What’s flowering in August?

LAMIACEAE

Salvia africana-lutea

Brown salvia; Strandsalie

This tall shrub of about 2 m flowers from August to December. It has a strong, spicy smell.
Brown paired flowers with glandular dotted calyx attract lots of wildlife. Part of the Sage family which is recognised by their square stems .
Salvias also have healing properties.

RUTACCEAE

Agathosma serpyllaceae

Buchu; Boegoe

Agathosmas are restricted to South Africa and are known for their aromatic qualities. This specie is a small round single stemmed bush.
Clusters of flowers can be mauve, white or pink. Leaves are narrow, swollen behind the tips and slightly twisted.
Use a lens to see the aromatic glands on the leaves.

SOLANACEAE

Lycium ferocissimum

Slangbessie

Thorny shrub of up to 2 m, flowering from July to October.
The red berries which appear towards November are edible.

MALVACEAE

Hermannia

Poprosie (Dolls’ Rose)

Flowers from September to January.
They are known as the porcelain bells of South Africa. They grow from an underground rootstock which helps them to survive droughts and fires.
There are 4 different species of Hermannia on this walk - all have nodding flowerheads. The flowers of this one have smaller openings and are yellow, but turn orange after being pollinated.

FABACEAE

Indigofera

Lewertjie

A small shrub with leaves mostly trifoliate.
They appear here in mauve and a peachy colour.
It is used as a fabric dye.

ZYGOPHYLLACEAE

Zygophyllum morgsana

Twinleaf; Slaaibos

These bushes of 1.5 m tall are covered in yellow flowers in spring. Flowers have 4 petals which turn into 4 winged seeds (slightly fleshy).
The Zygophyllums lose all their leaves in winter.

ZYGOPHYLLACEAE

Zygophyllum flexuosum

Spekbos

This plant is similar to morgsana with smaller leaves and flowers.
The flower petals are reflexed.

POLYGALACEAE

Muraltia Spinosa

Skilpadbessie

An attractive, spiny shrub with lateral branches.
It is covered in small pink or white pea flowers that develop into dark orange edible berries in summer.
As early as 1685 when Simon vd Stel travelled to Namaqualand they were reported to be thirst-quenching.
Flowers from August to October.

ARACEAE

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Arum lily; Varkblom

The striking white “flower” is not a true flower, but a spathe. The true flowers are the yellow spikes: Male flowers at the top and females below.
They flower from July to September.

ASTERACEA

Metalasia muricata

Blombos

Flowers here from August to November.
The bushes of up to 1.5 m are covered in white flowerheads and create a very prominent display.

NEURADACEAE

Grielum grandiflorum

Desert primrose; Duikerwortel

This annual herb flowers from August to October, but the leaves are visible for much longer,
forming a grey-green mat.

SCROPHULARIACEAE

Nemesia affinis

Cape snapgragon; Leeubekkie

An annual herb which flowers from August to November. The flower has 2 lips: the upper has
4 lobes and the lower 2.
Often found with yellow Senecios.

AIZOACEAE

Ruschia macowanii

Pers vygiebos

A round succulent bush covered in mauve
flowers (vygies).
Flowers from August to October.

AIZOACEAE

Jordaaniella dubia

Helder kruip vygie

This creeping plant,with bright yellow flowers. has vertical succulent leaves like pencils mostly the same length.

ASTERACEAE

Felicia tenella

Astertjies

They flower from August to November and are
abundant on coastal dunes of the South Western Cape. Blue, violet or white ray petals.
Felicia meaning Happy and Tenella meaning
Slender.

SCROPHULARIACEAE

Zaluzianskya villosa

Drumsticks; Verfblommetjie

Hairy branched annual which flowers from June to November.
Frequent in sandy places on flats and slopes.
Certain species are used as dyes.

ASTERACEAE

Eriocephalus racemosus

Kapokbos; Wild Rosemary

An erect grey-silky shrub of 1.5 m.
Has a fragrance similar to rosemary when touched and an important source of aromatic essential oils for perfumes. The small white flowers turn woolly after a while and the shrub has a snowy, or cotton wool appearance. Eriocephalus means woolly head.
Can be seen from August to October.

ASTERACEAE

Osteospermum monilifera

Tickberry; Bietou

These bushes of up to 2m are covered in yellow daisy-like flowers from March to November.
Some say they smell like chocolate.
This is followed by red or black edible berries, which we believe were an important Khoi food.

AIZOACEAE

Carpobrotus edulis

Sour fig; Suurvy

A trailing succulent which grows like a ground cover. It flowers throughout summer. The flowers start off yellow and turn pink with age.
The fruit, once dried, is used to make jam.

SCROPHULARIACEAE

Manulea thyrsiflora

Vingertjies

Densely hairy shrub to 1 m. Leaves toothed, greenish to golden yellow flowers with a yellow patch in back of throat, turning brown.
Flowering from August to October in coastal dune scrub.