimes pale brown
outside; several, in terminal inflorescences. General: in shallow stony soil.
LIM and MP.
Rocky mountain grassland, forest margins.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
aureum: golden.
Yellow everlasting (E); sewejaartjie (A)
Slender, perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody, producing 1
or several leaf rosettes; stems simple, erect, hairy. Leaves mostly in basal
rosette; stem leaves decreasing in size upwards, clasping stem; elliptic, hairy,
sometimes woolly on both surfaces. Flower heads ± 30 mm in diameter,
disc flowers yellow; surrounded by long, papery, glossy, golden yellow over-
lapping bracts, usually solitary, on long leafy stalk.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Open grassland.
Spring (after fire).
ASTERACEAE
cephaloideum: head-like.
Perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock woody; flowering stems sev-
eral, erect. Leaves both surfaces grey-woolly; basal leaves in rosette, lance-
shaped, often withered at flowering; stem leaves small, narrow, erect, over-
lapping. Flower heads small, disc flowers yellow; surrounded by bracts,
bright yellow or straw-coloured, outer often tipped golden brown; several in
terminal, compact, roundish clusters, ± 30 mm in diameter, often webbed
together at the base with dense, matted hairs.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer.
ASTERACEAE
124 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
chrysos: gold – refers to the flowers, argyr: silver – refers to the leaves.
Bushy, perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Stems many, laxly spreading,
leafy; old stems bare, woody below. Leaves silvery grey, long, very nar-
row, half-clasping stem. Flower heads broadly bell-shaped, small, ± 8 mm
across, disc flowers yellow; surrounded by bracts, glossy, inner yellow, outer
pale golden brown or straw-coloured; several in terminal, branched, dense
clusters. General: dotting autumnal grasslands.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Mountain grassland.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
e-: without, pappus: ring of hairs or scales around the top of the fruit.
Perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. In tangled clumps. Stems slender, erect,
thinly woolly, branched near base. Leaves lance-shaped, half-clasping stem,
smaller upwards, rigid, margins rolled under; upper surface cobwebby, low-
er greyish white-woolly. Flower heads small, bright yellow; surrounded by
bracts, inner yellow, outer tipped pale brown; many in compact, flat-topped
clusters, ± 15 mm in diameter. General: used to make a herbal tea.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Muddy stream sides, marshes.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 125
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
126 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
mutabilis: changeable.
Perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. Stems one or several, simple below, branch-
ing above into the inflorescence. Leaves lance-shaped, stem-clasping, both
surfaces hairy, decreasing in size upwards and distant below flower heads.
Flower heads ± 25 mm in diameter, slightly domed, disc flowers yellow;
surrounded by short, spreading bracts, inner bright yellow, outer light brown
on back; solitary at tips of branches in a spreading inflorescence. General:
similar to H. setosum which has close-set, relatively large leaves on inflores-
cence branches.
GP, LIM and MP.
Rocky sites in bushveld, grassland near forest
patches.
Autumn.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 127
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
pallidum: pale.
Perennial herb, up to 650 mm tall. Rootstock woody; flowering stem usu-
ally solitary, leafy in lower part. Leaves large, elliptic, gradually contract-
ed to long, stalk-like base, upper surface harshly hairy, lower thinly grey-
ish white-felted, 5–7-veined, net-veined and quilted. Flower heads small,
± 6 mm in diameter, pale yellow; surrounded by creamy to pale yellow
bracts; in compact, branched, flat-topped inflorescence, spreading with age.
General: often occurs in the same area as the closely related H. oxyphyllum
from which it subtly differs in leaf characters.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
128 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
setosum: bristly.
Yellow everlasting (E); sewejaartjie (A)
Shrublet, up to 600 mm tall. Stems branched from base, erect, woody, brit-
tle, densely leafy. Leaves lance-shaped, stem-clasping, both surfaces and
margins covered with bristles; margins and the midline above sometimes
white-woolly, relatively large near the flowers. Flower heads ± 25 mm in
diameter, disc flowers yellow; surrounded by glossy, yellow, spreading bracts,
often pale brown on back; resembling miniature sunflowers; solitary at tips of
leafy branches. General: similar to H. mutabile
which has inflorescence branches with leaves
reduced and distant below flower heads.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Mountain grassland.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 129
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
130 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
uninervium: one-nerved.
Shrublet, up to 1 m tall. Stems several, long, slender, base woody, densely
leafy, old parts often nude. Leaves elliptic, only midvein visible, both sur-
faces grey-felted with a yellowish tinge, on short stalk, decreasing in size
upwards; aromatic. Flower heads ± shaped like a spinning top, ± 3 mm in
diameter, yellow; surrounded by bracts, inner pale lemon-yellow, tips point-
ed, outer pale brown or reddish; many in branched terminal inflorescences.
General: a distinctive species; occurs on mountains.
GP, LIM and MP.
Rocky sites.
Winter.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 131
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
meta: backwards, lasios: hairy – refers to the leaves often having backward
pointed hairs; densa: dense.
Bristle-bush (E); steekbos (A); lengalane (S)
Shrub, up to 1.5 m tall. Stems branched, erect, leafy in upper part. Leaves
straight, spreading, narrow, sharp-tipped, white-woolly below, stalkless.
Flower heads very small, narrowly cylindrical, disc flowers only, yellow; sur-
rounded by bracts with pointed tips, inner white, outer brownish; many in
dense terminal, flat-topped inflorescences, ± 35 mm in diameter. General:
once used for signalling. In a variety of habitats.
Widespread across SA.
Sandy or stony flats and slopes, disturbed
places.
Throughout the year.
ASTERACEAE
nitor: strong smell; auriculata: with ear-like appendage – refers to the leaves.
Bogošola bjo bonyane (S)
Robust, perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. In colonies. Stems erect, ribbed,
thinly hairy. Leaves stalkless, base conspicuously eared, stem clasping, mar-
gins toothed, veins raised below. Flower heads small, ± 4 mm in diameter,
disc and very short rays yellow; in branched, rounded, terminal inflorescenc-
es. General: used traditionally for stomach complaints in children.
Widespread across SA.
Grassy slopes, marshy places, forest margins.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
132 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
(= Conyza pinnata)
pinnata: like a feather in appearance – refers to the leaves.
Perennial, aromatic herb, up to 750 mm tall. Stems erect, unbranched or
sparsely branched in upper part, ribbed. Leaves alternate, mostly along
stem, stalkless, elongated, deeply divided. Flower heads ± 10 mm in diam-
eter, pale yellow; several in clusters on upper stem. Fruit small, silky-hairy,
dispersed by wind. General: essential oil extracted from N. pinnata contains
a compound with anti-fungal properties.
Widespread across SA.
Damp situations such as hollows in open
grassland, stream banks, forest margins.
Spring–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
(= Tripteris auriculata)
osteon: bone, spermum: seed – refers to the hard fruits; auriculatum: with
ear-like appendage – refers to the leaves.
Shrub, up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves opposite, margins toothed, stalks of at least
lower leaves with ear-like lobes. Flower heads ± 30 mm in diameter, rays
and disc yellow; several together at the tips of branches. Fruit 3-winged, with
translucent air chamber at the tip. General: when not in flower or fruit this
may be mistaken for O. moniliferum.
LIM and MP.
Mountain regions.
Throughout the year.
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 133
ASTERACEAE
Osteospermum moniliferum L.
ASTERACEAE
othonne: linen – refers to the soft leaves of some species; natalensis: from
KwaZulu-Natal.
Geelbossie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. In colonies. Rootstock woody, woolly at
the surface of the ground. Leaves thick, lance-shaped, tapering to stalk-like
base, with woolly axils, erect, in basal rosette, blue-green, flushed reddish
purple at base. Flower heads ± 20 mm in diameter, surrounding bracts in 1
row, rays (8) and disc yellow; solitary, at tips of long, simple or forked stems.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring.
P.J.D. Winter
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
134 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
schizo: cut, stephos: crown – refers to the deeply toothed ray flowers; cra-
taegifolium: with leaves like the genus Crataegus, hawthorn.
Golden flat-flower (E); bergkruie (A)
Slender, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stem erect,
long, grey silky-hairy. Leaves stalkless, deeply and irregularly divided, seg-
ments pointed, often bristle-tipped, aromatic. Flower heads rounded, small,
± 5 mm in diameter, disc flowers bright yellow; several in flattish clusters at
branch tips. General: in moist places.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Stony grass slopes, around rock outcrops.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
senex: old man – refers to whitish grey ring of hairs around the top of the
fruit; conrathii: named after Paul Conrath (1861–1931), Bohemian bot-
anist, chemist and plant collector in South Africa.
Erect perennial herb, up to 700 mm tall. Stem simple, ribbed. Leaves erect,
lance-shaped, sharply pointed, margins finely toothed, decreasing in size
upwards, stem leaves stalkless. Flower heads ± 25 mm in diameter, rays
and disc bright yellow; many in a branched, terminal inflorescence. General:
accumulates nickel in its leaves when growing on soils with a high nickel
content.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer.
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 135
ASTERACEAE
coronatus: crowned.
Woolly grassland senecio (E); sybossie (A)
Robust, erect perennial herb, up to 550 mm tall. Usually in colonies. Root-
stock thick; stem densely woolly at ground level and covered with remnants
of old leaf bases. Most parts covered with woolly hairs. Leaves green, broadly
elliptic, margins finely toothed, stem-clasping, basal and on stem, decreas-
ing in size upwards. Flower heads ± 20 mm in diameter, rays (10–12) and
disc bright yellow; few in lax, branched, terminal inflorescence.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
(= Cineraria hederifolia)
hederiformis: ivy-shaped – refers to the leaves resembling those of the ge-
nus Hedera, ivy.
Perennial herb, stems up to 200 mm long, hairy, slender, hanging, lying on
the ground or creeping; from a woody base. Leaves alternate, widely spaced,
stalked, 5–7-lobed, grey-green above, green above when growing in shade,
white-felted below. Flower heads ± 15 mm in diameter, rays (± 13) and
disc yellow; usually 4 or 5 in lax, terminal inflorescences. General: in mist-
belt or near rivers and waterfalls, only known
from the Blouberg and the Graskop area.
LIM and MP.
Crevices of quartzite rocks.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
136 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
inornatus: modest.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 137
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
138 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 139
ASTERACEAE
*Tagetes minuta L.
Tagetes: named after Tages, an ancient Etruscan deity; minuta: small – re-
fers to tiny ray flowers.
Tall khaki weed (E); kakiebos (A); khebajabajani (L); mopatše (S)
Erect, annual herb, up to 2 m tall. Leaves feather-like, leaflet margins
toothed; strong odour when crushed. Flower heads small, cylindrical, up
to 15 mm long, creamy white to yellowish; in congested terminal inflores-
cences. General: contains oil with insect-repellent properties; also used in
perfumery and as a flavourant in food. Common weed; indigenous to South
America.
Widespread across SA.
Disturbed areas.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
140 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
COLCHICACEAE
Gloriosa superba L.
COMMELINACEAE
Commelina africana L.
CONVOLVULACEAE
COLCHICACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 141
CONVOLVULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
winteri: named after Pieter J.D. Winter (b. 1964), South African botanist.
Robust, succulent perennial, up to 900 mm tall. Stems erect to leaning,
light green; plant covered with waxy layer. Leaves in 1–3 basal rosettes,
disc-shaped, large, fleshy, light green to bluish green; stem leaves opposite,
axils often carrying small shoots that produce flowers. Flowers with tube
± 12 mm long, enlarged in the middle, 4-angled, 4 lobes, margins inrolled,
golden yellow; many in clusters, on elongated, terminal inflorescences. Gen-
eral: at altitudes of 1 370–1 750 m, restricted mainly to the Wolkberg.
LIM.
Quartzite rocks in grassland.
Winter–spring.
CONVOLVULACEAE
142 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CUCURBITACEAE
Cucumis: Latin name for cucumber; zeyheri: named after Carl L.P. Zeyher
(1799–1858), German botanist who collected in South Africa.
Wild cucumber (E); doringkomkommertjie (A); monyaku (S)
Trailing, perennial herb, stems up to 2 m long. Rootstock woody; stems and
leaves coarsely hairy. Leaves stalked, deeply 3–5-lobed, margins toothed;
tendrils present. Flowers small, ± 10 mm in diameter, yellow; male and
female on the same plant; solitary in leaf axils. Fruit oval, softly spiny, ca-
nary-yellow when ripe, poisonous. General: used in traditional medicine to
treat stomach complaints in children and hy-
pertension.
Widespread across SA.
Open bushveld, grassland.
Summer.
CUCURBITACEAE
CYPERACEAE
CUCURBITACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 143
ERIOSPERMACEAE
(= E. abyssinicum)
erion: wool, sperma: seed – refers to woolly seeds; flagelliforme: whip-
shaped – refers to the long, thin shoots.
Slender fluff-seed (E)
Slender, perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Underground tuber. Leaf sol-
itary, erect, narrow, veins parallel, after flowers. Flowers ± 14 mm in di-
ameter, yellow with a central green band tinged reddish; solitary on long,
wiry stalks curving upwards, lower one more elongated than the one above
it; in a lax inflorescence. Fruit a capsule; seeds
covered with silky hairs.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
ERIOSPERMACEAE
EUPHORBIACEAE
ERIOSPERMACEAE
144 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
argyros: silver, lobos: a pod – refers to the silver-haired pods of some spe-
cies; harveyanum: named after William H. Harvey (1811–1866), Irish-
born botanist, algologist and pioneer of South African systematic botany.
Slender, perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock small, tuberous;
stems unbranched, erect or ascending. Leaves few, widely spaced, with 3
leaflets, narrowly elliptic, hairy. Flowers ± 12 mm long, bright yellow; 1 or
2, on very short stalks, opposite the leaves, near tips of stems. Fruit a pod
± 40 × 3 mm, flattened, hairy. General: grazed by stock.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, bushveld.
Spring–summer.
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 145
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
146 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
erion: wool, sema: sign – refers to the woolly large upper petal; cordatum:
heart-shaped – refers to the leaves.
Heart-leaved eriosema (E)
Perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock large, woody; stems hairy,
trailing, tips often growing upwards. Leaves few, simple or with 3 large leaf-
lets, oval, base sometimes ± heart-shaped, thinly hairy. Flowers down-fac-
ing, ± 10 mm in diameter, yellow veined with red, calyx hairy; many in
erect inflorescences, on long stalks, in leaf axils. Fruit a pod round in outline,
flat, hairy.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, rocky hillsides.
Spring–summer.
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 147
FABACEAE
nutans: nodding.
Khenogwane (L); khunguswa (V)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 900 mm tall. Rootstock thick, woody; stems
hairy. Leaves stalked, with 3 leaflets, elliptic, veins prominent on lower sur-
face. Flowers small, ± 10 mm long, yellow, large upper petal curved back-
wards, with reddish veins, red-purple outside, calyx hairy; many in erect
inflorescences, on long stalks, in leaf axils on upper part of stem. Fruit an
oval pod, flat, softly hairy. General: root sometimes eaten raw.
GP, LIM and MP.
Bushveld, open grassland.
Summer–autumn.
FABACEAE
(= Lotononis corymbosa)
Leobordea: named after Léon E.S.J. Laborde (1807–1869), French poli-
tician and explorer; corymbosa: having flowers arranged in a clustered
inflorescence.
Erect perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock thick, woody; stems
many, branched. Leaves with 3 leaflets, elliptic, ± sharply pointed tips,
hairy, stipules leaf-like. Flowers ± 8 mm long, yellow; many, usually more
than 10, per terminal, compact cluster, surrounded by leaves. General: simi-
lar L. eriantha has larger and fewer flowers.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer.
FABACEAE
(= Lotononis eriantha)
eriantha: with woolly flowers.
Russet lotononis (E); bogošola bjo bogolo (S)
Perennial herb, up to 200 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems many, curving
upwards from base, hairy. Leaves with 3 leaflets, elliptic with short point at
tip, hairy, stipules resembling a small leaflet. Flowers ± 10 mm long, yellow
turning reddish brown with age, hairy; several in terminal, compact clusters.
General: used in traditional medicine to treat
stomach complaints.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer.
FABACEAE
148 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
(= Lotononis lanceolata)
lanceolata: lance-shaped – refers to the leaves.
Perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems annual, ascend-
ing, simple or slightly branched, with long, soft hairs. Leaves with 3 leaf-
lets, narrowly lance-shaped with short point at tip, stipules leaf-like. Flowers
± 13 mm long, yellow, calyx thinly hairy; many in terminal, compact clusters
on branches longer than 300 mm. General: rarely collected, poorly known.
Leaves turning black when dried.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
FABACEAE
(= Lotononis pariflora)
pariflora: with paired flowers.
Trailing perennial herb, stems up to 150 mm long. Rootstock woody; stems
lying flat on the ground, slender, hairy. Leaves with 3 leaflets up to 5 mm
long, inverted egg-shaped with short point at tip, midrib sunken above,
prominent below; stipule solitary, up to 3 mm long, narrow. Flowers ± 5 mm
long, yellow, hairy, calyx tube red; few, in pairs at the tips of short branchlets.
General: at altitudes of 1 700–1 900 m.
LIM.
Mistbelt grassland, on gentle slopes.
Summer.
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 149
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
obovata: egg-shaped, with the broadest part near the tip – refers to the
leaves.
Trailing perennial herb, stems up to 200 mm long. Rootstock woody; plant
usually covered with brown hairs. Leaves on stalks, with 3 leaflets, egg-
shaped with the broadest part near the tip and narrowing at the base, tipped
with a short stiff point; stipule long, narrow. Flowers look rather like snap-
dragons, ± 15 mm long, yellow, calyx lobes slender; several in compact,
terminal inflorescences.
LIM and MP.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
150 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 151
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
Senna: from the Arabic name sena for a species of this genus; septemtri-
onalis: northern.
Yellow shower, arsenic bush (E)
Perennial shrub, up to 2 m tall. Leaves bright green, paler below, leaflets
usually in 3 or 4 pairs, elliptic, with pointed tips. Flowers yellow; several
in clusters, in leaf axils. Fruit a cylindrical pod, green turning brown, up to
± 100 mm long, inflated. General: ornamental plant introduced from Central
America.
Widespread across SA.
Invades disturbed areas, forest margins, river-
banks.
Spring–summer.
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
152 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
tylos: lump, sema: mark – U-shaped mark on the large seeds; fassoglense:
from Fazoghli in the Sudan where it was first collected.
Creeping bauhinia (E); maramaboontjie (A); mothema (S)
Robust, trailing shrublet, stems up to 6 m long. Underground tuber huge,
woody; plant rusty-hairy. Leaves large, shallowly bilobed, on long stalks;
tendrils present. Flowers ± 60 mm in diameter, lemon-yellow, petals crin-
kly, upper one much smaller than the other 4; inflorescences in leaf axils.
Fruit a pod, flat, woody. General: beans edible. Traditionally used to put on
weight. Occasionally found in grassland.
GP, KZN, LIM and MP.
Bushveld.
Summer.
FABACEAE
GENTIANACEAE
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 153
GENTIANACEAE
GENTIANACEAE
GENTIANACEAE
GENTIANACEAE
154 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
HYPERICACEAE
HYPERICACEAE
HYPERICACEAE
HYPERICACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 155
HYPOXIDACEAE
em-: within, pous: foot – refers to the underground ovary; elongatum: elon-
gated – refers to the long extension of the ovary.
Autumn star (E); ploegtydblommetjie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 200 mm tall. Rootstock a corm. Leaves several, narrow,
up to 400 mm long, well developed at flowering. Flowers ± 35 mm in diam-
eter, star-shaped with an elongated, solid tube, bright yellow, stamens erect,
held close together; solitary on a short stalk hidden in the leaf sheaths, 2–6
per plant. Fruit a capsule. General: found at altitudes of 1 500–2 500 m.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, among rocks.
Summer.
HYPOXIDACEAE
HYPOXIDACEAE
HYPOXIDACEAE
156 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
HYPOXIDACEAE
HYPOXIDACEAE
HYPOXIDACEAE
(= Hypoxis obtusa)
iridifolia: with Iris-like leaves.
Robust, perennial herb, up to 350 mm tall. Leaves erect to arching, spirally
twisting towards tip with age, veins closely spaced, raised on upper surface,
hairless except white hairs along margins and midrib below, not distinctly
3-ranked. Flowers ± 25 mm in diameter, yellow inside, green and hairy out-
side; many in erect, densely hairy inflorescences, 2–5 per plant, appearing
with leaves. General: distinguished from similar H. hemerocallidea by its
leaf characters. Used in traditional medicine to
treat burns.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
HYPOXIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 157
HYPOXIDACEAE
HYPOXIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
gladiolus: small sword – refers to the leaf shape; dalenii: named after Cor-
nelius Dalen (1766–1852), Dutch botanist and physician.
