Protea effusa

Last updated

Protea effusa
Protea effusa 15464304.jpg
Scarlet sugarbush (Protea effusa)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Protea
Species:
P. effusa
Binomial name
Protea effusa
Synonyms [3] [4]

Protea effusa, sometimes known as the scarlet sugarbush, [3] [5] [6] is a flowering plant which belongs to the genus Protea . [3] [5] The plant is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa. [3] In the Afrikaans language the vernacular name blosrooisuikerbos has been recorded for this plant.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Taxonomy

Protea effusa was first named as an invalid nomina nuda by Ernst Meyer in 1843, [2] [7] but was eventually validated with a proper description by Carl Meissner in 1856 in the Prodromus, initiated by Alphonse Pyramus de Candolle. [2] Meyer used herbarium specimens collected by the German explorer and plant collector Johann Franz Drège as the basis upon which to affix his taxonomic name, which was published in Drège's book Zwei Pflanzengeographische Documente, which summarised (the scientific impressions made on) the journey. Drège collected these specimens, the types, in the Du Toit Mountains near Worcester, Western Cape. [7] [8] According to Edwin Percy Phillips in 1910, Kew may house an isotype specimen collected by Drège, originally sent or traded by Meyer with the herbarium of George Bentham in 1854. [8]

P. marlothii was named by Phillips in 1910 for a population of somewhat more robust plants with larger leaves found growing on the Matroosberg, also in the area of Worcester, which were first collected there by Rudolf Marloth just after the turn of the 19th century. [9] [10] [11]

Description

The branches are glabrous. [7] The leaves are glaucous, [5] distinctly veined, mucronate, end acutely and narrow towards the base. They are usually lanceolate in shape, and 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) in length. The flower heads are sessile on the stems, 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) long and 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter, [7] and have the shape of a bowl. [6] These appear on the plant in the winter months. [5] [6] The bracts may be greenish-yellow [5] to deep red. [6]

Protea effusa in midwinter on the first of July Protea effusa 15129016.jpg
Protea effusa in midwinter on the first of July

Variability

In cultivation in Australia, the plant can be very variable in appearance, with some forms growing as a ground-hugging, mat-forming, prostrate shrub, and others becoming an erect shrub growing up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in height. The leaves can also be variable, with individual plants having differences in leaf width. The colour of the inflorescences may vary from greenish-bronze to a rich red. [6]

In the wild in South Africa, most populations are of the ground-hugging sort, but populations of taller, erect-growing plants exist at Gydo Pass and across the Gydoberg. These plants are suspected of being natural hybrids with Protea recondita , or perhaps a hybrid of P. recondita crossed with P. pendula, but require further study. [3] Plants on the Matroosberg, the former P. marlothii, have larger, more oblanceolate-shaped leaves than other populations, these grow up to 3 inches (7.6 cm) in length, and in some cases can be twice as broad as those elsewhere. Another difference was said to be slightly larger flower heads, and yellow-brown hairs on the ovary in this form, as well as other tiny details of the inflorescence. [7]

Similar species

Phillips, in describing P. marlothii, found the most similar species to be P. pendula, and also P. sulphurea, but differing in having the flower heads being erect and opening upwards, as opposed to hanging. [11]

Distribution

It occurs from the Koue Bokkeveld Mountains (such as the Waboomsberg) [3] [5] to the Du Toit Mountains and Naudesberg area of the Western Cape province. [3] Within this area it occurs in the Franschhoek, [5] the Gydoberg, Hex River and Groot Winterhoek mountains. [3]

It almost exclusively grows on mountain summits. Existing populations exhibit a fragmented spatial distribution and are small, over a quarter of the known populations consist of five plants or less. The reason behind such small populations is as yet mysterious. Of the known localities, only 13% bear more than a hundred plants. [3]

Ecology

This is a species found growing on rocky and exposed mountain ridges in an otherwise montane fynbos habitat at the tops of mountains, at altitudes of 1,200 to 1,800 metres. It is pollinated by rodents. Mature individuals are killed by wildfire, but the seeds can survive such an event, being stored in the fire-resistant dried old inflorescences. The seeds are released after fires, and dispersed by means of the wind. [3]

Horticulture

Cultivation of this species is not always easy, the collection locality from which a particular batch of plants originates may play a large part in determining how it will grow. It prefers a cool and dry climate, being native to mountainous regions of the Cape Region. It is best grown in well-drained soils. The flower heads have successfully been used as cut flowers. [6]

