African potato is facing rapid decline of wild populations due to large-scale harvesting, necessitating efficient means of propagation. Propagation of African potato is difficult due to seed dormancy and the species does not naturally propagate easily from corms. This study aimed to develop a simple and affordable propagation protocol for African potato. Chipping, scooping and cross-cutting methods were used to expose buds on small, medium and large African potato corms. There were no significant differences in number of ‘daughter corms’ between chipping and scooping for the large corms, as well as chipping and scooping for medium and small corms at the end of the experiment. Cross-cutting did not lead to formation of ‘daughter corms’. The number of leaves on ‘daughter corms’ was only significantly higher in the scooped medium corms compared with chipped small corms at the end of the experiment. Chipping showed a significantly higher number of roots compared with scooping. The chipping and scooping methods resulted in fully developed ‘daughter corms’ planted individually. These methods can be recommended for multiplication of African potato corms. This study provided novel and relatively affordable methods for in vivo multiplication of African potato, which can potentially help conserve wild populations.

Buddleja saligna Willd. is an evergreen tree native to South Africa. Historically, the tree has been used for the treatment of various diseases and has been scientifically found to have promising pharmacological effects. In the current study, the phenological growth stages of B. saligna are characterised according to the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale standardised coding. A total of eight out of ten principal growth stages have been described for the development of buds, leaves and shoots, inflorescence emergence, flowering, the development and ripening of fruits, and senescence. A total of thirty-three secondary growth stages were identified and described in detail. Illustrative images with codification have been provided to better define and describe the growth stages. The temperature fluctuations during the study period could have influenced the flowering time, as phenological shifts were observed during the study period. These data are a useful reference for efficient management, cultivation, and scientific research.

Hibiscus coddii subsp. barnardii is an endemic South African plant species with ornamental potential. The limited plant availability in nature and restrictions on the collection of living plant material (cuttings) for cultivation purposes, necessitated the development of a protocol for in vitro seed propagation to ensure all year round ex vitro establishment of plants. The effect of culture medium on seed germination and seedling performance was therefore studied. Various types of sterile seed cultures, namely moist filter paper bridges, five different strengths (¼, ½, –, full, 1¼) of PGR-free Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) and solid Gelrite® medium (control) were investigated. High germination percentages (85%-98%) were found in all three seed cultures, although seeds germinated on filter paper, Gelrite ® and lower strengths (¼, ½, –) of MS medium had shorter mean germination times (1.6-2.8 days) than those germinated on full and 1¼ strengths (3.5-4 days) of MS medium. Furthermore, the growth performance of seedlings varied with the strength of MS medium and was best supported on full strength MS medium, whereas ¼ and ½ strength MS media and Gelrite® cultures were detrimental for seedling growth.

Greyia radlkoferi Szyszyl (Melianthaceae) is an indigenous southern African medicinal tree whose ethanolic leaf extracts have been shown to have anti‐tyrosinase activity that can treat skin hyperpigmentation in humans. However, there are differences in activity levels among the populations of plants, with some trees having higher anti‐tyrosinase activity than others. It is critical to generate high‐quality materials with consistent anti‐tyrosinase activity for long‐term production of cosmeceutical products. To overcome the variation observed, determining the appropriate phenological growth stages to harvest quality leaf materials for better activity could be a way to address the observed variation. Detailed phenological growth stages of G. radlkoferi were described according to the BBCH scale to identify the phenological developmental stages of the plant, such as bud development, leaf development, inflorescence emergence, heading, flowering, development of fruit, ripening or maturity of fruit and seed, and senescence. Temperature and precipitation affect the phenological growth stages of G. radlkoferi. Lower temperatures and precipitation in 2018 resulted in lower development of leaf and flower buds, whereas higher temperatures in 2019 and 2020 led to increased leaf and flower buds. It was observed that more accumulated heat units were needed for leaf development, flowering, and fruiting than for bud development, fruit ripening, and senescence. The highest anti‐tyrosinase activity was achieved in leaves harvested during the flowering growth stage (half maximal concentration) (IC ₅₀ 19.50 ± 2.710 μg/mL) compared to budding (IC ₅₀ 23.91 ± 4.017 μg/mL) and vegetative growth stage (IC ₅₀ 27.88 ± 3.100 μg/mL); lower IC ₅₀ value indicates higher anti‐tyrosinase activity.