African gladiolus (E); papegaaigladiolus, wildeswaardlelie (A)
Robust, cormous herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves in a fan, ± half as long as
inflorescence, narrow, erect. Flowers hooded, tube ± 40 mm long, various-
ly coloured, orange-red to greenish yellow, finely speckled or plain, bracts
large; in few- to many-flowered, terminal inflorescence. General: cultivars
developed in the 1900s grown as cut flowers worldwide. For orange-flowered
form see p. 200.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, rocky ridges, vleis.
Summer.
HYPOXIDACEAE
158 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
LENTIBULARIACEAE
IRIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 159
LINACEAE
MALPIGHIACEAE
MALVACEAE
LINACEAE
160 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 161
MALVACEAE
Melhania: from Mount Melhan in Arabia where one of the species occurs;
prostrata: lying flat on the ground.
Shrublet, up to 600 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems lying on the ground
to ± erect, thinly hairy. Leaves narrowly lance-shaped with short, stiff tip;
blade folded upward along the midrib, grey-velvety below with minute red-
dish brown dots (clusters of hairs), stipules awl-shaped. Flowers ± 30 mm
in diameter, 5-lobed, stamens 5, style with 5 branches, yellow, open in the
afternoon; solitary or in pairs in upper leaf axils.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, bushveld, rocky slopes, sandy flats.
Summer.
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
162 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ONAGRACEAE
oinos: wine, thera: imbibing; glazioviana: named after Auguste F.M. Glaziou
(1828–1906), French landscape designer and botanist.
Large-flowered evening primrose (E)
Biennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Stem erect, unbranched. Leaves mostly
basal, lance-shaped to elliptic, margins with shallow teeth. Flowers showy,
± 60 mm in diameter, bright yellow, opening at sunset and closing by noon
the next day, fragrant at night; in axils of upper leaves. General: visited by
moths. Popular ornamental. Possibly a European hybrid of two North Amer-
ican species.
Widespread across SA.
Invades roadsides, disturbed areas, river-
banks.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
eu: well, lophos: crest – refers to the crested lip; angolensis: from Angola.
Vlei orchid (E); vlei-orgidee (A); khethahame (L)
Robust, perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. In colonies. Leaves on a separate
shoot, pleated, stiff, erect, fully developed at flowering. Flowers bright yellow,
outer lobes ± 25 mm long, narrow, erect, rabbit ear-like, lip 3-lobed, bearing
crests, lip side lobes veined greenish or purplish, petals curving over the lip,
spur short; scented; in many-flowered, lax inflorescence.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Swampy open grassland.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
ONAGRACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 163
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
streptos: twisted, petala: petals – refers to petals that are ‘twisted’ forward
and horizontally.
Robust, perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves partly to fully developed
at flowering, pleated. Flowers outer lobes spreading, ± 15 mm long, green
mottled with dark purplish brown; petals bright yellow, lip midlobe and
crests yellow; spur very short, ± 2 mm long; in 4–35-flowered, lax inflores-
cence. General: pollinated by leafcutter bees. Usually near bushes, trees or
large herbs, never in open grassland.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Bushveld, margins of forests and plantations,
in bush clumps.
Spring–summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
(= Eulophia ensata)
ortho-: upright, straight, cheilos: lip; ensatus: sword-shaped – refers to the
narrow, sharply pointed leaves.
Slender, perennial herb, up to 800 mm tall. Leaves ± fully developed at flow-
ering, often longer than flowering stem, stiffly erect, pleated, on a separate
shoot. Flowers ± 20 mm across, pale to bright yellow, not opening widely,
appear ‘flattened’, petals slightly shorter than outer lobes, lip 3-lobed, bear-
ing crests, spur slender, ± 5 mm long; 6–30 in a dense terminal cluster.
General: pollinated by scarab beetles.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Open grassland, grassy places in bushveld.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
164 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ORCHIDACEAE
schizo: split-, cheilos: lip; zeyheri: named after Carl L.P. Zeyher (1799–
1858), German botanist who collected in South Africa.
Slender, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Leaves basal and on stem, de-
creasing in size upwards, mostly sheathing the stem. Flowers small, bright
yellow, lip deeply 3-lobed, central lip lobe longer than side lobes, spur cy-
lindrical, straight; many in terminal, nodding inflorescence, up to 100 mm
long. General: often grows in tussocks of grass and sedge on rock sheets
with running water.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Wet grassland.
Summer.
OROBANCHACEAE
alektor: a cock; resembles a cock’s comb; capensis: from the Cape Pen-
insula.
Annual herb, up to 300 mm tall. Parasitic on roots of grasses and other
plants. Stems erect, rigid, seldom branched, roughly hairy. Leaves oval,
overlapping, stalkless, margins entire. Flowers tubular, up to 25 mm long,
5-lobed, yellow or orange with brownish veins; style longer than stamens; in
upper leaf axils, inflorescence short, dense. Fruit a capsule, included within
calyx. General: turning dark in drying.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky mountain grassland.
Summer.
OROBANCHACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 165
OROBANCHACEAE
OROBANCHACEAE
OXALIDACEAE
*Oxalis corniculata L.
oxys: acid, als: salt – refers to the oxalic acid content; corniculata: curved
in the form of a horn.
Creeping sorrel (E); tuinsuring (A); moogwani (L)
Creeping, much-branched herb, up to 100 mm tall. Stems lying on the
ground, hairy, rooting at nodes. Leaves on slender stalks, with 3 heart-
shaped leaflets. Flowers ± 7 mm in diameter, 5-lobed, yellow; clustered on
long, erect stalks. General: flowers and leaves edible. Troublesome weed.
Indigenous to Europe.
Widespread across SA.
Disturbed places, roadsides, gardens.
Spring–autumn.
OROBANCHACEAE
166 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
PASSIFLORACEAE
aden: gland – refers to glands on the leaf stalk; digitata: fingered, hand-like.
Wild granadilla (E); bobbejaangif (A); makgopo (S); dundu (V)
Perennial climber, stems up to 2 m long. Tuber fleshy. Leaves variable,
stalked; variously lobed, greyish green below. Flowers tubular, ± 15 mm
long, cream-coloured to greenish; male and female on different plants, in
clusters, ending in a tendril; in leaf axils. Fruit hanging, egg-shaped, red to
magenta. General: leaves cooked as spinach; fruit poisonous to humans. For
red fruit see p. 210.
Widespread across northeastern SA.
Rocky and grassy places, bushveld.
Spring–summer.
RANUNCULACEAE
ROSACEAE
argemone: from the Greek, probably a plant of the genus Papaver; procera:
very tall.
Agrimony (E); akkermonie, geelklits (A)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. Rootstock woody; stem densely hairy.
Leaves alternate, with 4 or 5 pairs of toothed, elliptic leaflets. Flowers
± 12 mm in diameter, yellow; in narrow terminal inflorescences, up to
400 mm long. Fruit small, bristly, dispersed by people and animals. Gener-
al: indigenous to Europe.
Widespread across SA.
Invades grasslands, stream banks, disturbed
places.
Summer–autumn.
PASSIFLORACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 167
RUBIACEAE
Fadogia: from Fadoga in the Sudan; homblei: named after Henri A. Homblé
(1883–1921), Belgian botanist who collected in Africa.
Wild date (E); bosluisbessie, wildedadel (A)
Perennial shrublet, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems many, erect,
unbranched. Leaves stalkless, lance-shaped, in whorls of 3–5, green above,
greyish white below. Flowers ± 15 mm in diameter, tubular, lobes 5, often
curled back, yellowish green, stamens and style protruding; clustered in leaf
axils. Fruit a berry, shiny, black; edible.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Grassland, margins of tree clumps and bush-
veld.
Spring–summer.
THYMELAEACEAE
THYMELAEACEAE
(= Gnidia caffra)
lasios: shaggy, siphon: tube; caffer: from Caffraria, an old name for the
Eastern Cape.
Gifbossie (A); nkekologe (S)
Multi-stemmed, rounded shrublet, up to 500 mm tall. Rootstock large,
woody; stems erect. Leaves narrowly lance-shaped, sharply pointed, sparse-
ly hairy. alternate. Flowers ± 10 mm in diameter, shiny, lemon-yellow, calyx
tube slender, 5-lobed, petal-like scales in throat of calyx tube tiny; in terminal
inflorescences. General: conspicuous after fire.
Used in traditional medicine to treat asthma.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
RUBIACEAE
168 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
THYMELAEACEAE
(= Gnidia canoargentea)
canus: greyish white, argenteus: silvery – refers to the leaves.
Highveld silver yellow-head, Transvaal silver and gold (E)
Much-branched shrublet up to 400 mm tall. Branches reddish, nude be-
low, becoming densely leafy towards the tip. Leaves lance-shaped, point-
ed, silvery-hairy. Flowers glossy yellow, turning brownish with age, calyx
tube ± 7 mm long, 5 petal-like appendages in throat of calyx tube; several
in stalkless, terminal clusters, surrounded by
bracts broader than the leaves. General: south-
ern African endemic.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Autumn–winter.
THYMELAEACEAE
(= Gnidia kraussiana)
kraussianus: named after Christian F.F. von Krauss (1812–1890), German
scientist and plant collector in South Africa.
Lesser yellow-head (E); gifbossie (A); bogošola bjo bogolo (S)
Perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Underground tuber large, woody; stems
several, erect, hairy, reddish. Leaves grey to yellow-green, lance-shaped, tips
pointed, alternate. Flowers yellow, calyx tube 5-lobed with 5 petal-like ap-
pendages in the throat; sweetly scented; in distinctly stalked, terminal clus-
ters, ± 40 mm in diameter. General: poisonous
to stock. Traditionally used to treat stomach
complaints.
Widespread across SA.
Open grassland.
Spring (after fire).
THYMELAEACEAE
(= Gnidia microcephala)
microcephalus: small-headed.
Besembossie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems many, erect,
slender, branched in upper part. Leaves erect, long, narrowly lance-shaped,
pointed, stalkless. Flowers small, yellow to orange, calyx tube long, 4 petal-
like scales in throat of calyx tube, fleshy, club-shaped; several in terminal
clusters ± 15 mm in diameter, surrounded by
overlapping, brown bracts.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
THYMELAEACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 169
THYMELAEACEAE
XYRIDACEAE
xyron: razor – refers to a plant with sharpened leaves; congensis: from the
Congo.
Tufted, perennial herb, up to 850 mm tall. Rootstock hard, covered with
persistent, brown leaf bases. Leaves basal, clustered, stiff, long and narrow.
Flowers ± 10 mm in diameter, with 3 spreading, very delicate yellow lobes,
bracts shiny chestnut-brown, overlapping; in a roundish inflorescence on a
long, wiry stalk, erect, overtopping leaves.
Widespread across northeastern SA.
Along streams.
Summer.
THYMELAEACEAE
170 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Orange/red/pink
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 171
ACANTHACEAE
ALLIACEAE
ALLIACEAE
ACANTHACEAE
172 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ALLIACEAE
ALLIACEAE
AMARYLLIDACEAE
ALLIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 173
AMARYLLIDACEAE
AMARYLLIDACEAE
AMARYLLIDACEAE
kyrtos: curved, anthos: flower – refers to the frequently curved flower tube;
contractus: narrowed – refers to the flower.
Fire lily (E); brandlelie, vuurlelie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Bulb ± 50 mm in diameter, egg-shaped,
brown. Leaves 2 or 3, basal, long, narrow, produced after flowers. Flowers
nodding, ± 70 mm long, slender, tube contracted above, lobes spreading,
scarlet; 5–10 in an inflorescence, stem reddish purple. General: rapid flow-
ering response to fire.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring (after fire).
AMARYLLIDACEAE
174 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
AMARYLLIDACEAE
M. Strever
AMARYLLIDACEAE
AMARYLLIDACEAE
AMARYLLIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 175
ANACAMPSEROTACEAE
ANACARDIACEAE
lana: wool – refers to the woolly hairs on all young plant parts; edulis:
edible – refers to the fruit.
Wild grape (E); wildedruif (A); mphurokhu (S)
Deciduous, dwarf shrub, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock large, woody; branch-
es short. Leaves with 5–9 leaflets, velvety at first, later light green, shiny;
appear after flowering. Flowers small, yellowish cream; in elongated erect
spikes near ground. Fruit with a stony seed, slightly fleshy, with 4 tiny pro-
tuberances at the tip; scarlet, becoming purple; edible. General: used for
magical purposes.
Widespread across northeastern SA.
Grassland, bushveld, rocky places.
Spring (after fire).
ANACARDIACEAE
(= Rhus transvaalensis)
Searsia: named after Paul B. Sears (1891–1990), American plant ecol-
ogist, professor of botany; transvaalensis: from the former Transvaal.
Escarpment karee, Transvaal currant (E); Transvaal-taaibos (A)
Many-stemmed shrub, up to 2 m tall. Leaves with 3 elliptic leaflets, tip
sharply pointed, base tapering, midrib yellowish, sunken above, prominent
below. Flowers cream; in numerous inflorescences up to 50 mm long, in leaf
axils. Fruit ± 4 mm in diameter, fleshy with a single hard seed, smooth and
yellowish, becoming reddish brown.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Bushveld.
Spring–summer.
ANACAMPSEROTACEAE
176 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ANACARDIACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
aspidos: small shield, glossa: tongue – refers to the shape of the corona
lobes; glabrescens: becoming hairless or nearly so.
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Sap milky. Leaves erect,
opposite, narrow, margins rolled under, stalkless, widely spaced. Flowers
± 7 mm in diameter, lobes spreading, inside often hairy, outside hairy,
brownish pink; corona lobes with long, slender tips held closely together,
cage-like, white, protruding; on long, hairy stalks, nodding; in clusters in leaf
axils, towards tips of stems.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Rocky grassland.
Summer.
ANACARDIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 177
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
aloe: Arabic vernacular name for members of the genus used medicinally,
or from Greek, the dried sap of aloe leaves; aculeata: prickly – refers to
the leaves.
Red hot poker aloe (E), knoppiesaalwyn (A); ngopani (S)
Succulent herb, up to 1 m tall. Leaves curved inwards, with conspicuous
prickles on both surfaces. Flowers ± 30 mm long, tubular, reddish orange
in bud, orange to yellow when open; in erect, cylindrical, dense inflores-
cence, branched in old plants. General: used in traditional medicine to treat
bilharzia.
LIM and MP.
Rocky areas in bushveld and grassland.
Winter.
APOCYNACEAE
178 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASPHODELACEAE
arborescens: tree-forming.
Krantz aloe (E); kransaalwyn (A); sekgopha, kgopha-ya-fase (S); tshikho-
pha (V)
Robust, much-branched shrub, up to 2 m tall. Branches ending in large
rosettes of many leaves. Leaves recurved to spreading, narrow, margins
toothed, dull grey-green. Flowers nodding, tubular, reddish (rarely yellow),
in conical inflorescences, ± 800 mm long. General: used in traditional med-
icine to treat HIV/AIDS, hypertension and diabetes. Crushed leaves used
to treat burns and wounds. Attractive garden
plant, easily cultivated, frost hardy.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Rocky outcrops.
Winter.
ASPHODELACEAE
boylei: named after F. Boyle (flourished 1892), botanist who first collected
this species.
Broad-leaved grass aloe (E); grasaalwyn (A); sekgopha sa letshollo (S)
Deciduous, perennial herb, up to 800 mm tall. Often in small groups. Leaves
flat, up to 100 mm broad and spotted at base, erect, bright green, margins
finely toothed. Flowers relatively large, nodding, tubular, tapering to the tips;
orange-pink or yellow, tips greenish; in a rounded inflorescence, ± 120 mm
in diameter. General: used in traditional medicine as a mild purgative. Some-
times sunk into A. ecklonis Salm-Dyck.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer.
ASPHODELACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 179
ASPHODELACEAE
hahnii: named after Norbert Hahn (b. 1966), South African botanist and
expert on the flora of the Soutpansberg.
Succulent, slow-growing herb, up to 1 m tall. Solitary. Leaves ± 400 mm
long, tapering gradually to dried tip; upper surface dull pale green to brown,
whitish spots; lower surface pale green, dense whitish spots in bands; mar-
gins toothed. Flowers ± 30 mm long, glossy red, round basal swelling; in
rounded clusters, inflorescence branched from above the middle. General:
endemic to the Blouberg and Soutpansberg.
LIM.
Mistbelt regions.
Winter.
ASPHODELACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
180 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASPHODELACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
(= Chortolirion subspicatum)
sub-: somewhat, spicata: bearing a spike – refers to the inflorescence.
Perennial herb, up to 350 mm tall. Underground bulb-like base. Leaves in
basal rosette, slender, grass-like, margins with minute teeth, twisted, decid-
uous, dying back to ground level after fires or frost. Flowers small, ± 15 mm
long, tubular, 2-lipped, pinkish brown, lobes with stripe in the middle; in lax-
ly flowered, erect inflorescence, only a few flowers open at a time. General:
inconspicuous, often overlooked; in a variety of habitats.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, grassy plains, thornveld, open
woodland.
Spring–summer.
ASPHODELACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 181
ASPHODELACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
verecunda: modest.
Grass aloe (E); grasaalwyn (A)
Erect, perennial succulent, up to 400 mm tall. In groups. Stem short,
branched at ground level. Leaves long, narrow, succulent, lower surface with
small, white spots near base, margins with minute teeth, usually in a fan;
dying back in winter. Flowers tubular, ± 28 mm long, contracted towards
the mouth, pendulous when open, red to scarlet; in simple inflorescence,
rounded, rather densely flowered, stem with several bracts.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Grassland, wedged between boulders on
ridges.
Summer.
ASPHODELACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
182 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASPHODELACEAE
ASPHODELACEAE
splendida: splendid.
Red-hot poker (E); vuurpyl (A)
Robust perennial herb, up to 2.5 m tall when in flower. Leaves fairly rigid,
long, narrow, arching, V-shaped in cross section, mid-green; margins and
keel finely toothed. Flowers ± 25 mm long, tubular, spreading to pendu-
lous when open, orange-yellow, stamens conspicuously protruding; buds
orange-red; inflorescence cylindrical, ± 160 × 55 mm, usually tapering to-
wards the tip, very dense. General: distribution extends from Eswatini along
the eastern escarpment to the mountains of
eastern Zimbabwe and Malawi.
LIM and MP.
Tall grassland, among rocks, often adjacent
to forest.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
kampulos: a little bent, clinium: lying on the ground – possibly refers to the
stems, lying on the ground in winter; macrocephalum: with large heads.
Pom-pom weed (E); pompombossie (A)
Robust, erect, perennial herb, up to 1.3 m tall. Rootstock woody; stems
dying back annually; roughly hairy throughout. Leaves light green, elliptic,
margins toothed. Flower heads ± 25 mm in diameter, fluffy, disc flowers
only, pink; inflorescence terminal, branched. General: introduced as an or-
namental; indigenous to South America. Tolerant of frequent fires, spreading
rapidly.
Widespread across SA.
Invades grasslands and wetlands.
Summer.
ASPHODELACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 183
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
184 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
(= Osteospermum jucundum)
dis: twice, morph: shape, theka: fruit – refers to two kinds of fruit in the
same fruiting head; jucunda: delightful.
Trailing pink daisy (E); bergbietou, bloubietou (A)
Slender, perennial herb, up to 350 mm tall. In clumps. Stem underground;
above-ground stems trailing or erect; thinly hairy throughout. Leaves alter-
nate, narrowly lance-shaped, margins with few irregular, blunt teeth. Flower
heads ± 40 mm in diameter, rays deep pink to magenta above, coppery
below; disc black at first then yellow; solitary,
on a long stalk. General: visited by butterflies.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland on mountainsides.
Spring–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
helios: sun, chrysos: gold – refers to the glossy yellow bracts of some spe-
cies; adenocarpum: glandular fruits.
Pink everlasting (E); pienksewejaartjie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 450 mm tall. Rootstock woody. Leaves in 1–several ba-
sal rosettes, roundish, grey-woolly on both surfaces, flat on the ground, stem
leaves lance-shaped, erect, overlapping, often without wool. Flower heads
± 25 mm in diameter, disc yellow, surrounded by glossy bracts, red, pink or
white with red tips; solitary or several in branched inflorescences, flowering
stems arising from the side of the leaf rosettes.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, often on moist slopes.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 185
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
senex: old man – refers to whitish grey ring of hairs around the top of the
fruit; speciosus: beautiful.