Conservation

In 2009 the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) assessed the conservation status of the species as being 'near threatened'. In 2011 they reaffirmed this judgement, basing this on a suspected larger former population, based itself on the small extant populations. [3]

Although SANBI states that there is no evidence that the population is declining, they judge that the population is decreasing or will decrease in the future, giving as main reason climate change. It is feared that the development of fruit orchards on the Gydoberg is ongoing habitat loss for the plants found there, but this only a single subpopulation. It is furthermore suspected that the populations on the Hex River and Groot Winterhoek mountains are being subjected to too frequent wildfires. However, any possible future population reduction is not expected to exceed 30%, the amount in percentage of population per generation, to warrant a more dire conservation status. The pattern of distribution suggests a much wider range in the past, but why, when or how it became restricted to such small isolated fragments is unknown. [3]

The species is protected in the nature reserves of Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area, Fonteintjiesberg, Haweqwa, Theewaterskloof, Wittebrug, Witzenberg and Patryskloof. [3]

See also

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

Protea aristata is a compact shrub with beautiful flowers which is endemic to the southwestern part of the Cape Region of South Africa. P. aristata has become one of South Africa's most famous proteas in spite of its relatively late discovery, and re-discovery in 1953. The leaves are soft, dense and needle-like and the flower heads are a stunning crimson red, it may thus be a good potential ornamental plant for South African gardens. It is usually called the Ladismith sugarbush in South African English, although it has been called pine sugar bush in Australia. In the Afrikaans language it has the vernacular name of klein-den-suikerbos.

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

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

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

Protea pendula, also known as the nodding sugarbush or arid sugarbush, is a flowering plant of the genus Protea, in the family Proteaceae, which is only found growing in the wild in the Cape Region of South Africa. In the Afrikaans language it is known as knikkopsuikerbossie or ondersteboknopprotea.

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

Protea recondita, also known as the hidden sugarbush, is a flowering plant of the genus Protea within the family Proteaceae, which is endemic to the Cape Region of South Africa, and distributed from the Piketberg and Cederberg to the Groot Winterhoek mountains. The flowers of this unusual plant are pollinated by non-flying mammals: rodents and elephant shrews. In the Afrikaans language it is known as gesigtoehouprotea or skaamroos.

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

Protea sulphurea, also known as the sulphur sugarbush, is a flowering plant of the genus Protea in the family Proteaceae, which is only known to grow in the wild in the Western Cape province of South Africa. A vernacular name for the plant in the Afrikaans language is heuningkoeksuikerbos or Skaamblom.

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

Protea foliosa, also known as the leafy sugarbush, is a flowering plant of the genus Protea in the family Proteaceae which is endemic to the Cape Region of South Africa. In the Afrikaans language it is known as ruie-suikerbos.

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

Protea speciosa, also known as the brown-beard sugarbush, is a flowering shrub which is classified as within the genus Protea.

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

Protea witzenbergiana, or Swan sugarbush, is a flowering shrub of the genus Protea.

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

Protea pityphylla, also known as Ceres sugarbush or mountain rose, is a flowering shrub of the genus Protea, in the family Proteaceae. The plant is endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa.

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 effusa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T113209649A185551814. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113209649A185551814.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Protea effusa". International Plant Names Index . The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (14 June 2011). "Scarlet Sugarbush". Red List of South African Plants. version 2020.1. South African National Biodiversity Institute . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  4. ↑ "Protea effusa E.Mey. ex Meisn". Plants of the World Online . Kew Science. 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Protea effusa (Scarlet sugarbush)". Biodiversity Explorer. Iziko - Museums of South Africa. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Matthews, Lew (12 August 2015). "Protea effusa, Scarlet sugarbush". Matthews' Botanical Images. Lew Matthews. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 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. p. 590. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.821.
  8. 1 2 "Specimen Details K000423623". Kew Herbarium Catalogue. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  9. ↑ "Protea marlothii". International Plant Names Index . The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  10. ↑ "Specimen Details K000423624". Kew Herbarium Catalogue. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  11. 1 2 Phillips, Edwin Percy (1910). "Diagnoses Africanae: XXXVII". Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Royal Gardens, Kew (in Latin). 1910 (7): 233, 234. Retrieved 12 August 2020.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.