Glossary: a
-
-
ACOKANTHERA OPPOSITIFOLIA
Posted on This evergreen to semi-deciduous tree can be seen on the other side of the footpath to the Indigenous Garden. Easy to recognise with its reddish young stems and thick, leathery, ovate and glossy leaves. The flowers appear in dense axillary... Read more » -
Adiantum poiretii
Posted on An indigenous fast growing fern with flat heart-shaped leaflets carried on wiry black stems. Example can be found growing in both full sun and shade in the Indigenous garden. Although it is perhaps the most showy and largest of the... Read more » -
Afrocarpus falcatus
Posted on This is the tallest South African forest tree but has been cultivated in Leisure Isle domestic gardens and in the Park. The small dark green leaves have a greyish bloom. Male cones are about 1 cm by 0,3 cm whilst... Read more » -
Agapanthus praecox
Posted on This well-known hardy, evergreen plant has attractive strap-like leaves and umbels of blue flowers that are borne on long stalks. They make good cut flowers. Its large rhizomes are easily split. It grows in sun or semi shade making it... Read more » -
Agathosma apiculata
Posted on This aromatic and densely leafy shrub releasing a distinctive garlic scent when the leaves are crushed. The flowers can be found at the tips of the stems. The fruit is a capsule with 3 chambers, and each carpel contains one... Read more » -
Agathosma capensis
Posted on This evergreen shrub grows to heights between 30 cm and 90 cm. The usually smooth leaves are needle-like to oval, strongly spice-scented, especially when crushed. This plant flowers throughout the year with a peak in winter to spring (July to... Read more » -
ALBUCA BRACTEATA
Posted on This succulent bulb is commonly known as the pregnant onion due to the fact that it does look like an pale green to yellow onion sitting on top of the soil – growing up to 10cm in diameter – and also because... Read more » -
Albuca cooperi
Posted on This bulbous perennial bears two or three, sometimes four narrow, channelled leaves which grow annually. Their margins are rolled in and clasping the stem at the base where they are warty. It has strikingly beautiful yellow fragrant nodding flowers with... Read more » -
Aloe arborescens
Posted on This is a fast growing, multi-stemmed and densed rounded shrub. The leaves are grey-green and the margins are toothed. Each stem developping into an attractive inflorescence during the winter months with bright orange-red flowers. The flower colour can range from deep... Read more » -
Aloe cooperi
Posted on One of the ‘Grass aloes”, it has graceful leaves with small white teeth along their margins distinguish this aloe and make it easily recognizable. It grows singly or in small groups from offshoots at ground level. Plants may be stemless... Read more » -
Aloe ferox
Posted on This is one of the best known South african plants with a long history of medicinal use. The leaves are arranged in a rosette. The old leaves remain after they have dried, forming a “petticoat” on the stem. They are... Read more » -
Aloe maculata
Posted on This beautiful aloe can be seen while walking on the paved path from the boat club entrance towards the indigenous garden. The leaves are triangular and curved inwards towards the tip. Like most aloes, they are spiky. Maculata means spotted... Read more » -
Aloe rupestris
Posted on Aloe rupestris is a hardy, drought-resistant, single-stemmed Aloe with spreading, bright-green leaves that are reddish along the edges. It gets its common name from its distinctive and showy flowers. Closely related to “our” Aloe thraskii (single stem and tall) and naturally... Read more » -
Aloe striata
Posted on Aloe striata is a stemless aloe with blue green leaves with distinctive longitudinal striations – hence its common name. Unlike other Aloes, the leaves of A. striata are smooth. It bears attractive coral red flowers during the winter months on tall... Read more » -
Aloe thraskii
Posted on These strikingly beautiful ‘statue’ like aloes stand proud in the Park beds along Links Drive and in the Indigenous Garden. Tall and fast-growing, their leaves are long, pale, grey-green, deeply grooved and recurved. They are indigenous to the Eastern and... Read more » -
Aloiampelos ciliaris var. ciliaris
Posted on Previously known as Aloe ciliaris but now moved to the genus Aloiampelos. This is a hardy, climbing Aloe with stems climbing up to 5m if they are supported, but otherwise makes a lovely, clump forming sprawling shrub. The leaves are... Read more » -
Aloiampelos tenuior
Posted on Formerly Aloe tenuior but moved to the Aloiampelos genus in 2013 (meaning climbing aloe). Tenuior means very thin referring to the slender branches. This small to medium-sized rambling aloe that is indigenous to the Eastern Cape can be found in... Read more » -
Amaryllis belladonna
Posted on Description The bulb is typically large, brown and rounded and has a moderate growth rate. The large clusters of scented, trumpet-shaped pink flowers are carried on a long purplish-red and green stem. Up to twelve flowers are produced from the... Read more » -
Anagallis arvensis
Posted on Not listed in NEMBA legislation, however it is troublesome weed and can smother and outcompete other natural vegetation. Scarlet pimpernel, commonly known as blue-scarlet pimpernel, shepherd’s weather glass or shepherd’s clock, is a low-growing annual plant. The native range of... Read more » -