Beautiful senecio (E); pienk-senecio (A)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 700 mm tall. In clumps. Rootstock woody, stems
several. Leaves mainly in basal rosette, paddle-shaped, narrowing to stalk-
like, stem-clasping base, usually with sticky hairs, margins lobed, wavy or
coarsly toothed. Flower heads ± 30 mm in diameter, ± 12 rays, pink to
purple, disc cream-coloured to purple; terminal, in branched inflorescence.
Widespread across SA.
Damp grassland, mashy depressions.
Spring–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
186 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
BEGONIACEAE
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 187
COLCHICACEAE
(= Littonia modesta)
gloriosus: glorious, famous; modesta: modest.
Christmas bells (E); geelklokkies (A)
Slender, climbing perennial herb, stems up to 2 m long. Tuber small. Leaves
long, narrow, bright green, stalkless, tips with tendrils. Flowers cup-shaped,
± 30 mm in diameter, on long stalks, nodding, yellow-orange, style with 3
recurved branches; solitary, inserted next to upper leaves. Fruit a capsule,
seeds round, red. General: grows in half-shade;
easily cultivated from seed.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Forest, mountain grassland, bushveld.
Summer.
CRASSULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
Cotyledon orbiculata L.
COLCHICACEAE
188 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CRASSULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
Kalanchoe: Chinese name for one of the species; crundallii: named after
Albert H. Crundall (1889–1975), British-born amateur botanist who
travelled in South Africa.
CRASSULACEAE
CRASSULACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 189
CUCURBITACEAE
coccinea: scarlet – refers to the red fruit; adoensis: derived from a place
name in Ethiopia.
Wild spinach (E); sipho (NS, V)
Perennial climber, stems up to 6 m long, hairy. Rootstock tuberous. Leaves
variable in shape, 3–7-lobed, margins finely and regularly toothed; stalked;
tendrils present. Flowers pale creamy yellow to salmon-pink; male (in elon-
gated clusters) and female (smaller, solitary) flowers on separate plants. Fruit
oval, up to 80 mm long, tip beaked, smooth, orange-red. General: leaves
cooked as spinach. For cream flowers see p. 59.
Widespread across northeastern SA.
Grassland, bushveld.
Spring–summer.
ERICACEAE
ereike: to break – refers to brittle stems; classical Greek name for heath;
alticola: dwelling at high altitude.
Small shrub, up to 400 mm tall. Branches spreading, then ascending. Leaves
narrow, ± 9 mm long, spreading, 4 in a cluster. Flowers tiny, ± 2 mm long,
urn- to cup-shaped, with 4 lobes, red, anthers and style usually included,
but style sometimes protruding; solitary, in leaf axils, forming a leafy inflo-
rescence, ± 20 mm long, at tips of branchlets. General: occurs at altitudes
above 1 800 m.
LIM and MP.
Among rocks.
Spring.
ERICACEAE
Erica cerinthoides L.
CUCURBITACEAE
190 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ERICACEAE
EUPHORBIACEAE
EUPHORBIACEAE
(= A. schinzii)
depressinerva: nerves or veins somewhat sunken.
Bearded-leaved brooms and brushes (E); bogošola bjo bogolo (S)
Perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems slender, erect,
simple or sparingly branched, with long hairs. Leaves narrow, margins en-
tire, hairy. Flowers male and female on separate plants; male buds red,
opening to white; in elongated, densely-flowered inflorescences, ± 20 mm
long, on long stalks in leaf axils (see image); female with long red styles, soli-
tary, terminal. General: used in traditional med-
icine to treat stomach complaints in children.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
ERICACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 191
EUPHORBIACEAE
EUPHORBIACEAE
FABACEAE
EUPHORBIACEAE
192 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
erion: wool, sema: sign – refers to the woolly large upper petal; salignum:
willow-like – refers to the leaves.
Brown bonnets, willow-leaved eriosema (E); kherodwe (L)
Sparsely branched, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Rootstock thick,
woody; stems several, erect; stems, leaf and flower stalks grey-hairy. Leaves
with 3 leaflets, elliptic, green above, silky-white and prominently veined be-
low. Flowers ± 12 mm long, down-facing, yellow to orange, upper lobe
with reddish brown veining, calyx hairy; in dense, terminal clusters. General:
traditionally used in the Modjadji area.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 193
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
indigofera: bearing indigo, a blue dye that is obtained from several species
of the genus; comosa: bearing a tuft of hairs or leaves.
Much-branched shrublet, up to 1 m tall. Rootstock woody; stems erect or
lying on the ground, ± hairy. Leaves with 7 or 8 pairs of leaflets, usually
folded, upper surface hairless, lower surface with long hairs, clumps of red-
dish brown glands where pairs of leaflets meet. Flowers ± 5 mm long, deep
pinkish red, bracts long; many in 20–70 mm long inflorescences, in leaf
axils. Fruit a pod, short, hairy.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, rocky areas.
Spring–summer.
FABACEAE
frondosa: leafy.
Small, multi-stemmed shrub, up to 400 mm tall. Stems ribbed, light brown,
leafy. Leaves ± 20 mm long, with several pairs of narrow, folded leaflets,
upper surface hairless, lower surface thinly hairy. Flowers relatively large,
± 15 mm long, red, with brown hairs on back of large upper petal; ± 15
in ± 40 mm long inflorescences, on long stalks, in leaf axils. Fruit a pod,
slender, ± 25 mm long, spreading to erect.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, stream banks.
Summer.
FABACEAE
194 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
hedyantha: sweet-flowered.
Black-bud indigo (E); aambeibossie (A)
Shrublet, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems many, spreading to
erect. Leaves with 2–4 pairs of narrowly elliptic leaflets, each often folded,
thinly hairy. Flowers ± 10 mm long, reddish pink, with dark brown hairs
on back of large upper petal as seen in bud, calyx with black hairs on outer
surface; in short, compact inflorescences, longer than the leaves. Fruit a pod,
cylindrical, up to 40 mm long.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Dense grassland, rocky slopes.
Spring–Summer.
FABACEAE
hilaris: cheerful.
Grassland indigofera (E); grasveld-indigofera (A)
Erect, perennial shrublet, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems many,
slender, sparsely branched, hairy. Leaves crowded, leaf axis up to 15 mm
long, with 5 narrowly elliptic leaflets, tip a fine point; stipules up to 4 mm
long. Flowers ± 6 mm in diameter, showy, reddish pink to bright pink; in
dense clusters usually shorter than the leaves, in leaf axils. General: be-
comes tall and straggly in the absence of fire.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring (after fire).
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 195
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
196 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
rostrata: beaked.
Erect dwarf shrub, up to 450 mm tall. Stems usually unbranched. Leaves
with 9–11 narrow leaflets, sometimes crowded along the leaf axis, overlap-
ping one another. Flowers ± 15 mm long, reddish pink with a fluffy white
crest, buds deep maroon; in long-stalked inflorescences standing out from
stem, usually towards the tip of the stem. Fruit a pod, straight, slightly flat-
tened, ± 40 mm long, many-seeded.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, rocky slopes.
Summer.
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 197
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
198 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
GERANIACEAE
pelargos: a stork – refers to beak of the fruit; luridum: smoky or drab – re-
fers to the flower colour.
Stork’s bill, waving pelargonium (E); wildemalva (A)
Deciduous, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Tuber woody. Plant hairy
throughout. Leaves variable even on a single plant, shallowly to deeply lobed
or thread-like, in basal rosette. Flowers large, 5-lobed, white, pink or pale
yellow; up to 60 in a single inflorescence, ± 130 mm in diameter; stem long,
erect. General: long flowering season. For white-coloured form see p. 69.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, damp places.
Spring–autumn.
GESNERIACEAE
streptos: twisted, karpos: fruit – refers to the spirally coiled fruit; dunnii:
named after Edward J. Dunn (1844–1937), geologist and plant collec-
tor.
Crimson streptocarpus (E); olifantsoor (A)
Stemless herb, up to 200 mm tall. Leaves large, up to 300 mm long,
thick-textured, hairy on both surfaces, midrib and veins sunken in above,
margins scalloped, often wavy; 1 or several. Flowers trumpet-shaped, tube
curved, ± 40 mm long, coral to red, tube inside white striped red; many
open together in dense inflorescences. General:
easily recognised.
LIM and MP.
Mountainsides, among rocks.
Summer.
IRIDACEAE
krokos: saffron, osme: a smell – refers to the saffron-like smell of the infused
flowers; aurea: golden.
Falling stars, montbretia (E); valentynsblom (A)
Perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. In colonies. Leaves soft, ± 20 mm wide, with
distinct midrib, in a fan, stem-clasping. Flowers nodding, large, ± 50 mm in
diameter, luminous orange, lobes spreading, stamens and style protruding,
style with 3 short branches; in a branched, lax inflorescence. Fruit a knobbly
capsule, orange; seeds shiny purplish black, round.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Forest margins.
Summer.
GERANIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 199
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
(= Anomatheca grandiflora)
Freesia: named after Friedrich H.T. Freese (1795–1876), a German physi-
cian and botanist; grandiflora: having large flowers.
Forest freesia (E); kgarikgari, lenthekhu (S)
Erect, cormous herb, up to 450 mm tall. In small colonies. Leaves narrow,
in a fan, shorter than inflorescence. Flowers ± 35 mm in diameter, lobes
longer than slender tube, narrow, spreading, scarlet, darker red markings on
3 lobes; stamens long, protruding; 4–6 in lax spike. Fruit a capsule, seeds
orange. General: used in traditional medicine to
treat kidney stones.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Forest margins; shaded, rocky places.
Summer.
IRIDACEAE
200 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
gladiolus: small sword – refers to the leaf shape; crassifolius: with thick
leaves.
Thick-leaved gladiolus (E)
Cormous herb, up to 1 m tall. Leaves stiff, margins and midrib yellow, in a
fan, reaching to at least the middle of the inflorescence. Flowers bell-shaped,
tube up to 15 mm long, red, orange, pink, purple or white, with dark mark-
ings on lower lobes; buds in 2 rows, all turned the same direction, ± 20 in
a dense inflorescence, stem curving out from leaves. General: pollinated by
long-tongued bees and flies.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, grassy plains and slopes.
Summer–autumn.
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 201
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
Hesperantha baurii Baker
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
202 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 203
LAMIACEAE
leon: lion, otis: ear – refers to the shape and furry texture of the flowers;
intermedia: intermediate between L. leonurus and L. nepetifolia.
Minaret-flower (E); wildedagga (A); senopi (S)
Slender shrub, up to 2 m tall. In colonies. Stems many from a woody base,
erect. Leaves egg- to lance-shaped, opposite, velvety, margins bluntly
toothed, on long stalks. Flowers tubular, ± 40 mm long, 2-lipped, orange to
reddish, velvety-hairy, calyx sharply toothed; in dense, widely spaced whorls
on upper stem. General: the plant has no narcotic properties. Nectar attracts
sunbirds.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, rocky outcrops.
Summer–autumn.
LAMIACEAE
(= Orthosiphon tubiformis)
Ocimum: classical Greek name for the genus; tubiforme: trumpet-shaped
– refers to the flowers.
Shrub, up to 900 mm tall. Stems long, slender, branched. Leaves elliptic,
margins finely toothed. Flowers whitish to pale or deep mauve; tube con-
spicuous, straight, cylindrical, up to 35 mm long; upper lip erect, lower
lip concave; stamens and thread-like style protruding from the throat; in
whorls of 3–6, in terminal inflorescences, spike-like, lax. General: occurs
in relatively dry areas, common on dolomite; at
medium altitudes.
LIM and MP.
Rocky slopes.
Summer–autumn.
LINDERNIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
204 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
MALVACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 205
MALVACEAE
MELASTOMATACEAE
MYROTHAMNACEAE
MALVACEAE
206 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ORCHIDACEAE
Disa: named after Queen Disa, of a Swedish legend; aristata: with an awn
– refers to the bristle-like appendages on flower lobes.
Slender, erect or flexuous herb, up to 310 mm tall. Leaves 3–5 on stem, soft,
spreading, sheathing, narrowly lance-shaped, grading into bracts. Flowers
pale to deep pink, outer surface often darker pink, spur horizontal, cylin-
drical, ± 13 mm long; side lobes strap-shaped, ± 20 mm long, with long,
fine, hair-like points; inflorescence laxly 10–18-flowered, shoot inclined at
± 45°. General: endemic to the Wolkberg, at altitudes of 1 500–2 000 m.
LIM.
Rocky ledges, rock crevices.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
ex: through, tinctorum: of the cloth dyers – refers to the scarlet of the flow-
ers that appears to have been achieved by dyeing.
Slender herb, up to 400 mm tall. Leaves 8–12 on flowering stem, decreasing
in size upwards, grading into bracts; in addition, 2 or 3 on a separate shoot,
semi-erect. Flowers small, ± 5 mm across, facing downwards, brilliant scar-
let; spur curved downwards; inflorescence elongated, dense, 30–70-flow-
ered. General: occurs at altitudes of 1 000–1 600 m.
LIM and MP.
Damp grassland, vleis.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
fragrans: fragrant.
Fragrant disa (E); lekkerruik-disa (A)
ORCHIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 207
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
208 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ORCHIDACEAE
Satyros: from the mythological satyr, half man half goat – refers to the pair
of horn-like spurs on the lip; longicauda: long-tailed.
Blushing bride orchid (E); langsterttrewwa (A)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rootstock tuberous. Leaves 1 or 2,
on separate shoot next to flowering stem. Flowers variable in colour, white to
pink; sweetly scented; lip uppermost, hooded, with prominent, erect, hairy
flap; spurs 2, ± 30 mm long, partly hidden behind bracts; bracts bent down-
wards; inflorescence 15–60-flowered, lax, elongated. General: pollinated by
hawkmoths. For white-flowered form see p. 93.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Open damp grassland.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
Satyrium neglectum Schltr.
OROBANCHACEAE
kyknos: swan – probably refers to the slender, elongated flower tube; race-
mosum: with flowers borne on stalks along a central axis.
Large mountain ink flower (E); berginkplant (A)
Slender, erect perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Stem ribbed, usually un-
branched; partially parasitic on roots of other plants; roughly hairy. Leaves
± lance-shaped, sharply toothed in upper part. Flowers showy, ± 55 mm in
diameter, trumpet-shaped, pink or white, calyx cylindrical, ribbed, with short
teeth; fragrant; in terminal inflorescence. General: turning dark in drying.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 209
OROBANCHACEAE
OXALIDACEAE
oxys: acid, als: salt – refers to the oxalic acid content; latifolia: broad-
leaved.
Pink garden sorrel (E); suring (A)
Perennial herb, up to 250 mm tall. Bulb with numerous bulbils; runners;
stems clumped. Leaves with three leaflets, triangular, notched, large, up to
50 mm wide, folded; on long, slender stalks. Flowers ± 15 mm in diameter,
5-lobed, pink or mauve with green throat; in 5–20-flowered clusters, on long
stalks. General: troublesome weed, indigenous to South America.
Widespread across SA.
Disturbed areas, moist and shady places.
Summer–autumn.
PAPAVERACEAE
Papaver: Latin name for the poppy; aculeatum: prickly – refers to the stems
and leaves.
Orange poppy (E); doringpapawer, wildepapawer (A)
Erect annual herb, up to 900 mm tall. Plant covered in yellowish spines;
sap milky. Leaves basal and on stems, deeply lobed and toothed. Flowers
saucer-shaped, ± 50 mm in diameter, petals crinkly, orange to salmon-pink,
nodding in bud; solitary, on long stalks, in terminal inflorescence. Fruit a
ribbed capsule. General: the only Papaver species indigenous to the southern
hemisphere.
Widespread across SA.
Disturbed places, riverbeds, vleis.
Summer.
OROBANCHACEAE
210 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
PASSIFLORACEAE
aden: gland – refers to glands on the leaf stalk; digitata: fingered, hand-like.
Wild granadilla (E); bobbejaangif (A); makgopo (S); dundu (V)
Perennial climber, stems up to 2 m long. Tuber fleshy. Leaves variable,
stalked; variously lobed, greyish green below. Flowers tubular, ± 15 mm
long, cream-coloured to greenish; male and female on different plants, in
clusters, ending in a tendril; in leaf axils. Fruit hanging, egg-shaped, red to
magenta. General: leaves cooked as spinach; fruit poisonous to humans. For
cream flowers see p. 166.
Widespread across northeastern SA.
Rocky and grassy places, bushveld.
Spring–summer.
PEDALIACEAE
PHYLLANTHACEAE
PASSIFLORACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 211
POLYGONACEAE
oxys: sharp, gonia: angle; sinuatum: strongly waved – refers to the leaf
margins.
Dubbeltjie (A)
Annual, semi-erect to spreading herb, up to 300 mm tall. Taproot; stems
grooved. Leaves deeply lobed, margins reddish, sheaths near leaf base with
long reddish bristles. Flowers ± 5 mm long, 5-lobed, white with pinkish
tinge; 2–4 together, widely spaced in terminal inflorescences, spike-like.
Fruit a nut, 3-angled with a sharp spine from each angle. General: wide
distribution in eastern Africa from Sudan south-
wards.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, rocky or disturbed areas.
Summer.
POLYGONACEAE
(= P. attenuata)
persicum: peach, -aria: pertaining to – refers to the leaves; madagascarien-
sis: from Madagascar.
Bristly snakeroot (E); slangwortel (A)
Robust, perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. In large colonies. Stems reddish
green, erect or straggling. Leaves alternate, lance-shaped, tapering into a
very long point; sheaths near the leaf base fringed with long, hard bristles.
Flowers small, white to pale pink, pinkish red when in bud; inflorescences
terminal, dense, ± 60 mm long. Fruit a nut,
3-angled, tiny.
Widespread across SA.
Moist areas, along rivers and streams.
Summer.
POLYGONACEAE
*Rumex acetosella L.
Rumex: Latin name for culinary sorrel; acetosus: sour, -ella: diminutive, a
little sour.
Sheep sorrel (E); steenboksuring (A)
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rhizome spreading.
Leaves arrowhead-shaped, on long stalks, in a basal tuft. Flowers small,
cup-shaped, red; in whorls on terminal, much-branched inflorescence. Fruit
a light brown nut, 3-angled, 1 mm long. General: leaves have a tart taste and
culinary uses. Introduced from Europe, weed in South Africa.
Widespread across SA.
Disturbed areas.
Spring–summer.
POLYGONACEAE
212 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
POLYGONACEAE
PROTEACEAE
PROTEACEAE
POLYGONACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 213
PROTEACEAE
PROTEACEAE
rubropilosa: with soft red hairs – refers to the unopened velvety bud.
Transvaal sugarbush (E); platorand-suikerbos (A); segwapi (S)
Small, gnarled tree, up to 4 m tall. Main stem thick; bark black, flaking;
branches spreading. Leaves large, dark green, hairless, leathery, stalkless,
midrib reddish. Flower heads ± 80 mm in diameter, showy; bracts crimson,
outer surface velvety, red-brown; flowers red and white, protruding from the
bracts. General: forming open woodlands with P. roupelliae, at altitudes of
1 400–2 300 m, restricted to the escarpment between the Wolkberg and
Blyde River Canyon.
LIM and MP.
Mountain slopes.
Spring.
PROTEACEAE
PROTEACEAE
214 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
RANUNCULACEAE
ROSACEAE
*Cotoneaster sp.
cotoneum: quince, -aster: somewhat resembling; similar to a quince.
Cotoneaster (E); pronkbessie (A)
Rounded shrub, up to 3 m tall. Stems many; branches arching; without
spines. Leaves alternate, often green and hairless above, white and densely
hairy below. Flowers ± 10 mm in diameter, pinkish or white. Fruit showy,
orange-red or dull deep red, ± round, in clusters. General: indigenous to
China, introduced as an ornamental plant. Several species in southern Africa
which are difficult to identify accurately. Seeds dispersed by birds.
Widespread across more temperate areas of
SA.
Invades grassland, forest margins, riverbanks.
Spring–summer.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
RANUNCULACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 215
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
phugo: to shun, helios: the sun – refers to the shaded habitat; aequalis:
equal.
River bells, wild fuchsia (E); rivierklokkie (A)
Shrublet, up to 1 m tall. Woody at base; stems 4-angled. Leaves opposite,
elliptic, margins toothed. Flowers trumpet-shaped, ± 40 mm long, with 5
short, slightly flaring lobes, nodding, red to pink, yellow inside, stamens and
style protruding; calyx 5-lobed; inflorescence tall, branched, up to 300 mm
long. Fruit a capsule. General: occurs at high altitudes; pollinated by sun-
birds.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Stream banks.
Summer–autumn.
TURNERACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
216 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
VERBENACEAE
*Lantana camara L.
Lantana: an ancient name for Viburnum, which this genus resembles; ca-
mara: vaulted chamber.
Common lantana (E); gewone lantana (A); sebabane (S)
Scrambling shrub, up to 2 m tall. Forming impenetrable thickets. Stems
prickly, much branched. Leaves foul-smelling when crushed. Flowers small,
colour variable, pink, red, orange, yellow; in dense clusters, ± 30 mm in
diameter, flowers open successively towards the cluster centre. Fruit black-
ish, fleshy, round; eaten by birds and monkeys. General: introduced as an
ornamental plant from South America. Used in
traditional medicine to treat hypertension.
Widespread across SA.
Invades disturbed areas, forest margins.
Throughout the year.
VITACEAE
(= Cissus oleraceus)
kyphos: bent, stemma: wreath; oleraceum: of the vegetable garden – refers
to the cabbage-like leaves.
Robust, trailing herb, stems up to 2 m long. Leaves large, up to
220 × 240 mm, pale bluish green, thick, fleshy, ± circular in outline, mar-
gins toothed, ± stalkless, erect along stem. Flowers yellowish, 4 petals,
3 mm long, soon bending downward and falling off; with reddish stalks;
inflorescences in leaf axils. Fruit egg-shaped, ± 15 mm long, smooth, dark
purple when ripe. General: cultivated by succu-
lent plant collectors.
LIM and MP.
Bushveld.
Summer.
VITACEAE
VERBENACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 217
Blue/purple/mauve
218 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ACANTHACEAE
ACANTHACEAE
AGAPANTHACEAE
agape: love, anthos: flower – origin unknown; coddii: named after Leslie
E.W. Codd (1908–1999), South African botanist.
Waterberg agapanthus (E); Waterberg-bloulelie (A)
Robust, deciduous, perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. Rhizome with fleshy roots.
Leaves broad, strap-shaped, tips blunt. Flowers ± 35 mm long, open wide-
ly, lobes pale blue with a central dark blue stripe; stamens exposed, anthers
purple; many in an umbel. Fruit a capsule, seeds flat, black, winged. Gener-
al: endemic to the western Waterberg.
LIM.
Along streams, mountainsides.
Summer.
ACANTHACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 219
AGAPANTHACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
raphis: needle, akme: point – refers to the leaves ending in a sharp point;
hirsuta: hairy, although many plants are hairless.
False gentian (E); khadiwortel (A)
Perennial herb, up to 200 mm tall. Underground tuber ± 100 mm in diame-
ter, ± round. Sap milky. Leaves opposite, ± elliptic, ending in a sharp point,
veins lightly coloured, visible, midvein prominent below, secondary veins
parallel. Flowers ± 10 mm in diameter, star-shaped, bright magenta, purple
or deep pink, often before leaves. Fruit solitary or paired, up to 100 mm
long, spindle-shaped. General: porcupines eat
tubers.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Spring (after fire).
ASTERACEAE
a-: without, thrixia: hair – refers to the absence of hairs on certain flower
parts; elata: tall.
Daisy-tea (E); wildetee (A); mothwathathaa (L)
Twiggy shrublet, up to 1 m tall. Stems slender, much branched. Leaves
long, very narrow, tapering to a sharp point, margins distinctly rolled under,
dark green above, white-felted below. Flower heads ± 15 mm in diameter,
rays pale to dark purple, disc flowers yellow, surrounded by ± 7 series of
bristle-tipped bracts; terminal, solitary or several together on short twigs.
General: leaves infused as tea.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, rocky slopes.
Autumn.
AGAPANTHACEAE
220 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
ASTERACEAE
felix: happy, cheerful – possibly refers to the bright flowers; rosulata: with
a leaf rosette.
Blue daisy (E)
Perennial herb, up to 250 mm tall. Clump forming. Stems hairy, unbranched.
Leaves in a basal rosette, flat on the ground, elliptic to egg-shaped, hairy;
stem leaves elliptic, stalkless. Flower heads ± 20 mm in diameter, rays blue
or mauve, spreading at first, later curving backwards, disc flowers yellow,
surrounded by 3 rows of bracts; solitary on stem. General: usually at alti-
tudes above 2 000 m.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring.
ASTERACEAE
(= Vernonia tigna)
gymnos: naked, anthos: flower – refers to the bare flower stalks; corymbo-
sum: with clusters of flowers.
Mountain vernonia (E); swartteebossie (A); phathaphathani (L)
Shrub, up to 1.5 m tall. Stems erect, branched in upper part. Leaves half
erect, margins coarsely toothed in upper half; distinctly two-coloured, dark
green hairless above, grey-hairy below. Flower heads small, comprising disc
flowers only, mauve to dark violet, fading to white; in terminal rounded clus-
ters, ± 30 mm in diameter. General: used in
traditional medicine.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Mountains, scrub on forest margins, some-
times open grassland.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 221
ASTERACEAE
(= Vernonia myriantha)
myrianthum: with numerous flowers.
Eared vernonia (E); bloubittertee (A); motheba (S); mululudza (V)
Erect shrub, up to 3 m tall. Usually branched at base. Leaves alternate,
up to 300 mm long, elliptic, lobed towards the base, margins toothed, dull
green above, slightly paler below, stalk often with a pair of ear-shaped lobes
at the base. Flower heads ± 10 mm long, comprising disc flowers only,
pale mauve; many in large terminal dome-shaped clusters, ± 300 mm in
diameter. General: somewhat resembles the
introduced Solanum mauritianum (bugweed).
KZN, LIM and MP.
Forest margins.
Autumn–winter.
ASTERACEAE
(= Vernonia natalensis)
Hilliardia: named after Olive M. Hilliard (b. 1925), South African botanist,
-iella: diminutive; aristata: with an awn – refers to the bracts surround-
ing the flower heads.
Silver vernonia (E); aambeibos (A); mošuhla (S)
Perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. In clumps. Rootstock woody; stems erect,
ribbed, usually unbranched, closely leafy. Leaves stalkless, shape variable,
mostly narrowly lance-shaped, both surfaces softly silvery hairy. Flower
heads ± 10 mm in diameter, frilly, comprising disc flowers only, purple-
violet; in a cluster at tip of each stem. General:
used in traditonal medicine to treat asthma.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
(= Vernonia oligocephala)
elaeagnoides: resembling the genus Elaeagnus, mostly indigenous to Asia.
Bicoloured-leaved vernonia (E); maagtee (A); tselegani (L)
Erect, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Often tufted; rootstock woody;
stems many, usually unbranched, ribbed. Leaves distinctly two-coloured,
dark green above, silvery hairy below, ± egg-shaped with a long point,
± stalkless, veins prominent below. Flower heads ± 10 mm long, com-
prising disc flowers only, purple; many in a cluster at tip of each stem. Gen-
eral: used medicinally for intestinal and other
ailments.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland on mountainsides, rocky outcrops,
stream banks.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
222 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ASTERACEAE
(= Vernonia hirsuta)
hirsuta: hairy.
Quilted-leaved vernonia (E); wildesonsoekertjie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 1 m tall. In colonies. Rootstock woody; stem erect,
unbranched, ribbed; plant hairy throughout. Leaves lance-shaped, thick,
quilted, veins sunken above, prominent below; grey-woolly below, stalkless,
clasping at base. Flower heads ± 8 mm in diameter, comprising disc flow-
ers only, magenta to purple; many in terminal,
branched clusters. General: flowers visited by
bees, butterflies and beetles.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Mountains, grassland, scrub on forest margins.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
(= Vernonia sutherlandii)
sutherlandii: named after Peter C. Sutherland (1822–1900), medical doc-
tor from Scotland, Surveyor-General of Natal and plant collector.
Erect, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems 1–sev-
eral, simple, rough, hairy, ribbed. Leaves stalkless, elliptic, margins sharply
toothed, both surfaces hairy; mainly on lower part of the stems, decreasing
in size upwards, almost leafless above. Flower heads ± 15 mm long, purple
or magenta, surrounding bracts narrow, pointed, velvety; several in branched
inflorescence. General: often in warm, dry river
valleys.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, thorn scrub.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
(= Epaltes gariepina)
litos: simple, smooth, gyne: woman, female; allusion unclear; gariepina:
from the Gariep area in the Northern Cape.
Dwarf sage (E), blougifbossie (A)
Bushy perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Stems winged, branched above.
Leaves lance-shaped, stalkless, gland-dotted, aromatic. Flower heads
± 5 mm in diameter, apparently comprising disc flowers only, tiny thread-like
ray flowers on the outside, pinkish purple; a few together in terminal clusters
on side branches. General: crushed leaves repel
insects.
Widespread across SA.
Sandy grassland, open bushveld, roadsides.
Throughout the year.
ASTERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 223
ASTERACEAE
(= Vernonia staehelinoides)
oo-: egg, -cephala: -headed; staehelinoides: resembling the genus Staehe-
lina in the Asteraceae family, named after Benedikt Staehelin, a Swiss
botanist in the early 18th century.
Bloutee (A)
Much-branched, perennial shrublet, up to 600 mm tall. Woody at base;
stems and leaves grey-green, hairy. Leaves long, very narrow, margins rolled
under. Flower heads ± 10 mm long, disc flowers only, purple, surrounding
bracts roundish, scale-like; on long stalks, soli-
tary, terminal or in axils of upper leaves.
Widespread across northeastern SA.
Grassland on hillsides, rocky outcrops.
Autumn.
ASTERACEAE
(= Vernonia galpinii)
pseudo-: false, pegolettia: origin unknown; tenella: delicate.
Perskwasbossie (A)
Perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. In clumps. Rootstock woody; stems sev-
eral, erect, leafy, roughly hairy. Leaves alternate, lance-shaped, stalkless,
margins entire. Flower heads large, ± 25 mm in diameter, comprising disc
flowers only, purple; solitary, occasionally 3 or 4, at tip of stem. General:
probably bee pollinated.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
ASTERACEAE
senex: old man – refers to whitish grey ring of hairs around the top of
the fruit; gerrardii: named after William T. Gerrard (circa 1831–1866),
plant collector in KwaZulu-Natal and Madagascar.
Robust, erect, perennial herb, up to 2 m tall. Plant hairy throughout; aro-
matic. Leaves large, divided, with large teeth on margins, upper leaves much
smaller, stalkless. Flower heads small, up to 12 mm long, comprising disc
flowers only, deep purplish blue; many in terminal, much-branched inflores-
cence.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Forest margin scrub or marshy hollows.
Summer–autumn.
ASTERACEAE
224 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
BORAGINACEAE
kynos: dog, glossa: tongue – refers to the texture and shape of the leaves;
hispidum: bristly.
Hound’s tongue (E); beestongblaar, knoppiesklits (A)
BRASSICACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
BORAGINACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 225
CAMPANULACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
226 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CAMPANULACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
CAMPANULACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 227
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
dios: divine, anthos: flower; zeyheri: named after Carl L.P. Zeyher (1799–
1858), German botanist who collected in South Africa.
African carnation, wild pink (E); grasangelier (A)
Slender, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Root carrot-like; stems woody
at base, branched. Leaves rigid, blue-green, narrow, stem leaves in pairs,
joined at the base into a short sheath, widely spaced. Flowers ± 25 mm in
diameter, petals 5, finely toothed, pale pink to mauve; stamens protruding;
calyx tube 5-toothed; solitary, at tips of branches.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, hillsides.
Summer.
CLEOMACEAE
CLEOMACEAE
Cleome monophylla L.
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
228 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
COMMELINACEAE
COMMELINACEAE
kyanos: blue, otis: an ear – refers to the colour and form of the petals;
lapidosa: rocky.
Perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. In spreading colonies on rocks. Roots
thin. Leaves fleshy, hairy on both surfaces, sheathing at the base, clustered
on separate leafing shoots. Flowers small, purple, mauve to magenta; fila-
ments densely hairy, anthers bright yellow; in few-flowered clusters, in axils
of leaf-like, folded bracts, widely spaced along flowering stems, reddish pur-
ple, zigzag; slender inflorescences reclining.
Widespread across northeastern SA.
Mountains, rocky ledges.
Summer.
COMMELINACEAE
speciosa: beautiful.
Doll’s powderpuff (E); bloupoeierkwassie (A)
Slender, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Solitary or in small groups.
Rhizome well developed, swollen. Leaves basal, narrow, on separate leafing
shoot. Flowers ± 10 mm in diameter, pink, purple or blue, filaments densely
hairy, anthers bright yellow; 4–6 in tight, widely spaced clusters, in boat-
like bracts, on erect flowering stem. General: range extends from southern
Tanzania to South Africa.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
COMMELINACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 229
COMMELINACEAE
Murdannia: named after Murdan Aly, early 19th century expert on the Hi-
malayan flora; simplex: undivided, entire.
Perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. In clumps. Leaves mostly basal, up to
200 mm long, narrow. Flowers ± 15 mm in diameter, 3 equal-sized petals,
mauve, filaments with dark blue hairs; opening in the afternoon, several
flowers open at once; in terminal branched inflorescence. Fruit a capsule,
3-valved. General: this genus has its greatest diversity in tropical Asia.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Stream banks, moist areas.
Spring–summer.
CONVOLVULACEAE
CONVOLVULACEAE
(= Turbina oblongata)
oblongata: longer than broad.
Trailing, perennial herb, stems up to 2 m long, mostly angular, hairy. Root-
stock tuberous, large. Leaves ± erect, on stalks, egg-shaped to elliptical,
variable in shape and size, hairy on both surfaces, margins wavy, with fringe
of hairs. Flowers ± 55 mm in diameter, funnel-shaped, magenta, calyx lobes
leaf-like, ± equal, on erect stalks; 1–several, in leaf axils. Fruit a capsule,
leathery, 1–4-seeded. General: vigorous growth habit; root edible.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, bushveld, on wet and sandy soils.
Summer.
COMMELINACEAE
230 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
DROSERACEAE
droseros: dewy – refers to dewy leaf glands; dielsiana: named after Fried-
rich L.E. Diels (1874–1945), German botanist who travelled in South
Africa.
Sundew (E)
Slender herb, up to 200 mm tall. Roots few, thin. Leaves in basal rosette;
tip rounded, tapering below, stalkless; with sticky, gland tipped hairs which
trap small insects. Flowers ± 10 mm in diameter, petals 5, pink, mauve or
white; opening one at a time, in bright sunlight; several on long wiry stem,
tip coiled at first. Fruit a capsule, enclosed in
persistent calyx.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Mountain summits.
Summer.
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
DROSERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 231
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
otheo: to burst forth, lobion: a small pod – the fruits suddenly seem to
be pushed out from the calyx; wilmsii: named after Friedrich Wilms
(1848–1919), German apothecary.
Grassland hookleaf-pea (E); grasveldvlieëkeurtjie (A)
Woody shrub, up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves with 3 leaflets, inverted lance-shaped
with a short stiff tip, bent backwards, dotted with black glands; on short
stalks. Flowers small, white and purple or purplish blue; calyx hairy; in clus-
ters ± 25 mm long, usually terminal. Fruit a pod, protruding from calyx at
maturity.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland.
Summer–autumn.
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
232 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
FABACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 233
FABACEAE
(= V. nervosa)
Vigna: named after Domenico Vigna (d. 1647), Italian botanist; schlech-
teri: Friedrich R.R. Schlechter (1872–1925), German botanist and plant
collector in Africa.
Delicate perennial herb, stems up to 300 mm long, creeping or twining.
Leaves with 3 leaflets, rounded at the base, on long stalks, stipules present.
Flowers small, ± 8 mm long, pink or purple; 1 or 2 together on a long stalk,
in leaf axils. Fruit a pod, ± 35 mm long, narrowly cylindrical, hairless, with
a straight beak.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland.
Summer.
FABACEAE
GENTIANACEAE
Chironia: named after the wise centaur Chiron; krebsii: named after Georg
L.E. Krebs (1792–1844), German apothecary who collected plants in
the Cape.
Krebs’ gentian (E)
Erect, unbranched perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rhizome. Leaves
narrow, long, clustered at base; stem leaves smaller, in distant pairs. Flow-
ers ± 25 mm in diameter, lobes 5, twisted in bud, then spreading, pointed,
purplish pink, rarely white, style and 5 stamens with twisted yellow an-
thers protruding; in narrow, terminal clusters.
Fruit a capsule. General: up to an altitude of
± 2 500 m.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Marshy ground.
Summer.
FABACEAE
234 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
GENTIANACEAE
GERANIACEAE
GESNERIACEAE
streptos: twisted, karpos: fruit – refers to the spirally coiled fruit; caeruleus:
blue.
Perennial herb, up to 150 mm tall. Leaves 2–6, egg-shaped to elliptic, quilt-
ed, midrib often slightly curved. Flowers ± 30 mm long, violet-blue with 2
pale yellow spots in the throat, tube widening from base to mouth, upper
lip of 2 erect lobes, lower lip 3-lobed; inflorescences 4–8-flowered, stalks
reddish brown. Fruit up to 50 mm long, held erect. General: endemic to the
Blouberg–Soutpansberg range.
LIM.
Mountain tops, under cliffs.
Summer–autumn.
GENTIANACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 235
GESNERIACEAE
GESNERIACEAE
GESNERIACEAE
GESNERIACEAE
236 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
HYACINTHACEAE
drymis: acrid, many species in this genus are poisonous or irritant; elata:
tall.
Satin squill (E); jeukbol, brandui (A); sekanama (S)
Bulbous herb, up to 1 m tall. Leaves long, appear after flowers. Flowers
± 15 mm long, lobes curled up, style and tuft of stamens protruding, var-
iable in colour, usually whitish, greenish or pinkish; in a slender, erect, ter-
minal inflorescence. General: bulb irritant when handled. Used in traditional
medicine as a blood purifier and to treat female
infertility, gonorrhoea and hypertension.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, among rocks.
Spring–summer.
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 237
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
(= Scilla natalensis)
Merwilla: named after Frederick Z. van der Merwe (1894–1968), South
African botanist and medical doctor; plumbea: leaden grey.
Blue squill (E); blouslangkop (A); sekakgopha (S)
Erect, bulbous herb, up to 1 m tall. Bulb large, half above ground, papery,
purplish brown. Leaves erect, grey-green produced after the flowers. Flowers
star-shaped, ± 10 mm in diameter, pale to deep purplish blue, filaments
white; many in slender inflorescence, ± 300 mm long, stem arching. Gen-
eral: used in traditional medicine for the treat-
ment of diabetes.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, stream banks, rocky areas.
Spring.
HYACINTHACEAE
238 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
(= A. woodii)
torulosa: tufted.
Common grass aristea (E); blousuurkanol (A)
Perennial herb, up to 800 mm tall. Underground rhizome; stem mostly un-
branched. Leaves in basal fan, narrow, long; stem leaves smaller, upper with
almost transparent tips. Flowers ± 20 mm in diameter, pale to dark blue
or deep mauve; opening in the early morning and closing by midday (except
on overcast days), twisting into tight spiral after
flowering; in clusters along flowering stem.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Mountain grassland.
Summer.
IRIDACEAE
Babiana: from the Cape Dutch name for baboons, which relish the corms;
bainesii: named after Thomas Baines (1820–1875), English artist and
plant collector.
Bobbejaanuintjie (A)
Small perennial, up to 250 mm tall. Sometimes in tufts. Corm deep un-
derground, rounded with a neck up to 200 mm long, covered with fibres.
Leaves overtopping flowers, erect, pleated, narrow. Flowers funnel-shaped,
tube slender, up to 60 mm long, blue to violet or mauve, lower lobes with
white markings, often edged in dark blue; fragrant; 2–8 crowded, produced
at ground level. General: the name B. hypogea
was previously incorrectly used for this species.
Widespread across SA.
Dry grassland, bushveld.
Summer–autumn.
IRIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 239
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
Moraea: named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 for his wife Sara E. née Moraea;
natalensis: from KwaZulu-Natal.
Wild iris (E)
Slender cormous herb, up to 300 mm tall. Stem erect or inclined, branched.
Leaf solitary, appearing round, inserted high on the flowering stem, up to
200 mm long. Flowers lilac to blue-violet with yellow nectar guides edged
with dark mauve on outer lobes, ± 18 mm long; inner lobes narrowly lance-
shaped; opening in the late morning, fading towards the evening. General:
found at coastal to mid-altitudes; distribution
extending into tropical Africa.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Wet, exposed sites along stream banks, in
seeps, vleis, rock outcrops.
Summer.
IRIDACEAE
240 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
IRIDACEAE
LAMIACEAE
Mentha aquatica L.
