Protea neriifolia

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Protea neriifolia
Protea neriifolia RBG.jpg
Protea neriifolia at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne in Australia
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Protea
Species:
P. neriifolia
Binomial name
Protea neriifolia
Synonyms [3]
  • Scolymocephalus neriifolius(R.Br.) Kuntze

Protea neriifolia, also known as the narrow-leaf sugarbush, [4] [5] [6] oleander-leaved sugarbush, [4] blue sugarbush, [4] [7] or the oleanderleaf protea,[ citation needed ] is a flowering plant in the genus Protea , [6] which is endemic to South Africa. [4]

Contents

Common names for the species in the Afrikaans language include blousuikerbos, [7] baardsuikerbos, [4] baardsuikerkan, [4] blou-suikerbos, [4] blousuikerkan, [4] roosboom [4] and suikerbos. [4]

The tree's national number is 93.1. [7] [8]

Taxonomy

Although it was first discovered by Europeans in 1597, and was the subject of a botanical illustration in 1605,[ citation needed ] the plant was first described as a distinct species according to the modern Linnaean system by the naturalist Robert Brown in his 1810 treatise On the Proteaceae of Jussieu . [2]

Description

It is a large, erect shrub or small tree, [6] [7] growing from about three [6] [9] to five metres in height. [9] The stems become glabrous (hairless) when mature. [7]

The leaves are 'sessile', which means they lack a petiole and arise straight from the stems. These leaves diagnostically curve upwards. They are elliptic-shaped, coloured green or blue-grey, and their margin run parallel to each other. The leaves become glabrous when mature. [7]

It blooms in Summer and Spring, [7] although it has also been seen blooming in the Winter and Autumn. [5] The plant is monoecious, with both sexes in each flower. [6] It has its flowers arranged in a flower head, a special type of inflorescence.[ citation needed ] Each branch bears only one inflorescence. This species is recognisable in having the inflorescence shaped as a long, oblong cone. It is 13 by 8 cm in size. [7] The flower heads are cup-shaped, and the flowers within them contain nectar. [9] The inflorescence is subtended (i.e. surrounded or covered) by 'involucral bracts'. [7] These outer bracts range in colour from carmine to pink to creamy-green or whitish, this colour contrasts with the characteristic hairy black fringe on the margins of the apex of the bract. [5] [7] [9] The inner bracts are shaped oblong to spatulate, and are typically curved inwards at the tips. These tips are rounded and also covered in a black, sometimes white, beard of fuzzy hairs. [7]

The fruit is a nut, its surface densely covered in hairs. [7] These small nuts are packed together within the dried inflorescence, which remains on the plant after senescence. When eventually released, the seeds are dispersed by means of the wind. [6]

Similar species

It is similar to Protea laurifolia , whose flower heads also possess a hairy black fringe on their bracts, a species found further to the west. P. laurifolia can be distinguished by means of its leaves having a very short petiole, these leaves have a heavy horny margin and are usually more bluish or silvery-coloured than those of P. neriifolia. [7]

Distribution

Protea neriifolia occurs in both the Western and the Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. [4] It occurs in the southern coastal mountain ranges of South Africa, between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.[ citation needed ] It grows in the mountain ranges of Hottentots Holland, Langeberg, Groot Winterhoek, Elandsberg, Rooiberg, Kammanassie, Potberg, [6] Riviersonderend, [5] [6] Kogelberg and Jonkershoek, as well as at Garcia's Pass [5] and near the towns of Tulbagh and Ceres. [6]

Ecology

The species is encountered in fynbos amongst restios. It usually is found growing in dense stands on south-facing slopes, [5] [7] sometimes occurring together with Leucadendron xanthoconus . [5] It grows on sandy, [7] and in sandstone-, or occasionally granite, derived soils. It is found at altitudes ranging from sea level to 1,300 metres. During the wildfires which periodically occur in this type of habitat, mature plants of this species are destroyed, but the seeds are able to survive such events. [6]

The flowers are pollinated by birds, [6] which are attracted by the insects and nectar, as well as various insects including protea beetles and scarab beetles.[ citation needed ]

Plants at the Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens have their flowers visited by the Cape sugarbird ( Promerops cafer ). [5]

Horticulture

Protea neriifolia is highly adaptable to cultivation under garden conditions, and is among the most widely grown of the protea species. It is also extensively grown commercially for cut flowers, not only in its native South Africa, [7] but also in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and other countries with climatically suitable areas. In addition to selected cultivars, such as 'Green Ice', 'Margaret Watling' and 'Silvertips', the species has been crossed to produce several hybrids, such as 'Carnival' (P. compacta x P. neriifolia),[ citation needed ] or perhaps 'Pink Mink'. [10]

Conservation

This species is not threatened. [6] The population numbers are believed to be stable. The South African National Biodiversity Institute assessed the conservation status of the species as 'least concern' in 2009, and again in 2019. [4]

Related Research Articles

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

Protea gaguedi is a species of tree which belongs to the genus Protea.

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

Protea welwitschii is a species of shrub or small tree which belongs to the genus Protea, and which occurs in bushveld and different types of grassland.

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

Protea susannae, also known as stink-leaf sugarbush, is a flower-bearing shrub of the genus Protea. The plant 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 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.

References

  1. ↑ Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (2020). "Protea neriifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T113210943A185546495. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113210943A185546495.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Protea neriifolia". International Plant Names Index . The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "Protea neriifolia R.Br". Plants of the World Online . Kew Science. 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (10 June 2019). "Narrow-leaved Sugarbush". Red List of South African Plants. version 2020.1. South African National Biodiversity Institute . Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Protea neriifolia (Narrow-leaf sugarbush)". Biodiversity Explorer. Iziko - Museums of South Africa. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Bearded Sugarbushes - Proteas". Protea Atlas Project Website. 11 March 1998. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 van Wyk, Braam; van Wyk, Piet (1997). Field Guide to trees of South Africa. Cape Town: Struik. p. 216, 217. ISBN   1-86825-922-6.
  8. ↑ "National List of Indigenous Trees".
  9. 1 2 3 4 Weaver, C. (producer) 1982. pp. 50–56 Wildlife Through the Camera. 1982. British Broadcasting Corporation ISBN   0-563-20069-3
  10. ↑ "Protea laurifolia 'Rose Mink'". www.smgrowers.com. San Marcos Growers. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
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