Andrachne ovalis
Posted on Small to medium size tree with sharp, spine-like shoots. The leaves are ovate to ovate-elliptic, smelling of cyanide when crushed. Bark shows some conspicuous orange colour pigment. The small white flowers are fragrant. The fleshy round fruit is green at... Read more » -
Anisodontea scabrosa
Posted on Indigenous to South Africa’s winter rainfall areas, Anisodontea scabrosa grows well in coastal sands at low altitudes. They are hardy plants able to withstand frost. Description Anisodontea scabrosa is an evergreen perennial shrub that can reach heights of 2-3m. Stems... Read more » -
Anredera cordifolia
Posted on Invasive Status in South Africa: NEMBA Cat. 1b Origin: South America Madeira vine is a long-lived twining or climbing plant, the stems are hairless and grow in a twining fashion. Younger stems are green or reddish in colour and round... Read more » -
Apodytes dimidiata
Posted on A most attractive tree with glossy dark-green leathery leaves and sprays of tiny sweetly scented white flowers. Its light coloured wood is hard, heavy and fine-textured and is used for flooring and furniture. Birds love the fleshy black berries that... Read more » -
Arctopus echinatus
Posted on Flat growing plant with diameter of 15 cm that grows primarily in the natural pathways of the Park and is disliked by small dog owners because the prickly fruits stick to the dogs’ fur or feet or even human feet!!... Read more » -
Arctotheca populifolia
Posted on Silvery-grey, thick leathery leaves, growing on the sand dunes at the northern estuary shores of Kingfisher Creek. The heart-shaped leaves are large, with short stalks and slightly succulent, covered with white hairs. The flowers appear in the centre of the... Read more » -
Arctotheca prostrata
Posted on Perennial rosette-forming plant growing profusely all over, sprawling and rooting at the nodes. Perfect on sandy slopes of our costal region. Read more » -
Aristea ensifolia
Posted on Rhizomatous perennial, the stem is compressed and 2 winged. It has bright clumps of green grass-like evergreen leaves and shows off tall spikes of flowers in spring and summer. The 6 bright petals of each flower opens wide, creating a... Read more » -
Aristea pusilla
Posted on Evergreen rhizomatous perennial with each star-like, deep blue flower only lasting a morning. The leaves are sword-shaped and fairly soft. Read more » -
Aristida junciformis
Posted on Grows in open grassland in wet places and in most types of soil. It is a hard, unpalatable and has virtually no grazing value. It is one of the best grasses in which to make brooms. Read more » -
Artemisia afra
Posted on This perennial shrub is a very popular medicinal plant in South Africa. It can look slightly scruffy with its long stems but the soft, aromatic leaves more than make up for this. The leaves resemble those of ferns in shape,... Read more » -
Asparagus aethiopicus
Posted on A spiny species with sprawling stems and fibrous and tuberous roots. Leaves are bright green, fern-like, with almost needle-like leaflets of up to eight in a cluster. Flowers are star-like and fragrant, white and small. Fruit is a bright, round, shiny,... Read more » -
Asparagus africanus
Posted on A perennial climber or sub-shrub with woody, prickly, scrambling stems The foliage is fern-like. It produces clusters of beautiful small, white, sweetly scented flowers followed by red berries. Please note that ingesting 5 to 7 ripe berries can cause stomach... Read more » -
Asparagus asparagoides
Posted on Scrambler or climber with beautiful glossy foliage. Single tiny sweetly scented flowers are borne in the axil and are immediately followed by black berries. The roots are rhizomatous and form numerous root tubers This plant is found West of the... Read more » -
Asparagus capensis
Posted on This species of asparagus grows as a thorny bush, to a height of 1 metre. The leaves are small and spiny. The tiny, creamy white, scented flowers appear from autumn to spring. Read more » -
Asparagus densiflorus “Meyerii“
Posted on Not indigenous to the Garden Route but found naturally from Eastern Cape to Mozambique. It is a beautifully erect plant with cylindrical branches which are slightly curved at their tips (looking like a cat’s tail), and densely covered in bright... Read more » -
Asparagus falcatus
Posted on Tall evergreen climber with pale grey stems bearing short, hooked thorns that cling onto neighbouring plants to reach sunlight. The white, star-shaped and fragrant flowers appear in elongate inflorescences, often in profusion and are followed by red berries. Read more » -
Asparagus setaceus
Posted on This evergreen perennial climber found along the Links Drive pole fence at the west end of the Reserve. The green stems are soft and fern like, bearing the inconspicuous 4 mm bell-shaped flowers at their tips . The flowers are... Read more » -
Asparagus virgatus
Posted on Stiffly erect with slender spineless stems and thread-like leaves. Flowers solitary along the branches. Berries are red. Can be seen in Indigenous Garden but naturally found in scrub and forest Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe. Read more » -
Avena fatua
Posted on Not listed in NEMBA legislation, however it is troublesome and can smother other natural vegetation. Grows in disturbed places, often where water collects, and is particularly fond of sandy soil. It is a reasonably palatable grazing grass, but is a... Read more »