Protea intonsa

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Protea intonsa
Protea intonsa 15680824.jpg
Protea magnifica developing inflorescence
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Protea
Species:
P. intonsa
Binomial name
Protea intonsa

Protea intonsa, also known as the tufted sugarbush, [3] [4] [5] is a flowering plant of the genus Protea within the family Proteaceae, [3] [4] [6] endemic to South Africa, [3] [6] where it is distributed from the eastern Swartberg and Kammanassie Mountains to the Baviaanskloof mountains. [3] [5] In Afrikaans it is known as klossie-suikerbos.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Taxonomy

Protea intonsa has only been known to exist for half a century or so, it was first described as new to science by the South African botanist John Patrick Rourke in 1971. [2] [7] He had first collected the species in 1967 in the Oudtshoorn Local Municipality on the rocky southeastern slopes of the Mannetjiesberg at 4,800 feet (1,500 m) elevation (collector #860). [7]

An isotype of Rourke's original collection is housed at the herbarium at Kew. [7]

P. intonsa was classified in Protea section Crinitae by Tony Rebelo in 1995, what he calls the "eastern ground sugarbushes", along with P. foliosa, P. montana and P. vogtsiae. [8]

Description

This plant is a small, densely branched shrub up to 30 centimetres (12 in) tall. [5] It is acaulescent, the shrubs having the appearance of low tufts 1–2 feet (30–61 cm) in diameter. [7] The stems (rhizomes) grow underground, and have a characteristically scaled bark. [8] It is a long-lived species. [3]

The leaves are linear, narrow and slightly glaucous. [7] [8]

The inflorescences are specialised structures called pseudanthia, also known simply as flower heads, containing hundred of reduced flowers, called florets. These inflorescences are surrounded by petal-like appendages known as 'involucral bracts'. These bracts are pale green or greenish white base colour, this being flushed with carmine. The margins of the bracts are a dull carmine, except for the apex, which is covered in a 7mm long, white-coloured beard of hairs. [7] It is a monoecious species, both sexes occur in each flower. [5] The blooms are produced in late spring, [4] between September and November. [5]

Similar species

Protea intonsa is similar to P. vogtsiae in section Crinitae, both being dwarf shrubs with subterranean stems, and has similar leaves to P. montana, which is a larger mat-forming plant with much-branched stems growing prostrate on the ground. [8]

Distribution

Protea intonsa is endemic to the southwestern part of the Cape Region of South Africa, [3] [6] where it is found in the south of the area where the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces meet. [3] It occurs in the eastern Swartberg, Kammanassie and Baviaanskloof mountains. [3] [5] It is found on the Mannetjiesberg, the highest mountain in the Kammanassie Mountains, [4] [7] where it occurs frequently, in patches. [7] The species is often spatially distributed as isolated populations of scattered plants. [5]

Ecology

Habitat

It grows on dry, exposed mountain slopes at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,600 metres. [3] [5] It has only been found to occur in a fynbos habitat sometimes on high mountains, or in grassy fynbos. It is usually found on a substrate derived from sandstone, but near Kango in the Swartberge it occurs on conglomerates. [3]

Wildfires

According to one source, the wildfires which periodically move through the land in which the shrub grows destroy the adult plants, but the seeds can survive such an event, [5] whereas a newer source states the plants survive fires by being able to re-sprout from underground stems. [3] The florets are pollinated by rodents. The seeds are retained in the old, dry, fire-resistant infructescence on the plant for two years, when they are finally released after fires the seeds are dispersed by the wind. [3] [5]

Conservation

Although the range is restricted to a relatively small area, [3] it is not threatened. [3] [5] The South African National Biodiversity Institute assessed the conservation status of the species for the Red List of South African Plants as 'least concern' in 2019, this assessment had first been given by the same organisation in 2009. It is threatened by anything serious and is not in danger of extinction. [3]

A population is protected within the Kammanassie Nature Reserve. [4] [7]

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 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 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 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 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 dracomontana</i> Species of flowering shrub

Protea dracomontana, the Nyanga protea or the Drakensberg sugarbush, is a flowering plant that belongs within the genus Protea. The plant is found in the Eastern Cape, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal and the escarpment of the Free State, as well as eastern Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe this species is only known from a disjunct subpopulation confined to the summit of Mount Nyangani.

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

Protea pruinosa, also known as frosted sugarbush or burnished protea, is a flowering shrub which belongs to the genus Protea within the botanical family Proteaceae. The plant is endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa.

<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.

Protea restionifolia, which is also known as the Reed-leaf sugarbush, is a flowering shrub endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa where it is found from the upper part of the Breede River Valley through the Bot River Valley to Wolseley and the Koue Bokkeveld Mountains.

<i>Protea scabra</i> Species of flowering shrub

Protea scabra, also known as the sandpaper-leaf sugarbush, is a flowering groundcover that belongs to the genus Protea. The plant is endemic to South Africa and is found from the Hottentots Holland Mountains across the Riviersonderend Mountains, the Kleinrivier Mountains and around the town of Caledon to the Swartberg mountains.

<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 subulifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Protea subulifolia, the awl-leaf sugarbush, is a flower-bearing shrub belonging to the Protea genus. The plant is native to the Western Cape and occurs from the Stettynskloof to Riviersonderendberge, Langeberg, Bot River to the Elim plain. The plant grows 50 cm in diameter and 70 cm tall and flowers from July to September.

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

Protea scolopendriifolia, also known as the Harts-tongue-fern sugarbush or Hart's-tongue-fern sugarbush, is a flowering shrub endemic to South Africa, where it occurs in both the Western and Eastern Cape. It is found from the Cederberg, through the Kogelberg, Riviersonderend Mountains and Swartberg, to the Kouga Mountains. It blooms in Spring, from September to December.

References

  1. ↑ Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (2020). "Protea intonsa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T113210141A185592049. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113210141A185592049.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Protea intonsa". International Plant Names Index . The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (28 May 2019). "Tufted Sugarbush". Red List of South African Plants. version 2020.1. South African National Biodiversity Institute . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Protea intonsa (Tufted protea)". Biodiversity Explorer. Iziko - Museums of South Africa. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Eastern Ground Sugarbushes - Proteas". Protea Atlas Project Website. 11 March 1998. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 "Protea intonsa Rourke". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Specimen Details K000423683". Kew Herbarium Catalogue. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Peter, Craig I.; Dold, A. P.; Melidonis, Caitlin A.; Abraham, Susan (2017). "Protea foliosa" (PDF). Flowering Plants of Africa . 65: 42–48. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
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