LAMIACEAE
IRIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 241
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
242 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
LAMIACEAE
(= Clerodendrum triphyllum)
Rotheca: a latinised Malayalam name; hirsuta: hairy.
Butterfly bush, Matabele violet, wild violet (E)
Shrublet, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody, often very old, fire-resistant;
stems many, erect, unbranched. Leaves elliptic to lance-shaped, stalkless;
mostly in whorls of 3. Flowers showy, ± 15 mm in diameter, 5-lobed, lower
lobe larger than upper 4, arching stamens and style conspicuous, pale blue
to violet with a white, inverted Y-shaped pattern
on the lower lobe; few in clusters, in leaf axils.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring (after fire).
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 243
LAMIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
LENTIBULARIACEAE
LAMIACEAE
244 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
LOBELIACEAE
LOBELIACEA
LOBELIACEA
LOBELIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 245
LOBELIACEA
LOBELIACEAE
LOBELIACEA
LOBELIACEA
246 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
LOBELIACEA
LOBELIACEA
LOBELIACEA
stellarioides: star-like.
Sticky-leaved monopsis (E)
Sprawling annual or perennial herb, stems up to 500 mm long. Plant cov-
ered in tiny, rough bumps. Leaves opposite, stalked, narrow to elliptic, mar-
gins toothed. Flowers ± 12 mm long, 2-lipped, purple with yellow markings
in the throat; solitary, in leaf axils along the stem, on long, slender stalks.
Fruit a capsule, 2-valved. General: leaves and stems stick to clothing.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Shady banks in forest, moist situations,
stream banks.
Summer.
LOBELIACEA
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 247
MELASTOMATACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
brachy: short, koros: helmet – refers to the hooded appearance of the upper
part of the flower; ovata: egg-shaped.
Fairly robust herb, up to 450 mm tall. Plant not hairy. Leaves on stem,
lance-shaped, overlapping, gradually decreasing in size upwards, grading
into bracts. Flowers ± 15 mm across, pink to purple, lip 3-lobed at tip, cen-
tral lobe white with purple spots; spur absent; bract long, below each flower;
in a dense inflorescence. General: similar to B. pubescens, distinguishing
characters listed under that species.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
MELASTOMATACEAE
248 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ORCHIDACEAE
(= Herschelianthe baurii)
Disa: named after Queen Disa, of a Swedish legend; baurii: named after
Leopold R. Baur (1825–1889), German apothecary who worked in the
Eastern Cape.
Bloumoederkappie (A)
Slender perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock tuberous. Leaves slen-
der, grass-like, sheathing at base, appearing after flowering. Flowers ± 25 mm
across, blue to deep mauve, occasionally white; lip deeply lobed, fringed; spur
pointing upwards, ± 5 mm long, tip rounded;
bracts dry; inflorescence laxly 2–10-flowered.
General: flowering well before summer rains.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Mountain grassland.
Spring.
ORCHIDACEAE
eu: well, lophos: crest – refers to the crested lip; livingstoneana: named
after David Livingstone (1813–1873), British missionary and explorer.
Slender perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Tuber underground, horizon-
tal. Leaves absent to partially developed at flowering, on a separate shoot,
thin-textured. Flowers ± 30 mm in diameter, lobes spreading to bending
backwards, pale mauve-pink, lip 3-lobed, side lobes brownish, midlobe pur-
plish, long, narrow, crests of 2 warty ridges, spur ± 5 mm long; in lax
inflorescence. General: range extends into tropical Africa, at altitudes of
800–1 200 m.
LIM.
Bushveld.
Summer.
OROBANCHACEAE
Buchnera sp.
Buchnera: named after 18th century German naturalist Buchner.
Slender, ascending herb, up to 300 mm tall. Much branched from base;
plant rough to the touch. Leaves long, narrow, in whorls. Flowers ± 10 mm
in diameter, tube slender, longer than calyx, lobes 5, spreading, blue or
mauve, each with a dark streak at the base; calyx tubular, ribbed, lobes
short; several in terminal inflorescences. Fruit a capsule, seeds many. Gen-
eral: plant turning black when dried. This relatively common plant has only
been identified to genus level.
LIM and possibly other provinces.
Grassland.
Summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 249
OROBANCHACEAE
PEDALIACEAE
di: two, keras: horn, karyon: nut – refers to the hard fruit with 2 spines;
senecioides: resembling the genus Senecio in the Asteraceae family.
Devil’s thorn (E); dubbeltjie, duiweltjies (A)
Trailing perennial herb, stems up to 1 m long, several, branched. Taproot
woody. Leaves deeply irregularly lobed and toothed, white below. Flowers
± 40 mm long, funnel-shaped, mauve or pink with darker veining in throat,
calyx deeply lobed; solitary, in leaf axils, held erect above leaves. Fruit hard,
oval, upper part raised with 2 sharp spines. General: leaves used as soap
substitute.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Sandy soil in grassland or bushveld, roadsides.
Throughout the year.
PHYTOLACCACEAE
*Phytolacca octandra L.
phyton: plant, lakh: Hindi for dye – refers to red juice of the fruit; octandra:
with 8 stamens.
Inkberry (E); bobbejaandruif (A)
Bushy herb, up to 1 m tall. Base woody; stems reddish, sparsely branched.
Leaves elliptic, on long stalks. Flowers small, inconspicuous, greenish white;
on upright spikes. Fruit fleshy, round, ± 5 mm in diameter, purple-black
when ripe. General: indigenous to the Americas. Fruit eaten by birds and
baboons.
Widespread across SA.
Invades clear-felled timber plantations, dis-
turbed areas.
Spring–summer.
OROBANCHACEAE
250 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
POLYGALACEAE
poly: much, gala: milk – refers to the old belief that some European species
increase the milk yield of cows; gerrardii: named after William T. Gerrard
(circa 1831–1866), collector in KwaZulu-Natal and Madagascar.
Dwarf perennial herb, up to 90 mm tall. Rootstock woody. Leaves elliptic,
± 10 mm long, tip pointed, midrib thickened, prominent below. Flowers
small, ± 5 mm long, 3 lobes, united at base, lowest boat-shaped with a
conspicuous tuft of hairs, blue or purple; solitary in leaf axils.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, bushveld.
Spring–summer.
POLYGALACEAE
POLYGALACEAE
POLYGALACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 251
POLYGALACEAE
POLYGALACEAE
POLYGALACEAE
POLYGALACEAE
252 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
POLYGALACEAE
RUBIACEAE
RUBIACEAE
POLYGALACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 253
RUBIACEAE
pente: five, anisos: unequal – refers to the lobes of the calyx; angustifolia:
with narrow leaves.
Spreading to erect, perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody;
plant usually ± hairless, stems several. Leaves narrow, variable in size and
shape, stalkless. Flowers ± 15 mm long, tubular, 5-lobed, throat hairy, style
protruding, pale blue to lilac; in compact terminal clusters, elongating in
fruit, on long stems. General: variable species with intermediates between
P. angustifolia and P. prunelloides. Seen after fire.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
RUBIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
RUBIACEAE
254 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
SCROPHULARIACEAE
Buddleja: named after Adam Buddle (1660–1715), English priest and am-
ateur botanist; salviifolia: with leaves resembling the sage, Salvia, in
the Lamiaceae family.
Wild sage (E); saliehout (A); molalathau (S); mudiatholana (V)
Evergreen, spreading shrub or tree, up to 5 m tall. Stems long, slender, arch-
ing. Leaves lance-shaped, dull grey-green above, white below; quilted ap-
pearance. Flowers up to 10 mm long, tubular, whitish, mauve or purple with
deep orange throat; sweetly scented; in showy branched clusters ± 120 mm
long, at tips of branches. General: used as a
tea; ornamental shrub, cold hardy.
Widespread across SA.
Forest margins, along streams, rocky slopes.
Spring.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
(= Sutera floribunda)
chaeno: gaping, stoma: mouth – refers to the widely opened flower tube;
floribundum: flowering profusely.
Kerriebos (A)
Aromatic perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Stems much branched, ± erect,
softly hairy. Leaves opposite, broadly egg-shaped, margins toothed, on short
stalks. Flowers with narrowly funnel-shaped tube, ± 10 mm long, lobes 5,
spreading; stamens protruding from the tube; blue, pinkish mauve or white,
throat yellow; calyx with 5 narrow lobes, hairy; many in leafy, branching
inflorescences, branchlets opposite.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, among boulders, stream banks,
forest margins.
Summer–autumn.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
(= Sutera levis)
leve: smooth.
Skunk bush (E); stinkbossie (A)
Bushy perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems much-
branched. Leaves opposite; long, narrow to narrowly elliptic, margins entire
to minutely toothed. Flowers small, tube, ± 3 mm long, lobes 5, spreading;
stamens protruding from the tube, pinkish mauve or white, throat yellow,
small, on slender stalks; in much-branched ter-
minal inflorescences.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Rocky grassy hill slopes, often among boul-
ders.
Summer–autumn.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 255
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
(= S. elata)
procera: very tall.
Slender, ± erect shrublet, up to 1 m tall. Much branched in upper part,
branches thinly hairy. Leaves stalkless, lance-shaped, solitary or with a few
small leaves in the axils. Flowers small, tube ± 5 mm long, narrow, 5-lobed,
white, mauve or purple; calyx with narrow lobes, hairy; in small clusters,
± 13 mm in diameter, at tips of branches. General: occurs at altitudes of
900–1 800 m.
LIM and MP.
Mountain grassland, forest margins, stream
banks.
Summer.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
256 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
SCROPHULARIACEAE
Teedia: named after Johann G. Teede, 18th century German naturalist; lu-
cida: shining, glossy.
Klipkersie, stinkbos (A)
Shrublet, up to 1 m tall. Unpleasant odour; stems 4-angled. Leaves oppo-
site, broadly elliptic, margins finely toothed, glossy, stalks winged, running
on to the stem. Flowers up to 6 mm long, tubular, lobes 5, rounded, blue,
lilac or mauve; 3–7 in inflorescences, dense, leafy. Fruit round, purplish
black when ripe. General: range extends into Zimbabwe.
Widespread across SA.
Rocky mountain grassland, scrub forest.
Throughout the year.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
tetra: four, selago: genus in the same family, allusion unclear; nelsonii:
named after William Nelson (1852–1922), who collected in the former
Transvaal.
Tufted, perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Stems erect or ascending, hairy.
Leaves on stem narrower than 3 mm, with blunt tip and blunt teeth,
crowded in little clusters. Flowers small, tube funnel-shaped, 3–4 mm long,
5-lobed, lobes spreading, blue to mauve, stamens protruding; many in ter-
minal, branched inflorescences, compact, slightly domed, up to 50 mm in
diameter. Fruit: a capsule. General: often on
rocky sites and on forest margins; appears to be
restricted to LIM.
LIM.
Rocky grassland.
Summer.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 257
SOLANACEAE
SOLANACEAE
SOLANACEAE
SOLANACEAE
258 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
VELLOZIACEAE
xeros: dry, phytos: plant – refers to their tough habit; purpurascens: pur-
plish.
Black-stick lily, monkey’s tail (E); bobbejaanstert (A)
Small erect shrub, up to 800 mm tall. Stem scarcely branched, covered with
a thick fibrous coat of persistent leaf bases. Leaves in tuft at stem tip, long,
slender, upper leaf surface hairy towards tip; arching, deciduous. Flowers
± 40 mm in diameter, mauve to purple; stamens 6, anthers conspicuous,
yellow; solitary on hairy stalks, up to 100 mm long. Fruit: a capsule. Gener-
al: used in traditional medicine.
LIM and MP.
Grassland, among rocks.
Spring.
VERBENACEAE
Lantana: an ancient name for Viburnum, which this genus resembles; ru-
gosa: wrinkled.
Bird’s brandy (E); wildesalie (A); mosunkwane (S); tshidzimba-vhalisa (V)
Straggly, much-branched, aromatic shrub, up to 1 m tall. Leaves opposite
or in whorls of 3 or 4, prominently veined below, margins toothed. Flowers
small, pink to purple; in dense clusters of ± 20 mm diameter, flowers open
successively towards the cluster centre, on long stalks, in leaf axils. Fruit
round, fleshy, purple, in elongated clusters; edible. General: flowers attract
butterflies.
Widespread across SA.
Hillsides, grassland and bushveld, often in
shade of bush clumps.
Spring–autumn.
VERBENACEAE
*Verbena bonariensis L.
VELLOZIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 259
VITACEAE
VITACEAE
260 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Green
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 261
ANACARDIACEAE
(= Rhus discolor)
Searsia: named after Paul B. Sears (1891–1990), American plant ecolo-
gist; discolor: with different colours – refers to the leaves.
Grassveld currant (E); grasveldtaaibos (A)
Erect shrublet, up to 500 mm tall. Often in big colonies. Rootstock large,
underground, woody; stems hairy, sparsely branched. Leaves stalked, with
3 narrow leaflets, upper surface green, lower white-felted, veins prominent
below, tips sharply pointed. Flowers very small, greenish to yellowish; in
clusters between top leaves; male and female
flowers on separate plants. Fruit: round, small,
yellowish brown.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
ANACARDIACEAE
ANACARDIACEAE
(= Rhus pondoensis)
pondoensis: from Pondoland in the Eastern Cape where the type specimen
was collected.
Many-veined currant (E); veelnerftaaibos (A)
Slender, upright shrublet, up to 1 m tall. Stem ribbed, sparsely branched.
Leaves with 3 narrow leaflets, stiff, sharply pointed, dull grey-green; midrib
and side veins prominent above and below. Flowers tiny, yellowish green;
inflorescences in leaf axils and terminal, latter up to 70 mm long. Fruit
± 5 mm in diameter, fleshy, shiny, chestnut-
brown.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland, rocky slopes.
Summer–autumn.
ANACARDIACEAE
262 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
aspidos: small shield; glossa: tongue – refers to the shape of the corona
lobes; ovalifolium: with oval leaves.
Variable shield-tongue (E)
Erect perennial herb, up to 200 mm tall. Stem usually solitary, unbranched.
Leaves variable in shape, size and hairiness, needle-shaped to broadly ellip-
tic. Flowers relatively large, ± 20 mm in diameter, lobes 5, spreading, green
striped brown or dark purplish brown; corona lobes variously shaped, with
long, slender tips, shoulders peaked, white marked with pink; several crowd-
ed towards top of stem. Fruit erect, tapering to
pointed tip, ± 40 mm long, bristly. General: the
most variable species of the genus.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, sometimes near water.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
gompho: club, carpus: fruit; physo: bladdery – refers to the inflated fruits.
Balloon cottonbush, hairy balls (E); balbossie (A)
Bushy, perennial herb, up to 1.6 m tall. All parts with milky sap. Leaves
opposite, narrow, tapering gradually towards the base. Flowers small, lobes
bent backwards, white; in nodding clusters. Fruit large, up to 70 mm in di-
ameter, roundish, inflated, covered in soft spines. General: a weed in places;
reportedly poisonous. Used traditionally to treat headache. For white flowers
see p. 34.
Widespread across SA.
On wet soils, disturbed areas.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 263
APOCYNACEAE
raphis: needle, acme: point – refers to the leaves ending in a sharp point;
galpinii: named after Ernest E. Galpin (1858–1941), South African
banker and amateur botanist.
Galpin’s raphio (E); melkbol (A)
Erect perennial herb, up to 250 mm tall. Tuber underground, up to 150 mm
in diameter; stems usually unbranched. Leaves lance-shaped, softly hairy
on both surfaces, opposite. Flowers small, star-shaped, hairy outside, bright
green, purple at base; corona lobes ending in thread-like branches; in dense
clusters, ± 20 mm in diameter, in leaf axils.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, rocky hillsides.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
264 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
ASTERACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 265
ASTERACEAE
(= Blumea alata)
Laggera: named after Franz J. Lagger (1802–1870), Swiss physician and
botanist; crispata: crisped.
Muishondbossie (A); motshikidi (L)
Stout much-branched herb, up to 2 m tall. Woody at base; stems sever-
al, winged; slightly aromatic. Leaves stalkless, ± elliptic, margins toothed.
Flower heads ± 12 mm in diameter, outer flowers slender, thread-like, inner
disc flowers, pinkish purple, surrounded by bracts curved outwards; hang-
ing on arching stalks, in terminal inflorescence.
General: used medicinally by the Lobedu, no
details available.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Bushveld, disturbed places.
Autumn–winter.
CUCURBITACEAE
CYPERACEAE
(= Schoenoxiphium sparteum)
Carex: Latin name for sedge; spartea: pertaining to the genus Spartium, the
Spanish broom, in the Fabaceae family.
Tufted, erect perennial, up to 450 mm tall. Leaves basal and on stem, grass-
like, long, slender, tapering to tips. Flowers tiny, male or female; in rather
compact, rigid inflorescence, overtopping the leaves. Fruit a nutlet. General:
range extends from the Cape to Ethiopia. The genus is under revision in
South Africa.
EC, FS, KZN and LIM.
Damp shady slopes.
Spring.
ASTERACEAE
266 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
EUPHORBIACEAE
EUPHORBIACEAE
EUPHORBIACEAE
EUPHORBIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 267
HYACINTHACEAE
albus: white – refers to some Albuca flowers being at least partly white;
abyssinica: from Abyssinia, now Ethiopia.
Bushveld slime lily (E); bosveld slymlelie (A)
Perennial bulbous herb, up to 1 m tall. Leaves strap-shaped, hairy below
towards the base. Flowers ± 15 mm long, greenish yellow, erect, inner 3
lobes converging, outer 3 spreading; on long stalks, in many-flowered in-
florescence; elongating in fruit. General: widespread through southern and
tropical Africa, extending to the Arabian Peninsula.
KZN, LIM, MP and NW.
Rocky slopes.
Spring–summer.
HYACINTHACEAE
dipcadi: oriental name originally used for the grape hyacinth; marlothii:
named after Hermann W.R. Marloth (1855–1931), German-born South
African pharmacist and botanist.
Dronkui (A)
Slender, erect, bulbous herb, up to 500 mm tall. Usually solitary. Bulb
± 15 mm in diameter. Leaves basal, grass-like, ± twisted in upper part.
Flowers ± 12 mm long, tubular, lobes without ‘tails’, spreading, green to
brownish; on upper third of stem, all open flowers pointing in the same
direction, inflorescence tip drooping sharply in
bud (as if wilted). General: bulb edible.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
268 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
HYACINTHACEAE
HYACINTHACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
habena: strap or thong, aria: possessing – refers to the long spur; fili:
thread, cornis: horned – refers to the thread-like slender spur.
Slender, erect, perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Root tuberous. Leaves
few, on stem, narrow, ± erect. Flowers small, green, upper midlobe erect,
± 5 mm long, lip with 3 narrow lobes, lip midlobe slightly longer and broad-
er than side lobes; spur slender, ± 25 mm long; many in lax inflorescence.
General: inconspicuous in its grassy habitat. Most Habenaria species appear
to be adapted to moth pollination.
GP, KZN, LIM and MP.
Seasonally marshy grassland.
Summer.
HYACINTHACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 269
ORCHIDACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
(= Eulophia foliosa)
ortho-: upright, straight, cheilos: lip; foliosus: leafy.
Semi-erect perennial herb, up to 350 mm tall. Leaves partly to fully devel-
oped at flowering, stiff, erect, narrow, ribbed. Flowers ± 15 mm long, lip
3-lobed, bearing crests, spur absent; not opening widely, facing downwards,
dull lime-green with a dark to pale purple to white lip; many in dense inflo-
rescence. General: sometimes in colonies; from near sea level to 2 000 m.
Pollinated by click beetles.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Damp grassland.
Spring–summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
Satyros: from the mythological satyr, half man half goat – refers to the pair
of horn-like spurs on the lip; parviflorum: with small flowers.
Devil orchid (E)
Slender to robust, erect, perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Leaves 2–4,
variable, at the base of the flowering stem or on a shoot next to it. Flow-
ers ± 5 mm in diameter; lip egg-shaped with a very small opening, spurs
curved; yellowish green, sometimes tinged with purple; bracts usually match
the flower colour; sweetly scented; in lax inflorescence. General: in a wide
variety of habitats.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, moist to dry places.
Spring–summer.
ORCHIDACEAE
270 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
PERACEAE
Clutia: named after Outgers Cluyt (1577–1636), Dutch botanist and apoth-
ecary; affinis: closely related.
Water lightning-bush (E); waterbliksembos (A)
Erect, much-branched shrub, up to 3 m tall. Main stem and branchlets pale
green to grey, hairy. Leaves alternate, elliptic, with stalks, main veins rather
distinct; paler green below; turning orange with age. Flowers ± 3 mm in
diameter, yellowish green; clustered in leaf axils; male and female flowers
on separate plants. Fruit a 3-lobed capsule, green, ± 5 mm in diameter,
splitting open when ripe.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, shrubland, forest margins.
