Rhubarb (Rheum) A large-leaved perennial herb to 1m and up to 1m across, often cultivated in home vegetable gardens. The stems are edible once cooked, often sweetened to make them more palatable. Small flowers are green to white clustered on erect stems. The large, dull green leaves are three-veined from the [...]
Petty spurge (Euphorbia peplus) A small annual herb up to 40cm high, comprising a main central stem with branching towards the base. A common weed around buildings, gardens and disturbed areas. The flowers (cyathia) are small and insignificant; yellowish-green in colour, held in leafy bunches. The thin, soft leaves are [...]
Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria) A clumping, perennial herbaceous plant to 1m high with underground tubers. Commonly grown as a garden ornamental. The funnel shaped flowers have six petals with the inner three usually darker or with streaks. The flowers are 4-5cm in diameter and held in loose clusters at the end [...]
Periwinkle (pink or white) (Catharanthus roseus) Small garden perennial growing up to 100cm. The flowers are about 3cm across with a slender tube that expands into 5 broad rounded petals. The most common form is bright pink with a slightly darker centre. There is also a white variety. The leaves [...]
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) An evergreen perennial herb, often grown as an ornamental, also very popular as a container plant. The flowers are fleshy white to cream sheath or bract, called a spathe, surrounding a spike of fragrant, closely packed minute flowers. The leaves are bright green, lance shaped, shiny, up to [...]
Hairy thornapple (Datura metel) A softly hairy annual herb up to 1m tall, often with purplish stems. A weed of roadsides, waste places and cultivation. Flowers are pendulous and trumpet shaped, deep purple outside, lavender to white inside; 14-20cm long with 5 lobes ending in a fine point. Flowers are usually double [...]
Lantana (Lantana camara) A variable species ranging from small compact garden specimens to larger weedy scrambling shrubs to 2m. The stems of the plant are square, often with prickles along the stem angle. Flowers are grouped in clusters at the end of a stalk. These clusters are about 3cm across. Each [...]
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) An annual or short-lived perennial with robust stems, cultivated mainly in temperate gardens. The flowers are bell-shaped, pink to purple (rarely white) with spots inside the floral tube, and are crowded on a long stem at the top of the plant. Individual flowers are 4–6cm long hanging [...]
Flamingo flower (Anthurium andraeanum) An ornamental plant with large, fleshy leaves and bright red or pink spathe flowers. The flowers consist of a red to pink bract or sheath called a spathe, which opens out flat and often shows puckering of the veins. The spathe is broad ovate to heart shaped, 10-15cm [...]
Philodendron An ornamental, often grown as a pot plant, these plants may or may not have a climbing habit. If grown outside, they are often vines or climbers with thickened stems and numerous aerial roots. Flowers are similar to other aroids in that they are small and numerous, crowded onto a [...]
