Protea acaulos

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Protea acaulos
Protea acaulos (as P. glaucophylla) (Paradisus Londinensis 11).jpg
Illustration from The Paradisus Londinensis , 1805
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Protea
Species:
P. acaulos
Binomial name
Protea acaulos
Synonyms [2] [4] [5]
  • Leucadendron acaulonL.
  • Protea acaulis Thunb.
  • Protea glaucophyllaJ.Lee & J.Kenn. ex Salisb., nom. illeg.
  • Erodendrum glaucophyllumSalisb. ex. Knight
  • Erodendrum limoniifoliumSalisb. ex. Knight
  • Protea elongata R.Br.
  • Protea angustata Drège ex. Meisn.

Protea acaulos, also known as the common ground sugarbush, [6] [7] [8] is a flowering plant found in the southwestern Cape Region, South Africa. [4] [2] It is also simply known as ground protea; in the Afrikaans language it is known as an aardroos. [6]

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described as Leucadendron acaulon by Linnaeus in the Species Plantarum of 1753. Johann Jacob Reichard moved it to the genus Protea in the 1879 part of the book Systema Plantarum, misspelling the specific epithet as "acaulis"; [3] this spelling was used up until 1912 and the name thus attributed to Carl Peter Thunberg, [5] but the spelling has subsequently been moved to "acaulos", the Greek feminine. [3] The spelling "acaule" has also been used. [9]

Protea glaucophylla was described by Richard Anthony Salisbury in The Paradisus Londinensis in 1805. [10] Although he soon, in 1809, moved it to Erodendrum glaucophyllum in a work published under the authorship of the gardener Joseph Knight titled On the cultivation of the plants belonging to the natural order of Proteeae , [11] this was generally ignored, and up until at least 1912 it was thought that Protea glaucophylla and P. acaulis were two similar, but separate, species, with P. glaucophylla having a more limited distribution around Tulbagh and Riversdale. [5]

Description

It grows as a dwarf or creeping shrub with a maximum height of around 30 cm, although it may also only grow to 7 cm tall, [2] and 1 m across. The branches are underground, and the plant grows as densely packed tufts of leaves poking out of the ground. It has a thick rootstock, [8] and will re-sprout from this or other underground parts after the above-ground parts of the plant are destroyed in wildfires. [6] [8] It is a very long-lived species, three generations of plants are thought to last from 150 to 300 years. [6]

The plant is monoecious with both sexes in each flower. [8] The plant blooms in Spring, [7] from June to November. [8]

Protea acaulos flowering at ground level, at Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa Protea acaulos 5Dsr 8388.jpg
Protea acaulos flowering at ground level, at Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa

Distribution

Protea acaulos is an endemic species of the Western Cape province of South Africa, but it is nonetheless widespread in this province. [6] It is found on the Cape Peninsula in the southwest, [6] [7] [8] and furthermore grows on the flats north to the Cederberg in the northwest, to the Elim Flats [6] [8] in the Agulhas Plain, the Caledon Swartberg, [6] and the Riviersonderend Mountains, [6] [8] eastwards to Bredasdorp. [6]

There is a small, isolated, disjunct population on the Langeberg Mountains near Barrydale. [6] [2]

It occurs in low densities and solitary plants are often encountered. [6]

Ecology

It is a member of the "acid sand fynbos complex" of plants, adapted to the regular occurrence of fires. [12] It grows from sea level to altitudes of 1,500, [8] or 1,800 metres. [6] Although it prefers sandy [6] [8] and alluvial soils on flats or on the lower slopes of lowland or mountain fynbos, it may also be encountered in shale and granite fynbos. [6]

The flowers are pollinated by rats, mice [6] [8] and birds. [8] The seeds are stored in the dried, fire-resistant inflorescence (seedheads) which remains attached to the plant, and are only released after fires 1 to 2 years after flowering, with dispersal taking place through action of the wind. [6] [8]

Conservation

The species was not thought to be threatened in 1998, [8] and it was assessed as 'least concern' by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) in 2009, but it was reassessed as 'near threatened' by SANBI as of 2019. It is a widespread species, but the total population is thought to have been significantly reduced across the Cape Lowlands, this being due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation, so much so, that the assessors assert that the species may soon cross the threshold for being accepted as 'vulnerable', based on projected population reduction over the past three generations of the shrub. [6]

About 26% of this species' habitat is irreversibly modified, and habitat loss continues. Most of this loss is due to urban expansion and agricultural development. Much of its habitat has also been destroyed on the lower slopes of mountains to plant forests for use as timber. The population is thus thought to be decreasing as of 2019. SANBI infers a population reduction of 23-28% based on the projected habitat loss over the past three generations. Nonetheless, most of its remaining habitat is in mountainous areas where the land is being developed at a significantly lower rate than in the lowlands, thus it is considered very difficult to give an estimation of how fast the population may reduce in the future. [6]

In the fragmented areas in the lowlands where it does occur, its population is mostly being reduced due to wildfire suppression, which hampers its system of reproduction and thus the recruitment of young new plants. In these lowland areas it furthermore faces threats from overgrazing and invasive grasses. [6]

Areas in which it is being outcompeted by dense infestations of invasive plants are on the southern slopes of the Riviersonderend Mountains, the Agulhas Plain, the Swartberg near the town of Caledon, and in the sand fynbos between Malmesbury and Mamre. [6]

A population is protected within the Grootbos Nature Reserve, Western Cape. [12]

Related Research Articles

<i>Protea neriifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea neriifolia, also known as the narrow-leaf sugarbush, oleander-leaved sugarbush, blue sugarbush, or the oleanderleaf protea, is a flowering plant in the genus Protea, which is endemic to South Africa.