Summer.
PERACEAE
PERACEAE
Clutia pulchella L.
PERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 271
PHYLLANTHACEAE
phyllon: leaf, anthos: flower, in some species the flowers are borne on leaf-
like branches; incurvus: curved inwards.
Dyebossie (A)
Slender perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock woody; stems many,
ascending, whip-like. Leaves long, narrowly lance-shaped, with stipules, al-
ternate, widely spaced. Flowers tiny, ± 4 mm in diameter, with 4–6 lobes,
yellowish red; male flowers clustered, female solitary, in upper leaf axils,
male and female flowers mostly on same plant. Fruit a capsule, seeds 3-an-
gled.
Widespread across SA.
Woodland, grassland, rocky slopes.
Summer.
PHYLLANTHACEAE
RUBIACEAE
PHYLLANTHACEAE
272 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
RUBIACEAE
RUBIACEAE
RUBIACEAE
(= Pygmaeothamnus chamaedendrum)
Bridsonia: named after Diane M. Bridson (b. 1942), British botanist; cha-
maedendrum: dwarf tree.
Pygmy medlar, pygmy sand apple (E); goorappel (A)
Small perennial herb, up to 150 mm tall. In colonies; individuals intercon-
nected by woody underground stems up to 60 mm thick. Leaves opposite,
at the tips of stems. Flowers ± 12 mm in diameter, densely hairy in throat,
lobes 5, spreading, pale green or yellowish green; scented; in clusters, mostly
below leaves. Fruit fleshy, round. General: larg-
er colonies may be hundreds of years old.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
RUBIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 273
RUBIACEAE
SMILACACEAE
RUBIACEAE
274 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Brown
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 275
APOCYNACEAE
aniso-: unequal, tome: cut – possibly refers to the leaves or flower lobes;
pedunculata: with a flower stalk.
Common spiderweb (E)
Trailing, perennial herb, stems up to 600 mm long, hairy. Rootstock woody.
Leaves opposite, held horizontally, ± heart-shaped, on stalks. Flowers
± 10 mm in diameter, lobes 5, cream-coloured from the base, purplish
brown in upper part, spreading, margins rolled under, hairy; corona lobes
lance-shaped, white; 2–10 on erect stem, up to 50 mm long, at the nodes.
Fruit spindle-shaped, ± 100 mm long, slender.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland, usually among rocks.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
(= A. dregeana)
Asclepias: named after the Greek doctor Aesculapius, immortalised as a
god of medicine; fulva: tawny, brownish yellow.
Button-heads (E)
Erect perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Stem unbranched, covered in short
brown hairs; sap milky. Leaves lance-shaped, erect, opposite, both surfaces with
rust-coloured hairs when young, becoming hairless with age. Flowers ± 15 mm
in diameter, lobes 5, spreading, curved, ± bent backwards, dull orange inside,
purple-brown outside; corona lobes compressed
sideways, yellowish; in nodding umbels, on
stalks up to 50 mm long, at nodes and terminal.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
(= Brachystelma barberae)
keros: wax, pege: fountain – refers to the texture and form of the flowers;
barberae: named after Mary E. Barber (1818–1899), botanical artist
and plant collector.
Barber’s brachystelma (E); platvoetaasblom (A)
Perennial dwarf herb, up to 100 mm tall. Tuber ± disc-shaped; stems short,
hairy; sap watery. Leaves opposite, on short stalks, hairy. Flowers large, up
to 100 mm in diameter, cage-like, lobes slender, elongated, united at tips;
inner surface maroon to crimson-brown, green-
ish outside; scent unpleasant; sometimes ap-
pearing before leaves; up to 25 all open at once.
EC, GP, KZN and LIM.
Grassland in sand.
Spring. S.J. Siebert
APOCYNACEAE
276 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APOCYNACEAE
(= C. racemosa)
carnosa: fleshy, thick and soft.
Trailing perennial herb, stems up to 1 m long. Rootstock with cluster of fleshy
roots. Leaves slightly fleshy, egg- to lance-shaped. Flowers up to 25 mm
long, erect, tube slightly curved, lobes united at tips, forming a rounded
cage-like structure, with long, whitish hairs on the upper part; greenish
white with maroon markings, 2–5, developing successively, on slender stalk,
at nodes.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Bush clumps on rocky outcrops, rocky hill-
sides, riverine bush.
Summer.
APOCYNACEAE
(= Brachystelma coddii)
coddii: named after Leslie E.W. Codd (1908–1999), South African bota-
nist.
Dwarf perennial herb, stems up to 500 mm long, trailing, hairy. Tuber ± flat-
tened at the top, up to 50 mm in diameter. Leaves egg-shaped, opposite, on
short stalks, sparsely hairy, blue-green. Flowers star-shaped, ± 20 mm in
diameter, velvety, maroon or scarlet, marked with maroon stripes and edged
with maroon; mainly solitary, near nodes. Fruit spindle-shaped, smooth.
General: at an altitude of 1 500–2 000 m.
LIM and MP.
Rocky areas in mistbelt.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
(= Brachystelma gerrardii)
gerrardii: named after William T. Gerrard (circa 1831–1866), plant collec-
tor in KwaZulu-Natal and Madagascar.
Gerrard’s brachystelma (E)
Erect perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rootstock with fleshy, spindle-shaped
roots; stem simple or sparingly branched above, hairy. Leaves broadly egg-
shaped, hairy. Flowers propeller-like, up to 20 mm long, divided ± to base,
constricted below the middle forming a bulbous base, lobes spreading in
upper part, long hairs on margin; dark green to
metallic black; corona lobes cream; on slender
stalk, solitary at upper nodes.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland.
Summer.
APOCYNACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 277
APOCYNACEAE
(= Brachystelma oianthum)
oios: alone, one, anthos: flower.
Perennial herb, up to 80 mm tall. Tuber up to 50 mm in diameter; stems 1
or 2, sparingly branched, hairy. Leaves egg- to lance-shaped, hairy, folded
upward along midrib. Flowers fairly large, up to 25 mm long, conspicuously
egg-shaped, slightly narrowed to the mouth, lobes 5, short, with a fringe of
purplish hairs, spreading to slightly nodding, on short stalks; outside yellow,
inside with purple-brown mottling or entirely purple-brown; corona purple
brown; solitary at the nodes.
GP, LIM, MP and NW.
Rocky outcrops of mountains.
Spring.
G. Cooper
APOCYNACEAE
orbis: ring, circle – refers to the central raised disc in flowers of most spe-
cies; melanantha: black-flowered.
Short-lobed brown carrion flower (E); kort-lob bruin aasblom (A)
Succulent perennial herb, up to 100 mm tall. Mat-forming. Stems pale
green, 4-angled, prominently toothed along angles. Leaves tiny, not func-
tional, at tips of stem teeth. Flowers shallowly bowl-shaped, ± 50 mm in
diameter, lobes hairy inside, black to purple or reddish, corona brown to
purple, with yellow in the centre; strong odour of rotting flesh, attracting flies;
in several-flowered inflorescences.
GP, LIM and MP.
Rocky outcrops or sandy flats in shade.
Spring–summer.
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
278 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 279
APOCYNACEAE
(= Tylophora coddii)
vincere: to conquer, toxicum: poison – refers to the belief that this plant
could counter poison; coddii: named after Leslie E.W. Codd (1908–
1999), South African botanist.
Erect shrublet, up to 550 mm tall. Stem sparsely branched, often trailing near
the base. Leaves narrowly lance-shaped, opposite. Flowers star-shaped, lobes
± 10 mm long, narrow, spreading, pale brownish green, blood-red at base;
overlapping each other in bud; corona with minute fleshy protuberances; inflo-
rescences few-flowered, at upper nodes. Gener-
al: endemic to the Blouberg, Soutpansberg and
Makgabeng; at altitudes of 1 000–1 600 m.
LIM.
Rocky slopes, rock crevices.
Summer.
ASTERACEAE
senex: old man – refers to whitish grey ring of hairs around the top of the
fruit; erubescens: turning red.
Slender, perennial herb, up to 450 mm tall. Rootstock woody; most parts cov-
ered with hairs, often sticky; branched in upper half. Leaves mostly in a basal
rosette, stem leaves ± lance-shaped, stalkless, clasping at the base, margins
coarsely toothed. Flower heads comprising disc flowers only, ± 15 mm long,
reddish brown to purple or mauve; few in lax terminal inflorescence.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland.
Spring–summer.
CRASSULACEAE
APOCYNACEAE
280 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CYPERACEAE
bolbos: a bulb, stylos: a style – refers to the button-like style base; contexta:
woven together.
Geelhoutkop (A)
Erect perennial herb, up to 300 mm tall. Rhizome short, woody; stems tuft-
ed. Leaves basal, numerous, thread-like, up to half the length of the stem,
hairy, sheaths pale reddish brown. Flowers tiny, in small chestnut-brown
spikelets, anthers conspicuously protruding; several spikelets in a terminal
round cluster, ± 15 mm in diameter, with long white hairs; bracts scarcely
longer than the cluster. Fruit a nutlet, 3-angled,
with persisting button-like style base.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Mountain grassland.
Spring–summer.
CYPERACEAE
CYPERACEAE
koleos: a sheath, chloe: a grass – refers to the stems arising from a grass-
like sheath; setifera: bristle-bearing.
Perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Stems densely tufted. Leaves mainly
basal, long, rolled up lengthwise, cylindric, very tough, deciduous. Flowers
tiny, in small brown spikelets; many spikelets in dense, ± egg-shaped clus-
ters, ± 6 mm long, on stalks, in lax, slender inflorescences, borne near tips
of stems. Fruit a nutlet, up to 2 mm long, beaked. General: genus restricted
to sub-Saharan Africa.
Widespread across northeastern SA.
Rock crevices.
Spring–autumn.
CYPERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 281
CYPERACEAE
costulatus: with fine ribs or veins – refers to the veins in the leaves; natal-
ensis: of KwaZulu-Natal.
Stout, perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Stems tufted, round. Leaves nu-
merous, basal and on stem, decreasing in size upwards, long, narrow, very
tough. Flowers tiny, in dark brown spikelets, ± 8 mm long; spikelets in
branched clusters at upper stem nodes, in a ± continuous, elongated in-
florescence or appearing interrupted on long, drooping branches; bract 1,
from each node. General: populations mostly localised, limited to the eastern
highlands of southern Africa.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Damp mountain grassland.
Summer.
CYPERACEAE
(= C. pseudoleptocladus)
cuperos: sedge or rush; glaucophyllus: with grey-green leaves.
Fairly robust perennial herb, up to 600 mm tall. Rhizome slanting; stem
3-angled. Leaves two-thirds the length of the stem, ± 6 mm broad, midrib
prominent below. Flowers tiny; in flat, reddish brown spikelets, ± 10 mm
long; many spikelets in umbel-like terminal inflorescence, ± 120 mm in
diameter, rays slender, of different lengths and bearing umbels themselves;
bracts leaf-like, overtopping inflorescence.
KZN, LIM, MP and NW.
Near water.
Spring–summer.
CYPERACEAE
(= Mariscus keniensis)
keniensis: from Kenya.
Perennial herb, up to 800 mm tall. Rhizome short, thick; stems tufted.
Leaves mostly basal, grass-like, up to 450 × 10 mm. Flowers in narrow
spikelets, pale to dark brown, flat; many in umbel-like terminal inflorescence,
up to 200 mm in diameter; rays branching at tips; spikelets often set at right
angles; 3–5 bracts below inflorescence, leaf-like, longest up to 330 mm.
General: thought to be introduced in South Africa, widespread in Africa, Asia
and the Americas; occurs in moist habitats.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Damp grassland or marshes, plantations.
Summer.
CYPERACEAE
282 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CYPERACEAE
CYPERACEAE
CYPERACEAE
(= Mariscus solidus)
solidus: solid.
Robust perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Rhizome thick, woody; stem 3-an-
gled. Leaves basal, long, with a narrow groove on upper surface. Flowers
in narrow, rusty-coloured spikelets, ± 10 mm long; many in large, terminal
inflorescence, up to 150 mm in diameter; rays bearing dense clusters of
spreading spikelets; bracts leaf-like, longest up to 600 mm long.
EC, KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland, along watercourses, moist areas.
Spring–summer.
CYPERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 283
CYPERACEAE
CYPERACEAE
CYPERACEAE
CYPERACEAE
284 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
CYPERACEAE
FABACEAE
indigofera: bearing indigo, a blue dye that is obtained from several species
of the genus; arrecta: upright, pointing upwards.
African indigo (E); verfbossie (A); mofedula (L)
Woody shrub, up to 2 m tall. Leaves with 6–10 pairs of narrowly elliptic leaf-
lets, often folded, usually only hairy below, leaf axis 55–80 mm long. Flow-
ers small, red to whitish pink; many in ± stalkless inflorescences, ± 30 mm
long, in leaf axils. Fruit a pod, straight, cylindrical, ± 20 mm long. General:
widespread in southern and central Africa.
GP, KZN, LIM and MP.
Bushveld, thorn scrub and grass along stream
banks.
Summer–autumn.
FABACEAE
CYPERACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 285
FABACEAE
neo: new, Notonia: a genus in the Asteraceae family; wightii: named after
Robert Wight (1796–1872), Scottish surgeon and botanist.
Robust pioneer creeper (E)
Perennial trailing or climbing herb, stems up to 10 m long, hairy. Root-
stock woody. Leaves with 3 leaflets, egg-shaped. Flowers small, ± 5 mm
long, white with blue markings, calyx shaggy; in many, erect inflorescences.
Fruit a narrow pod, somewhat constricted between the seeds, hairy. General:
browsed by bushbuck.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Forests, grassland, disturbed open bush.
Summer–autumn.
GUNNERACEAE
Gunnera perpensa L.
HYACINTHACEAE
dipcadi: oriental name originally used for the grape hyacinth; viride: green.
Dainty green bells (E), gifbolletjie, grootslymuintjie (A)
Erect, bulbous herb, up to 800 mm tall. Bulb up to 50 mm in diameter.
Leaves several, ± 300 mm long, narrow, straight, clasping at the base.
Flowers ± 12 mm long, tubular, outer lobes with tail-like appendages,
± 20 mm long, green with an orange, reddish or brown tinge; inflorescence
long, slender, laxly flowered, all open flowers usually pointing in the same
direction. Fruit a capsule.
Widespread across SA.
Grassland, stony flats or slopes.
Spring–summer.
FABACEAE
286 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
IRIDACEAE
gladiolus: small sword – refers to the leaf shape; densiflorus: densely flow-
ered.
Slender cormous herb, up to 1.2 m tall. Leaves basal, in spreading fan, blue-
green, soft; fine, closely spaced veins. Flowers fairly small, ± 30 mm long,
funnel-shaped, colour variable, usually minutely speckled with dark purple
or red on cream, pink or mauve background, tube yellow-green inside; many
in dense, spike-like inflorescence, flowers turned the same direction. Fruit
a round capsule, ± 10 mm long. General: pollinated by long-tongued bees.
KZN, LIM and MP.
Grassland.
Summer–autumn.
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
IRIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 287
JUNCACEAE
Juncus: Latin name for a rush; dregeanus: named after Johann F. Drège
(1794–1881), German plant collector.
Biesie (A)
Tufted perennial herb, up to 400 mm tall. Rhizome small; roots thin, numer-
ous; stem erect, wiry. Leaves basal, many, grass-like, narrower than 5 mm
at the base, much shorter than the stem. Flowers small, lobes dark brown;
several in a round cluster, ± 8 mm in diameter; usually 5–6 clusters in
branched, terminal inflorescence; bract below inflorescence leaf-like, brown,
often overtopping the inflorescence. General: in
shallow water.
Widespread across SA.
Wet localities.
Summer.
JUNCACEAE
ORCHIDACEAE
JUNCACEAE
288 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
ORCHIDACEAE
(= Corycium nigrescens)
nigrescens: becoming black – refers to the flowers quickly turning black
after opening.
Black-faced orchid (E); moederkappie (A)
Slender to robust, erect herb, up to 400 mm tall. Leaves several, on stem,
lance-shaped, erect to spreading, overlapping up the stem, grading into
bracts. Flowers rounded, knobbly, ± 5 mm in diameter, purple-brown to
almost black upper hood, side lobes joined for most of their length, lip with
relatively large, shield-like attachment; bracts
with long, slender points; 25–60 in fairly dense,
cylindrical inflorescence.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Grassland.
Summer.
PEDALIACEAE
PLANTAGINACEAE
*Plantago lanceolata L.
ORCHIDACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 289
PLANTAGINACEAE
*Plantago major L.
major: greater.
Broadleaf plantain (E); groot weegblaar, platvoet (A)
RESTIONACEAE
(= Ischyrolepis schoenoides)
restis: rope or cord, early settlers used restios as cord; schoenoides: resem-
bles the genus Schoenus in the Cyperaceae family.
Besemriet (A)
Tufted perennial herb, up to 500 mm tall. Rhizome present; stems sparsely
branched. Leaves without blades, sheaths persistent, tightly wrapped around
the stem. Flowers tiny, hidden by dark brown bracts of spikelets, ± 10 mm
long; male and female inflorescences similar, on separate plants. Fruit a cap-
sule, 1- or 2-chambered. General: forms part of
Afromontane fynbos. Seen after fire, low, bushy,
sterile stems grow from the rhizome.
Widespread across eastern SA.
Mountain grassland, stony ground.
Summer–winter.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
PLANTAGINACEAE
290 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
SCROPHULARIACEAE
VITACEAE
SCROPHULARIACEAE
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 291
GLOSSARY
A
alternate: placed singly at different levels on stem or axis.
annual: a plant with a life span of one year only.
anther: the part of the stamen which contains the pollen.
aquatic: living in water.
aromatic: strongly smelling.
ascending: rising obliquely or curving upwards from near the base.
awn: a fine bristle usually at the tip of an organ.
axil: the angle between a stem and a leaf or bract.
B
barbed: with rigid points or side bristles pointing backwards.
basal: at the base, near the ground.
beak: a prominent projection at the tip.
berry: a many-seeded fleshy fruit.
biennial: a plant with a life span of two years.
bisexual: having stamens (male part) and a pistil (female part) in the same flower or inflorescence.
blade: the expanded part of a leaf.
bract: much-reduced leaf e.g. at base of flower or flower stalk.
bristle: a stiff, strong hair, similar to a pig’s bristle.
bud: an undeveloped shoot that can give rise to a branch or flower.
bulb: an underground storage organ consisting of a shortened stem and fleshy leaf bases.
bulbil: a small bulb formed around the mother bulb.
bulbous: having bulbs.
burr: a rough or prickly seed or fruit with associated flower parts or bracts.
bushveld: plant community consisting of a grassy ground layer and an upper layer of woody plants.
C
calyx: an outer envelope of a flower, consisting of free or united lobes, usually green.
capsule: a dry fruit produced by an ovary comprising two or more united parts, usually opening by
slits or pores.
292 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
catkin: a dense, often pendulous spike of small unisexual flowers which have no conspicuous calyx
or petals.
cf.: abbreviation for confer (Latin for ‘compare’), commonly placed between the genus and the spe-
cies names to indicate a possible identity.
cladode: a flattened, leaf-like stem with the form and function of a leaf, arising in the axil of a minute,
bract-like, true leaf.
clasping: partly or wholly surrounding stems.
club-shaped: gradually thickened from a slender base.
corm: a tuberous bulb-like rootstock.
cormous: possessing a corm.
corona: a crown; in some flowers (e.g. Apocynaceae), a circle of appendages between the petals and
stamens, often united in a ring or crown.
creeper: a plant with stems running along the ground and rooting at intervals.
crested: having a crest, elevated appendage or ridge on the summit of an organ.
D
deciduous: falling off at the end of the season of growth (compare ‘evergreen’).
disc flowers: the central, tubular flowers as compared with the ray flowers in a head of the Asteraceae.
E
egg-shaped: having the outline of an egg, with the narrow end above the middle.
elliptic: in the form of a flattened circle more than twice as long as broad.
endemic: having a natural distribution confined to a particular geographical region.
entire: with an even margin without teeth, lobes, etc.
evergreen: retaining green leaves throughout the year, even during winter.
F
family: a group of one to many genera believed to be related phylogenetically, usually clearly separa-
ble from other such groups; the major taxonomic group between genus and order.
filament: the stalk of a stamen supporting the anther; a thin thread.
flower: the sexual reproductive structure of plants that produce seeds within an ovary, typically con-
sisting of female and male parts, the calyx, petals and the axis bearing these parts.
flower head: a dense inflorescence of small, crowded and often stalkless flowers at the end of a stalk.
foetid: smelling very unpleasant.
forest: a many-layered vegetation type dominated by trees; the combined layers have overlapping crowns.
free: neither adhering nor united.
fynbos: natural shrubland vegetation typical of the Western and Eastern Cape provinces.
