- A medium-sized tree with Lion's Head in the background
Protea nitida | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Proteales |
Family: | Proteaceae |
Genus: | Protea |
Species: | P. nitida |
Binomial name | |
Protea nitida | |
Protea nitida, commonly called wagon tree, [2] [3] waboom or blousuikerbos, is a large, slow-growing Protea endemic to South Africa. It is one of the few Protea species that grows into trees, and the only one that has usable timber.
Protea nitida is a slow-growing tree, with very thick white-grey bark, that varies considerably in height. It is normally about 5 meters tall, but in good conditions it may reach a height of up to 10 meters, with a trunk diameter of 1 meter. The young leaves are crimson, but they become a bluish, sea-green colour in later life. These leaves are described as "oblong to elliptic", "hairless" and "leathery". [4] Large, bisexual flower heads appear all through the year, especially in winter, and bear sweet nectar. Small nuts are released about a year after flowering.
Throughout their distribution, a dwarf, multi-stemmed form with narrow green leaves also occurs—at one point regarded as a distinct species, Protea reticulata. [4]
The natural range of Protea nitida is from the Cape Peninsula, all the way to the Bokkeveld escarpment and into the Eastern Cape. It grows on mountain slopes of all elevations and in the right conditions, they can form large open woodlands. Though they are not threatened, in many areas they have been cleared for timber, often to be replaced by commercial pine plantations.
The common name wagon tree and waboom originates from the use of its wood in making wagon wheels pre-1800. [5]
It is listed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute as 'least concern'. [2]
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.
Protea gaguedi is a species of tree which belongs to the genus Protea.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Protea speciosa, also known as the brown-beard sugarbush, is a flowering shrub which is classified as within the genus Protea.
Protea glabra, also called the Clanwilliam sugarbush, is a flowering shrub belonging to the genus Protea.
Protea acuminata, also known in English as the black-rim sugarbush, or in the Afrikaans language as sederbergsuikerbos, is a flowering shrub belonging to the genus Protea. The plant is endemic to South Africa. There are isolated populations at Nieuwoudtville, and in the Cederberg, Stettynskloof and Riviersonderend Mountains. It can grow as an upright tree. It can become up to two metres in height. It blooms from June to September, with the peak of July to August. Periodic wildfires may destroy the adult plants, but the seeds can survive such an event. The seeds are dispersed by means of the wind. The plant is monoecious with both sexes in each flower. It is unknown what causes the pollination to occur. The plant grows in sandy plains and coastal lowlands from sea-level to altitudes of 400 metres. It is a widespread species which is not in danger, and the conservation status has been assessed as 'least concern'.
Protea lorea, also known as the thong-leaf sugarbush, is a flowering shrub belonging to the genus Protea.
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.
Protea revoluta, also known as the roll-leaved sugarbush or rolled-leaf sugarbush, is a species of plant which is classified in the genus Protea. P. revoluta is only found growing in the wild in South Africa, where plants can be found growing between the Cederberg inland on the Atlantic coast and the Witteberg area to the north.
Protea parvula, also known as the dainty sugarbush, or kleinsuikerbos in Afrikaans, is a small flowering shrub belonging to the genus Protea.
Protea scabriuscula, also known as the hoary sugarbush or gray sugarbush, is a flowering shrub, endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa.
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.
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.
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.
Leucadendron sheilae, the Lokenberg conebush, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Leucadendron and forms part of the fynbos, a South African biogeographical region. The plant is native to the Western and Northern Capes, where it occurs at Lokenberg in the Bokkeveld Mountains. The plant grows mainly in hard sandstone sand on level crests at altitudes of 600 to 900 metres (2,000–3,000 ft). In Afrikaans it is known as Lokenberg-tolbos.