<i>Protea laurifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea laurifolia, also known as the grey-leaf sugarbush, is a shrub from South Africa. It is native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa.

<i>Protea scolymocephala</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea scolymocephala, also known as the thistle protea or thistle sugarbush, is a flowering plant from the genus Protea native to South Africa.

<i>Protea magnifica</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea magnifica, commonly known as the queen protea, is a shrub, which belongs to the genus Protea within the family Proteaceae, and which is native to South Africa.

<i>Protea effusa</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea effusa, sometimes known as the scarlet sugarbush, is a flowering plant which belongs to the genus Protea. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa. In the Afrikaans language the vernacular name blosrooisuikerbos has been recorded for this plant.

<i>Protea namaquana</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea namaquana, also known as the Kamiesberg sugarbush, is a flowering plant which belongs to the genus Protea. The plant is endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa, in particular the Kamiesberg mountains of Namaqualand in the Northern Cape province. The species has a worldwide distribution of only 18 km2. It is regarded as critically endangered. In the Afrikaans language it has the vernacular name is Kamiesbergsuikerbos.

<i>Protea intonsa</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea intonsa, also known as the tufted sugarbush, is a flowering plant of the genus Protea within the family Proteaceae, endemic to South Africa, where it is distributed from the eastern Swartberg and Kammanassie Mountains to the Baviaanskloof mountains. In Afrikaans it is known as klossie-suikerbos.

<i>Protea montana</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae endemic to South Africa

Protea montana also known as the Swartberg sugarbush, is a flowering plant of the genus Protea within the family Proteaceae, which is endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa. In Afrikaans it is known as swartbergsuikerbos.

<i>Protea vogtsiae</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea vogtsiae, also known as the Kouga sugarbush, is a small flowering shrub of the genus Protea within the family Proteaceae, which is only found growing in the wild in the southern Cape Region of South Africa.

<i>Protea rubropilosa</i> Flowering tree

Protea rubropilosa, also known as the Transvaal sugarbush, escarpment sugarbush or Transvaal mountain sugarbush, is a flowering tree, that belongs to the genus Protea in the family Proteaceae. The plant only occurs in South Africa.

<i>Protea pudens</i> Flowering tree

Protea pudens, also known as the bashful sugarbush, is a low-growing, groundcover-like, flowering shrub in the genus Protea. It is only found growing in the wild in a small area in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

<i>Protea burchellii</i> Species of flowering plant

Protea burchellii, also known as Burchell's sugarbush, is a flowering shrub in the genus Protea, which is endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa.

<i>Protea angustata</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea angustata, also known as the Kleinmond sugarbush, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Protea. This plant is endemic to the south-west Cape Region of South Africa.

<i>Protea lorea</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea lorea, also known as the thong-leaf sugarbush, is a flowering shrub belonging to the genus Protea.

<i>Protea lorifolia</i> Species of shrub

Protea lorifolia, in English called the strap-leaved sugarbush, strap-leaved protea or strap-leaf sugarbush is a flowering shrub which belongs to the genus Protea.

<i>Protea convexa</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea convexa, also known as large-leaf sugarbush, is a rare flowering shrub in the genus Protea of the family Proteaceae, which is endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa.

<i>Protea scabriuscula</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea scabriuscula, also known as the hoary sugarbush or gray sugarbush, is a flowering shrub, endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa.

<i>Protea caespitosa</i> Species of plant

Protea caespitosa, also known as hottentot bishop sugarbush or bishop sugarbush, is a flowering shrub belonging to the genus Protea which is only found growing in the wild in South Africa.

<i>Protea punctata</i> Species of flowering plant

Protea punctata, also known as the water sugarbush or water white sugarbush, is a shrub belonging to the genus Protea which is found growing in the wild in South Africa.

<i>Protea decurrens</i> South African shrub

Protea decurrens, also known as linear-leaf sugarbush, is a shrub of the genus Protea, in the Proteaceae family, which is endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa. It is a small shrub with a thick underground rootstock, this structure throwing up numerous leafy branches, upon the base of which clusters of flower heads may appear close to the ground. It is pollinated by rodents and grows in low-altitude fynbos or renosterveld.

References

  1. ↑ Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (2020). "Protea acaulos". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T113208073A157955818. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113208073A157955818.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Protea acaulos (L.) Reichard", African plants database, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques & South African National Biodiversity Institute, retrieved 2013-09-30
  3. 1 2 3 "Protea acaulos". International Plant Names Index . The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Protea acaulos (L.) Reichard". Plants of the World Online . Kew Science. 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Stapf, Otto; Phillips, Edwin Percy (January 1912). "CXVII. Proteaceæ". In Thiselton-Dyer, William Turner (ed.). Flora Capensis; being a systematic description of the plants of the Cape Colony, Caffraria & Port Natal. 5. Vol. 1. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. pp. 602, 603. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.821.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (15 August 2019). "Common Ground Sugarbush". Red List of South African Plants. version 2020.1. South African National Biodiversity Institute . Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 "Protea acaulos (Common ground sugarbush)". Biodiversity Explorer. Iziko - Museums of South Africa. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Western Ground Sugarbushes - Proteas". Protea Atlas Project Website. 11 March 1998. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  9. ↑ Phillips, Edwin Percy (1910). "Diagnoses Africanae: XXXVII". Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Royal Gardens, Kew (in Latin). 1910 (7): 235. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  10. ↑ "Protea glaucophylla". International Plant Names Index . The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  11. ↑ "Erodendrum glaucophyllum". International Plant Names Index . The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  12. 1 2 Mergili, M. & Privett, S. (2008), "Vegetation and vegetation-environment relationships at Grootbos Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa" (PDF), Bothalia, 38 (1): 89, doi:10.4102/abc.v38i1.273 , retrieved 2013-09-30

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