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 293
G
gall: abnormal growth caused by disease or puncturing by an insect.
genus (pl. genera): a group of species believed to be related phylogenetically and usually clearly sep-
arable from other such groups, or a single species without close relatives; the major taxonomic
rank between species and family.
gland: an organ or cell secreting a substance such as sugary sap, salt or water.
grassland: a vegetation type dominated by a cover of grasses and rich in herbs.
H
habit: general appearance of a plant (e.g. erect or sprawling).
habitat: the environment in which a plant lives.
heart-shaped: leaf base is deeply notched.
herb (adj. herbaceous): any vascular plant that never produces a woody stem.
I
included: not projecting.
inflorescence: arrangement of flowers.
introduced: not indigenous to the area in which it now occurs.
K
keel: a ridge running the length of an organ like the keel of a boat; in Fabaceae flowers a boat-shaped
structure formed by the fusion of the two lower petals.
L
lance-shaped: much longer than broad, broadest in the lower half and tapering toward the tip.
leaf: green outgrowth from the side of a stem, specialised for photosynthesis.
leaflet: one part of a compound (composed of several similar parts) leaf.
lip: (1) one of two divisions of a tubular flower when it is cleft into an upper and a lower portion; (2)
of an orchid: the lowest petal, usually enlarged and different in shape from the two side ones.
lobe: any division or segment (usually rounded) of a leaf, petal or calyx.
M
margin: the edge or boundary line of an organ.
midrib: the principal, usually central vein of a leaf or leaf-like part.
mistbelt: a region in which mist and high humidity are common and have an effect on the vegetation;
mainly at altitudes of 1 100–1 500 m.
294 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
N
nectar: sugary liquid produced by flowers or other plant parts on which insects and other animals
feed.
nectar guides: floral orientation cues directing a pollinator to the nectar, usually stripes or spots of a
different colour on the petals.
node: the point on the stem at which a leaf or leaves and accompanying organs arise.
nodule: small swelling on a leaf or a root containing bacteria.
nut: a one-seeded fruit with a hard shell, not splitting open when ripe.
O
ocrea (pl. ocreae): a tubular stipule sheathing the stem (e.g. in Polygonum of the Polygonaceae).
opposite: pertaining to leaves or branches when two are borne at the same node on opposite sides
of the stem.
oval: broadly elliptic.
ovary: lowest portion of the female unit of the flower which, after fertilisation, becomes the fruit.
P
parasite (adj. parasitic): an organism living on or in a different organism and deriving nourishment
from it.
perennial: with a lifespan of several years.
persistent: remaining attached and not falling off.
petal: a single lobe of the inner envelope of the flower, usually coloured and conspicuous.
pod: a dry, many-seeded fruit usually opening along both lines of junction into two halves (e.g. in the
Fabaceae).
pollen: minute spores or grains produced in the anthers of flowering plants.
pollination: transfer of pollen from anther to stigma.
pseudobulb: a solid, above-ground, thickened or bulb-shaped stem, characteristic of some orchids.
R
ray: (1) the florets of the margin of a flowerhead of the Asteraceae when different from those of the
centre or disc; (2) one of the radiating branches of an umbel.
resin (adj. resinous): plant exudate, often sticky, insoluble in water.
rhizome: an elongated rootstock or stem, generally underground and horizontal, producing roots and
shoots; always distinguished from a true root by the presence of buds, leaves or scales.
rootstock: a short swollen structure at the junction of the root and the shoot system of a plant.
rosette: a crowded, circular cluster of leaves or other organs.
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 295
runner: a slender stem, trailing to lying on the ground, which produces roots and sometimes erect
shoots at its nodes.
S
sap: the juice of a plant, oozing from broken-off plant organs.
scale: (1) reduced or rudimentary leaf, usually stalkless, thin and dry and seldom green; (2) a kind of
covering in the form of small, flat discs attached by the centre; (3) any thin, usually small and
dry structure.
scrub: plant community dominated by shrubs, often including grasses, herbs and plants with under-
ground storage organs, e.g. bulbs or tubers.
sheath: the lower portion of the leaf clasping the stem.
shoot: an elongating stem.
shrub: a woody, perennial plant with two or more stems arising from or near the ground.
shrublet: a low-growing perennial with stems that are woody mainly towards the base.
silky: having a covering of soft, fine hairs lying close to a surface.
simple: not divided or lobed, not branched.
solitary: occurring singly.
species (abbr. sp.): usually the smallest unit of classification, but sometimes divided into subspecies
or varieties.
spike: an inflorescence with a single unbranched axis bearing stalkless flowers.
spikelet: a small spike composed of one or more flowers enclosed by small bracts, in Cyperaceae and
Poaceae.
spine: a sharp-pointed, hardened structure modified from another organ (leaf, branch, stipule, etc.),
or from part of an organ.
spur: a slender, usually hollow, extension of some part of the flower.
stalk: any support of an organ that has some length.
stamen: the pollen-producing structure in a flower, usually consisting of an anther and a filament.
stem: the main axis of a plant, bearing roots, leaves and/or flowers.
sterile: lacking reproductive organs.
stigma: the point or surface of the female flower unit which receives the pollen.
stipule: leaf-like or scale-like appendage of a leaf, usually at the base of the stalk.
style: narrow upper part of an ovary supporting the stigma.
subspecies (abbr. subsp.): subdivision of species, subspecies are geographically or ecologically iso-
lated from each other.
succulent: a plant which accumulates water in fleshy, water-storing stems, leaves or roots; juicy,
fleshy in texture or appearance.
296 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
symbiosis (adj. symbiotic): living together of dissimilar organisms, either to mutual advantage or
without advantage.
T
taproot: the main, descending root of a plant that has a single dominant root axis.
tendril: a long, slender, coiling, modified leaf, or rarely stem, by which a climbing plant attaches to
its support.
terminal: at the tip of the stem and branches.
thorn: a modified plant organ, especially a stem, that is stiffened and ends in a pungent point.
throat (of a tubular flower): the top of the tube, where the lobes arise from the tube.
trailing: lying flat on the ground without rooting.
tube (adj. tubular): the fused lower part of the petals or calyx in some flowers.
tuber (adj. tuberous): (1) a thickened branch of an underground stem, which produces buds; (2) a
swollen root or branch of a root acting as a storage organ.
tuft (adj. tufted): clump, cluster.
U
umbel: an inflorescence in which the flower stalks arise from the top of the main stem and spread out
like the spokes of an umbrella.
unisexual: bearing only male or only female reproductive organs.
V
variable: not constant in appearance.
variety (abbr. var.): subdivision of species below the rank of subspecies, varieties are not geographi-
cally isolated.
vascular: specialised for the conduction of fluids.
vegetative (of plant organs or parts): having non-reproductive functions, e.g. leaves, roots, stems, etc.
veins: strands of vascular tissue.
vine: climbing herbaceous or woody plant with small stem diameter.
W
whorl (adj. whorled): (1) a group of three or more parts at a node, e.g. leaves or branches; (2) a circle
of floral organs, e.g. stamens, petals.
wing (adj. winged): (1) any flat membranous expansion; (2) a thin flange of tissue extended beyond
the normal outline of a stem or stalk; (3) one of the two side petals of a flower in Fabaceae
subfamily Papilionoideae.
woolly: with long, soft, tangled hairs.
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 297
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http://opus.sanbi.org/handle/20.500.12143/6880 (SA National Plant Checklist)
http://redlist.sanbi.org
http://www.worldfloraonline.org/
http://pza.sanbi.org
http://www.calflora.net/southafrica/
https://plants.jstor.org
http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw
https://www.mozambiqueflora.com
https://botswanaflora.com
http://eswatininaturereserves.com/flora/index.asp
http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/helichrysum
300 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Quick guide
*Rubus originalis, p. 99 Rubus sp., p. 99 Kohautia amatymbica, p. 100 Oldenlandia herbacea, p. 100
Oldenlandia rupicola, p. 100 Otiophora cupheoidesi, p. 101 Pavetta gardeniifolia, p. 101 Pavetta schumanniana, p. 101
312 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Spermacoce natalensis, p. 102 Thesium goetzeanum, p. 102 Thesium gracilarioides, p. 102 Thesium scirpioides, p. 103
Thesium utile, p. 103 Hebenstretia angolensis, p. 103 Hebenstretia comosa, p. 104 Hebenstretia dura, p. 104
Hebenstretia oatesii, p. 104 Limosella inflata, p. 105 Limosella maior, p. 105 Nemesia zimbabwensis, p. 105
Selago capitellata, p. 106 Selago rehmannii, p. 106 Zaluzianskya microsiphon, p. 106 Solanum retroflexum, p. 107
Walleria nutans, p. 107 Passerina montana, p. 107 Valeriana capensis, p. 108 Xerophyta schlechteri, p. 108
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 313
Cyrtanthus breviflorus, p. 111 Cyrtanthus stenanthus, p. 111 Afrosciadium caffrum, p. 111 Annesorhiza wilmsii, p. 112
Berula repanda, p. 112 Bupleurum mundii, p. 112 Lefebvrea grantii, p. 113 Asclepias aurea, p. 113
Pentarrhinum insipidum, p. 113 Stapelia gigantea, p. 114 Zantedeschia jucunda, p. 114 Bulbine angustifolia, p. 114
Bulbine capitata, p. 115 Bulbine latifolia, p. 115 Anisopappus junodii, p. 115 Arrowsmithia tenuifolia, p. 116
Berkheya carlinopsis, p. 116 Berkheya densifolia, p. 116 Berkheya echinacea, p. 117 Berkheya insignis, p. 117
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 315
Berkheya radyeri, p. 117 Berkheya setifera, p. 118 Berkheya zeyheri, p. 118 Bidens kirkii, p. 118
Cineraria cyanomontana, p. 119 Cineraria deltoidea, p. 119 Cineraria erodioides, p. 119 Euryops pedunculatus, p. 120
Euryops transvaalensis, p. 120 Gazania krebsiana, p. 120 Geigeria burkei, p. 121 Gerbera ambigua, p. 121
Gerbera galpinii, p. 121 Gerbera piloselloides, p. 122 Haplocarpha scaposa, p. 122 Helichrysum acutatum, p. 122
Helichrysum albilanatum, p. 123 Helichrysum aureum, p. 123 Helichrysum cephaloideum, p. 123 Helichrysum chionosphaerum, p. 124
316 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Helichrysum chrysargyrum, p. 124 Helichrysum epapposum, p. 124 Helichrysum galpinii, p. 125 Helichrysum harveyanum, p. 125
Helichrysum herbaceum, p. 125 Helichrysum lepidissimum, p. 126 Helichrysum mutabile, p. 126 Helichrysum obductum, p. 126
Helichrysum odoratissimum, p. 127 Helichrysum oreophilum, p. 127 Helichrysum pallidum, p. 127 Helichrysum pilosellum, p. 128
Helichrysum rudolfii, p. 128 Helichrysum setosum, p. 128 Helichrysum splendidum, p. 129 Helichrysum truncatum, p. 129
Helichrysum umbraculigerum, p. 129 Helichrysum uninervium, p. 130 Inula glomerata, p. 130 Inula paniculata, p. 130
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 317
Inulanthera calva, p. 131 Metalasia densa, p. 131 Nidorella auriculata, p. 131 Nidorella pinnata, p. 132
Nidorella undulata, p. 132 Osteospermum auriculatum, p. 132 Osteospermum moniliferum, p. 133 Othonna natalensis, p. 133
Phymaspermum argenteum, p. 133 Phymaspermum athanasioides, p. 134 Schistostephium crataegifolium, p. 134 Senecio conrathii, p. 134
Senecio coronatus, p. 135 Senecio hederiformis, p. 135 Senecio helminthioides, p. 135 Senecio inornatus, p. 136
Senecio isatidioides, p. 136 Senecio junodii, p. 136 Senecio oxyriifolius, p. 137 Senecio panduriformis, p. 137
318 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Senecio ruwenzoriensis, p. 137 Senecio tamoides, p. 138 Senecio venosus, p. 138 Sonchus wilmsii, p. 138
*Tagetes minuta, p. 139 Tolpis capensis, p. 139 Ursinia nana, p. 139 Gloriosa superba, p. 140
Commelina africana, p. 140 Ipomoea obscura, p. 140 Xenostegia tridentata, p. 141 Kalanchoe luciae, p. 141
Kalanchoe cf. winteri, p. 141 Cucumis zeyheri, p. 142 Peponium caledonicum, p. 142 Cyperus obtusiflorus, p. 142
Eriospermum flagelliforme, p. 143 Eriospermum porphyrovalve, p. 143 Euphorbia clavarioides, p. 143 Argyrolobium harveyanum, p. 144
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 319
Argyrolobium tomentosum, p. 144 Argyrolobium transvaalense, p. 144 Argyrolobium tuberosum, p. 145 Argyrolobium wilmsii, p. 145
Chamaecrista capensis, p. 145 Chamaecrista comosa, p. 146 Eriosema cordatum, p. 146 Eriosema ellipticifolium, p. 146
Eriosema nutans, p. 147 Leobordea corymbosa, p. 147 Leobordea eriantha, p. 147 Leobordea lanceolata, p. 148
Leobordea pariflora, p. 148 Pearsonia aristata, p. 148 Pearsonia cajanifolia, p. 149 Pearsonia obovata, p. 149
Pearsonia sessilifolia, p. 149 Rhynchosia monophylla, p. 150 Rhynchosia nervosa, p. 150 Rhynchosia totta, p. 150
320 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Rhynchosia woodii, p. 151 *Senna septemtrionalis, p. 151 Smithia erubescens, p. 151 Tylosema fassoglense, p. 152
Zornia capensis, p. 152 Sebaea bojeri, p. 152 Sebaea cf. erosa, p. 153 Sebaea rehmannii, p. 153
Sebaea sedoides, p. 153 Hypericum aethiopicum, p. 154 Hypericum lalandii, p. 154 Hypericum revolutum, p. 154
Empodium elongatum, p. 155 Hypoxis angustifolia, p. 155 Hypoxis filiformis, p. 155 Hypoxis galpinii, p. 156
Hypoxis hemerocallidea, p. 156 Hypoxis iridifolia, p. 156 Hypoxis multiceps, p. 157 Hypoxis rigidula, p. 157
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 321
Gladiolus dalenii, p. 157 Moraea moggii, p. 158 Moraea muddii, p. 158 Utricularia prehensilis, p. 158
Linum thunbergii, p. 159 Sphedamnocarpus pruriens, p. 159 Hermannia burkei, p. 159 Hermannia lancifolia, p. 160
Hermannia waterbergensis, p. 160 Hibiscus lunariifolius, p. 160 Melhania prostrata, p. 161 Triumfetta pilosa, p. 161
Triumfetta welwitschii, p. 161 *Oenothera cf. glazioviana, p. 162 Eulophia angolensis, p. 162 Eulophia inaequalis, p. 162
Eulophia parviflora, p. 163 Eulophia streptopetala, p. 163 Orthochilus ensatus, p. 163 Schizochilus zeyheri, p. 164
322 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Alectra capensis, p. 164 Alectra sessiliflora, p. 164 Melasma scabrum, p. 165 Striga elegans, p. 165
*Oxalis corniculata, p. 165 Adenia digitata, p. 166 Ranunculus multifidus, p. 166 *Agrimonia procera, p. 166
Fadogia homblei, p. 167 Gnidia nodiflora, p. 167 Lasiosiphon caffer, p. 167 Lasiosiphon canoargenteus, p. 168
Lasiosiphon kraussianus, p. 168 Lasiosiphon microcephalus, p. 168 Lasiosiphon polyanthus, p. 169 Xyris congensis, p. 169
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 323
Crossandra greenstockii, p. 171 Tulbaghia acutiloba, p. 171 Tulbaghia leucantha, p. 171 Tulbaghia simmleri, p. 172
Tulbaghia transvaalensis, p. 172 Boophone disticha, p. 172 Brunsvigia natalensis, p. 173 Clivia caulescens, p. 173
Cyrtanthus contractus, p. 173 Cyrtanthus junodii, p. 174 Scadoxus multiflorus, p. 174 Scadoxus puniceus, p. 174
Anacampseros subnuda, p. 175 Lannea edulis, p. 175 Searsia transvaalensis, p. 175 Searsia tumulicola, p. 176
Ancylobothrys capensis, p. 176 Aspidoglossum glabrescens, p. 176 Aspidoglossum glanduliferum, p. 177 Huernia zebrina, p. 177
324 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Aloe aculeata, p. 177 Aloe arborescens, p. 178 Aloe boylei, p. 178 Aloe chortolirioides, p. 178
Aloe hahnii, p. 179 Aloe lettyae, p. 179 Aloe longibracteata, p. 179 Aloe soutpansbergensis, p. 180
Aloe cf. spicata, p. 180 Aloe subspicata, p. 180 Aloe thompsoniae, p. 181 Aloe verecunda, p. 181
Kniphofia coralligemma, p. 181 Kniphofia multiflora, p. 182 Kniphofia splendida, p. 182 *Campuloclinium macrocephalum, p. 182
*Cosmos bipinnatus, p. 183 Crassocephalum crepidioides, p. 183 Dicoma anomala, p. 183 Dimorphotheca jucunda, p. 184
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 325
Helichrysum adenocarpum, p. 184 Helichrysum appendiculatum, p. 184 Helichrysum candolleanum, p. 185 Senecio speciosus, p. 185
Tenrhynea phylicifolia, p. 185 *Zinnia peruviana, p. 186 Begonia sonderiana, p. 186 Silene burchellii, p. 186
Gloriosa modesta, p. 187 Cotyledon barbeyi, p. 187 Cotyledon orbiculata, p. 187 Crassula alba, p. 188
Kalanchoe crundallii, p. 188 Kalanchoe rotundifolia, p. 188 Coccinia adoensis, p. 189 Erica alticola, p. 189
Erica cerinthoides, p. 189 Erica woodii, p. 190 Acalypha angustata, p. 190 Acalypha depressinerva, p. 190
326 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Acalypha peduncularis, p. 191 Acalypha wilmsii, p. 191 Aeschynomene nyassana, p. 191 Aeschynomene rehmannii, p. 192
Eriosema salignum, p. 192 Indigastrum costatum, p. 192 Indigastrum fastigiatum, p. 193 Indigofera comosa, p. 193
Indigofera frondosa, p. 193 Indigofera hedyantha, p. 194 Indigofera hilaris, p. 194 Indigofera melanadenia, p. 194
Indigofera oxalidea, p. 195 Indigofera reducta, p. 195 Indigofera rehmannii, p. 195 Indigofera rostrata, p. 196
Indigofera sanguinea, p. 196 Pseudarthria hookeri, p. 196 Rhynchosia monophylla, p. 197 Tephrosia elongata, p. 197
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 327
Trifolium africanum, p. 197 Pelargonium luridum, p. 198 Streptocarpus dunnii, p. 198 Crocosmia aurea, p. 198
Crocosmia paniculata, p. 199 Dierama gracile, p. 199 Freesia grandiflora, p. 199 Freesia laxa, p. 200
Gladiolus crassifolius, p. 200 Gladiolus dalenii, p. 200 Gladiolus vernus, p. 201 Hesperantha baurii, p. 201
Hesperantha brevicaulis, p. 201 Hesperantha coccinea, p. 202 Tritonia nelsonii, p. 202 Watsonia transvaalensis, p. 202
Leonotis intermedia, p. 203 Ocimum tubiforme, p. 203 Craterostigma wilmsii, p. 203 Hermannia cristata, p. 204
328 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Hermannia denudata, p. 204 Hermannia depressa, p. 204 Pavonia columella, p. 205 Dissotis canescens, p. 205
Myrothamnus flabellifolius, p. 205 Disa aristata, p. 206 Disa extinctoria, p. 206 Disa fragrans, p. 206
Disa patula, p. 207 Disa polygonoides, p. 207 Disa versicolor, p. 207 Satyrium longicauda, p. 208
Satyrium neglectum, p. 208 Cycnium racemosum, p. 208 Striga elegans, p. 209 *Oxalis latifolia, p. 209
Papaver aculeatum, p. 209 Adenia digitata, p. 210 Sesamum triphyllum, p. 210 Phyllanthus parvulus, p. 210
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 329
Oxygonum sinuatum, p. 211 Persicaria madagascariensis, p. 211 *Rumex acetosella, p. 211 Rumex sagittatus, p. 212
Faurea rochetiana, p. 212 Protea caffra, p. 212 Protea roupelliae, p. 213 Protea rubropilosa, p. 213
Protea simplex, p. 213 Clematis villosa, p. 214 *Cotoneaster sp., p. 214 Jamesbrittenia aurantiaca, p. 214
Nemesia fruticans, p. 215 Phygelius aequalis, p. 215 Tricliceras longepedunculatum, p. 215 *Lantana camara, p. 216
Ruellia cordata, p. 218 Thunbergia natalensis, p. 218 Agapanthus coddii, p. 218 Agapanthus inapertus, p. 219
Raphionacme hirsuta, p. 219 Athrixia elata, p. 219 Athrixia phylicoides, p. 220 Felicia rosulata, p. 220
Gymnanthemum corymbosum, p. 220 Gymnanthemum myrianthum, p. 221 Hilliardiella aristata, p. 221 Hilliardiella elaeagnoides, p. 221
Hilliardiella hirsuta, p. 222 Hilliardiella sutherlandii, p. 222 Litogyne gariepina, p. 222 Oocephala staehelinoides, p. 223
Pseudopegolettia tenella, p. 223 Senecio gerrardii, p. 223 Cynoglossum hispidum, p. 224 Heliophila rigidiuscula, p. 224
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 331
Wahlenbergia banksiana, p. 224 Wahlenbergia brachiata, p. 225 Wahlenbergia huttonii, p. 225 Wahlenbergia lycopodioides, p. 225
Wahlenbergia squamifolia, p. 226 Wahlenbergia undulata, p. 226 Wahlenbergia virgata, p. 226 Dianthus zeyheri, p. 227
Cleome maculata, p. 227 Cleome monophylla, p. 227 Commelina eckloniana, p. 228 Cyanotis lapidosa, p. 228
Cyanotis speciosa, p. 228 Murdannia simplex, p. 229 Ipomoea crassipes, p. 229 Ipomoea oblongata, p. 229
Drosera dielsiana, p. 230 Desmodium setigerum, p. 230 Kotschya parvifolia, p. 230 Lablab purpureus, p. 231
332 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Otholobium wilmsii, p. 231 Psoralea glabra, p. 231 Psoralea latifolia, p. 232 Tephrosia capensis, p. 232
Tephrosia shiluwanensis, p. 232 Vigna schlechteri, p. 233 Vigna vexillata, p. 233 Chironia krebsii, p. 233
Chironia purpurascens, p. 234 Monsonia lanuginosa, p. 234 Streptocarpus caeruleus, p. 234 Streptocarpus cyaneus, p. 235
Streptocarpus galpinii, p. 235 Streptocarpus longiflorus, p. 235 Drimia elata, p. 236 Ledebouria asperifolia, p. 236
Ledebouria caesiomontana, p. 236 Ledebouria cooperi, p. 237 Ledebouria cf. sandersonii, p. 237 Merwilla plumbea, p. 237
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 333
Aristea abyssinica, p. 238 Aristea torulosa, p. 238 Babiana bainesii, p. 238 Dierama adelphicum, p. 239
Gladiolus papilio, p. 239 Moraea natalensis, p. 239 Moraea stricta, p. 240 Mentha aquatica, p. 240
Plectranthus hereroensis, p. 240 Plectranthus mutabilis, p. 241 Plectranthus neochilus, p. 241 Pycnostachys reticulata, p. 241
Rotheca hirsuta, p. 242 Salvia cf. disermas, p. 242 Salvia dolomitica, p. 242 Stachys grandifolia, p. 243
Thorncroftia succulenta, p. 243 Genlisea hispidula, p. 243 Cyphia rogersii, p. 244 Cyphia transvaalensis, p. 244
334 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Lobelia aquaemontis, p. 244 Lobelia flaccida, p. 245 Lobelia goetzei, p. 245 Lobelia lobata, p. 245
Lobelia vanreenensis, p. 246 Monopsis decipiens, p. 246 Monopsis stellarioides, p. 246 Dissotis princeps, p. 247
Brachycorythis ovata, p. 247 Brachycorythis pubescens, p. 247 Disa baurii, p. 248 Eulophia livingstoneana, p. 248
Buchnera sp., p. 248 Sopubia cana, p. 249 Dicerocaryum senecioides, p. 249 *Phytolacca octandra, p. 249
Polygala gerrardii, p. 250 Polygala gracilenta, p. 250 Polygala houtboshiana, p. 250 Polygala producta, p. 251
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 335
Polygala transvaalensis, p. 251 Polygala uncinata, p. 251 Polygala virgata, p. 252 Conostomium natalense, p. 252
Otiophora calycophylla, p. 252 Pentanisia angustifolia, p. 253 Pentanisia prunelloides, p. 253 Aptosimum lineare, p. 253
Buddleja salviifolia, p. 254 Chaenostoma floribundum, p. 254 Chaenostoma leve, p. 254 Jamesbrittenia macrantha, p. 255
Selago atherstonei, p. 255 Selago procera, p. 255 Teedia lucida, p. 256 Tetraselago nelsonii, p. 256
Tetraselago wilmsii, p. 256 Solanum campylacanthum, p. 257 *Solanum mauritianum, p. 257 Solanum rubetorum, p. 257
336 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Xerophyta purpurascens, p. 258 Lantana cf. rugosa, p. 258 *Verbena bonariensis, p. 258 Rhoicissus tomentosa, p. 259
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 337
Searsia discolor, p. 261 Searsia gracillima, p. 261 Searsia pondoensis, p. 261 Asclepias cultriformis, p. 262
Aspidoglossum ovalifolium, p. 262 Gomphocarpus physocarpus, p. 262 Raphionacme galpinii, p. 263 Raphionacme procumbens, p. 263
Schizoglossum bidens, p. 263 Schizoglossum cordifolium, p. 264 Sisyranthus imberbis, p. 264 *Acanthospermum australe, p. 264
Laggera crispata, p. 265 Cucumis hirsutus, p. 265 Carex sp., p. 265 Euphorbia pulvinata, p. 266
Euphorbia striata, p. 266 Tragia okanyua, p. 266 Albuca abyssinica, p. 267 Dipcadi marlothii, p. 267
338 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Eucomis autumnalis, p. 267 Ledebouria inquinata, p. 268 Ledebouria zebrina, p. 268 Habenaria filicornis, p. 268
Habenaria galpinii, p. 269 Orthochilus foliosus, p. 269 Satyrium parviflorum, p. 269 Clutia affinis, p. 270
Clutia monticola, p. 270 Clutia pulchella, p. 270 Phyllanthus incurvus, p. 271 Phyllanthus nummulariifolius, p. 271
Anthospermum herbaceum, p. 271 Anthospermum hispidulum, p. 272 Anthospermum welwitschii, p. 272 Bridsonia chamaedendrum, p. 272
Anisotoma pedunculata, p. 275 Asclepias fulva, p. 275 Ceropegia barberae, p. 275 Ceropegia carnosa, p. 276
Ceropegia coddii, p. 276 Ceropegia gerrardii, p. 276 Ceropegia oiantha, p. 277 Orbea melanantha, p. 277
Pachycarpus cf. appendiculatus, p. 277 Pachycarpus campanulatus, p. 278 Pachycarpus concolor, p. 278 Riocreuxia picta, p. 278
Vincetoxicum coddii, p. 279 Senecio erubescens, p. 279 Crassula swaziensis, p. 279 Bulbostylis contexta, p. 280
Bulbostylis oritrephes, p. 280 Coleochloa setifera, p. 280 Costularia natalensis, p. 281 Cyperus glaucophyllus, p. 281
340 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
Cyperus keniensis, p. 281 Cyperus rupestris, p. 282 Cyperus schlechteri, p. 282 Cyperus solidus, p. 282
Kyllinga melanosperma, p. 283 Pycreus oakfortensis, p. 283 Schoenoplectus corymbosus, p. 283 Scleria bulbifera, p. 284
Indigofera arrecta, p. 284 Indigofera homblei, p. 284 Neonotonia wightii, p. 285 Gunnera perpensa, p. 285
Dipcadi viride, p. 285 Gladiolus densiflorus, p. 286 Gladiolus ecklonii, p. 286 Gladiolus woodii, p. 286
Juncus dregeanus, p. 287 Juncus lomatophyllus, p. 287 Pterygodium magnum, p. 287 Pterygodium nigrescens, p. 288
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 341
Harpagophytum zeyheri, p. 288 *Plantago lanceolata, p. 288 *Plantago major, p. 289 Restio schoenoides, p. 289
INDEX
Current scientific names = italic, black
Old names (synonyms) = italic, grey
Common names in Afrikaans, English, Lobedu, Sepedi and Tshivenda = roman
Family names = UPPER CASE
Asterisk (*) indicates an introduced species
akkermonie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
A Albuca abyssinica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
aambeibos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Albuca pachychlamys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
aambeibossie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82, 194 Albuca setosa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
aandblom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Albuca virens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
aandblommetjie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Alectra capensis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Acacia ataxacantha. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Alectra sessiliflora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Acalypha angustata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Alepidea attenuata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Acalypha depressinerva. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Alepidea peduncularis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Acalypha peduncularis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Alepidea setifera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Acalypha schinzii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 ALLIACEAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 25, 171, 172
Acalypha wilmsii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Aloe aculeata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
ACANTHACEAE . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 22–24, 171, 218 Aloe arborescens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
*Acanthospermum australe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Aloe boylei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
acanthus family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Aloe chortolirioides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Adenia digitata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166, 210 Aloe ecklonis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Aeollanthus buchnerianus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 aloe family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Aeollanthus parvifolius. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Aloe greatheadii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Aeschynomene nyassana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Aloe hahnii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Aeschynomene rehmannii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Aloe lettyae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
African bluebell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Aloe longibracteata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
African carnation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Aloe soutpansbergensis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
African clover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Aloe spicata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
African foxglove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Aloe subspicata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
African gladiolus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157, 200 Aloe thompsoniae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
African heartvine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Aloe verecunda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
African indigo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 alsbos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
African milkweed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 amaranth family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
African potato. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 AMARANTHACEAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 25, 26
African violet family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 AMARYLLIDACEAE . . . . 8, 26, 27, 111, 172–174
African wormwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 amaryllis family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Afroaster comptonii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 American bramble. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Afroaster nubimontis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Amerikaanse braambos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Afroaster serrulatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Anacampseros subnuda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Afrosciadium caffrum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 ANACAMPSEROTACEAE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 175
AGAPANTHACEAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 218 ANACARDIACEAE . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 175, 176, 261
Agapanthus coddii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Ancylobotrys capensis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
agapanthus family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Androcymbium striatum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Agapanthus inapertus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Anemone transvaalensis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
AGAVACEAE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 angel’s fishing rod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
*Agrimonia procera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Anisopappus junodii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
agrimony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Anisotoma pedunculata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
AIZOACEAE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 24, 25, Annesorhiza wilmsii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
S TRELITZIA 44 (2021) 343
S seerooglelie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
segadya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31, 35, 36
saffraanbossie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 segwapi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98, 213
sage family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 segwete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
saliehout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 sehlapišo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Salvia disermas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 sekakgopha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Salvia dolomitica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 sekalerothane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Salvia radula. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 sekanama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
sandalwood family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 sekelklits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
sandlelie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 sekgalaka. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
SANTALACEAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 103 sekgopha sa letshollo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Sarcostemma viminale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 sekgopha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178, 180
satellite-dish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 Selago atherstonei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
satin squill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Selago capitellata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Satureja biflora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Selago elata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Satyrium cristatum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Selago procera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Satyrium longicauda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93, 208 Selago rehmannii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Satyrium neglectum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 seltapišo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Satyrium parviflorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 selumi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68, 69
Satyrium trinerve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Senecio conrathii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Scabiosa columbaria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Senecio coronatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
scabious family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Senecio erubescens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Scadoxus multiflorus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Senecio gerrardii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Scadoxus puniceus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Senecio hederiformis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
scarlet river lily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Senecio helminthioides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Schistostephium crataegifolium . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Senecio inornatus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Schizocarphus nervosus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Senecio isatidioides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Schizochilus cecilii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Senecio junodii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Schizochilus zeyheri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Senecio oxyriifolius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Schizoglossum bidens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Senecio panduriformis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Schizoglossum cordifolium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Senecio pentactinus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Schizostylis coccinea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Senecio ruwenzoriensis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Schoenoplectus corymbosus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Senecio speciosus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Schoenoxiphium sparteum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Senecio tamoides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Scilla natalensis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Senecio venosus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Scilla nervosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Senegalia ataxacantha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Scleria bulbifera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 *Senna septemtrionalis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
SCROPHULARIACEAE. . . 18, 103–106, 214, 215, senopi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186, 203
253–256, 289, 290 sepo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60, 265
Searsia discolor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Seriphium plumosum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Searsia gracillima. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 sesame family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Searsia pondoensis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Sesamum triphyllum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Searsia transvaalensis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 sesepitšana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Searsia tumulicola. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 sesogadi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
sebabane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 sesokwana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Sebaea bojeri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 setlika. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Sebaea erosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 sewejaartjie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123, 124, 128
Sebaea grandis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 sheathed gladiolus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Sebaea rehmannii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 sheep sorrel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Sebaea sedoides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 sheep-ears everlasting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
sebatla badimo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 shimbangana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
sedge family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 shiny fluff-bush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
sedumela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 short-lobed brown carrion flower. . . . . . . . . . . 277
seeroogblom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Sida rhombifolia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
358 S TRELITZIA 44 (2021)
1. Botanical diversity in southern Africa. 1994. B.J. Huntley (ed.). ISBN 1-874907-25-0.
2. Cyperaceae in Natal. 1995. K.D. Gordon-Gray. ISBN 1-874907-04-8.
3. Cederberg vegetation and flora. 1996. H.C. Taylor. ISBN 1-874907-28-5.
4. Red Data List of southern African plants. 1996. C. Hilton-Taylor. ISBN 1-874907-29-3.
5. Taxonomic literature of southern African plants. 1997. N.L. Meyer, M. Mössmer & G.F. Smith (eds).
ISBN 1-874907-35-8.
6. Plants of the northern provinces of South Africa: keys and diagnostic characters. 1997. E. Retief &
P.P.J. Herman. ISBN 1-874907-30-7.
7. Preparing herbarium specimens. 1999. L. Fish. ISBN 1-919795-38-3.
8. Bulbinella in South Africa. 1999. P.L. Perry. ISBN 1-919795-46-4. OUT OF PRINT.
9. Cape plants. A conspectus of the Cape flora of South Africa. 2000. P. Goldblatt & J.C. Manning.
ISBN 0-620-26236-2.
10. Seed plants of southern Africa: families and genera. 2000. O.A. Leistner (ed.). ISBN 1-919795-51-0.
11. The Cape genus Lachnaea (Thymelaeaceae): a monograph. 2001. J.B.P. Beyers. ISBN 1-919795-52-9.
12. The Global Taxonomy Initiative: documenting the biodiversity of Africa / L’Initiative Taxonomique
Mondiale: documenter la biodiversité en Afrique. R.R. Klopper, G.F. Smith & A.C. Chikuni (eds). 2001.
ISBN 1-919795-63-4. OUT OF PRINT.
13. Medicinal and magical plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. 2002. T.H. Arnold,
C.A. Prentice, L.C. Hawker, E.E. Snyman, M. Tomalin, N.R. Crouch & C. Pottas-Bircher.
ISBN 1-919795-62-6.
14. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. 2003. G. Germishuizen & N.L. Meyer (eds).
ISBN 1-919795-99-5.
15. Heyday of the gymnosperms: systematics and biodiversity of the Late Triassic Molteno fructifications.
2003. J.M. Anderson & H.M. Anderson. ISBN 1-919795-98-7.
16. Common names of Karoo plants. 2004. L. Powrie. ISBN 1-874907-16-1.
17. National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004: priorities for biodiversity conservation in South Africa.
2005. A. Driver, K. Maze, M. Rouget, A.T. Lombard, J. Nel, J.K. Turpie, R.M. Cowling, P. Desmet,
P. Goodman, J. Harris, Z. Jonas, B. Reyers, K. Sink & T. Strauss. ISBN 1-919976-20-5.
18. A revision of the southern African genus Babiana, Iridaceae: Crocoideae. 2007. P. Goldblatt &
J.C. Manning. ISBN-10: 1-919976-32-9, ISBN-13: 978-1-919976-32-7.
19. The vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. 2006. L. Mucina & M.C. Rutherford (eds).
ISBN-10: 1-919976-21-3, ISBN-13: 978-1-919976-21-1.
20. Brief history of the gymnosperms: classification, biodiversity, phytogeography and ecology. 2007.
J.M. Anderson, H.M. Anderson & C.J. Cleal. ISBN 978-1-919976-39-6.
21. Molteno ferns: Late Triassic biodiversity in southern Africa. 2008. H.M. Anderson & J.M. Anderson.
ISBN 978-1-919976-36-5.
22. Plants of Angola / Plantas de Angola. 2008. E. Figueiredo & G.F. Smith. ISBN 978-1-919976-45-7.
23. Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands. 2009.
J.P. Roux. ISBN 978-1-919976-48-8.
24. Historical plant incidence in southern Africa. 2009. C.J. Skead. ISBN 978-1-919976-53-2.
25. Red List of South African plants 2009. 2009. D. Raimondo, L. von Staden, W. Foden, J.E. Victor,
N.A. Helme, R.C. Turner, D.A. Kamundi & P.A. Manyama (eds). ISBN 978-1-919976-52-5.
26. Botanical exploration of southern Africa, edn 2. 2010. H.F. Glen & G. Germishuizen.
ISBN 978-1-919976-54-9.
27. Botany and horticulture of the genus Freesia (Iridaceae). 2010. J.C. Manning & P. Goldblatt.
ISBN 978-1-919976-58-7.
28. The aloe names book. 2011. O.M. Grace, R.R. Klopper, E. Figueiredo & G.F. Smith.
ISBN 978-1-919976-64-8.
29. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: the Core Cape flora. 2012. J. Manning & P. Goldblatt.
ISBN 978-1-919976-74-7.
30. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: the Extra Cape flora. 2013. D.A. Snijman (ed.).
ISBN 978-1-919976-77-8.
31. Guide to plant families of southern Africa. 2013. M. Koekemoer, H.M. Steyn & S.P. Bester.
ISBN 978-1-919976-83-9.
32. Systematics and biology of the Cape genus Sparaxis (Iridaceae). 2013. P. Goldblatt & J. Manning.
ISBN 978-1-919976-89-1.
33. Vegetation Field Atlas of Continental South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. 2014. L. Mucina,
M.C. Rutherford, L.W. Powrie, A. van Niekerk & J.H. van der Merwe (eds). ISBN: 978-1-919976-97-6.
34. The Apocynaceae of Namibia. 2014. P.V. Bruyns. ISBN: 978-1-919976-98-3.
35. Systematics and biology of Lapeirousia, Codonorhiza, Psilosiphon & Schizorhiza in southern Africa.
2015. P. Goldblatt & J.C. Manning. ISBN 978-1-928224-02-0.
36. Identification guide to southern African grasses. An identification manual with keys, descriptions and
distributions. 2015. L. Fish, A.C. Mashau, M.J. Moeaha & M.T. Nembudani.
ISBN 978-1-928224-00-6.
37. Beeplants of South Africa. Sources of nectar, pollen, honeydew and propolis for honeybees. 2016.
M.F. Johannsmeier. ISBN 978-1-928224-17-4.
38. Plants of the Free State: inventory and identification guide. 2017. E. Retief & N.L. Meyer.
ISBN 978-1-928224-15-0.
39. A taxonomic revision of Calobota (Fabaceae, Crotalarieae). 2018. J.S. Boatwright, P.M. Tilney &
B-E van Wyk. ISBN: 978-1-928224-27-3.
40. Systematics of Drimia Jacq. (Hyacinthaceae: Urgineoideae) in southern Africa. 2018. J.C. Manning &
P. Goldblatt. ISBN 978-1-928224-25-9.
41. A Flora of the Eastern Cape Province. Volume 1–3. 2019. C.L. Bredenkamp.
ISBN 978-1-928224-28-0.
42. Iridaceae of southern Africa. P. Goldblatt & J.C. Manning. 2020. ISBN 978-1-928224-35-8.
43. A monograph on the genus Cliffortia. C.M. Whitehouse. 2021. ISBN 978-1-928224-44-0.
44. Photographic guide to the wild flowers of the Limpopo Province. S. Kremer-Köhne. 2021.
ISBN 978-1-928224-53-2.
Enquiries
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Tel. +27 12 843 5000 • E-mail: sanbibookshop@sanbi.org.za • Website: www.sanbi.org