Protea scabra

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Protea scabra
Protea scabra 90087824.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Protea
Species:
P. scabra
Binomial name
Protea scabra
Synonyms [2]
  • Protea tenuifoliaR.Br.

Protea scabra, also known as the sandpaper-leaf sugarbush, [2] [3] [4] is a flowering groundcover that belongs to the genus Protea . The plant is endemic to South Africa [2] 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. [2] [4]

Contents

Other vernacular names which have been recorded for this species are rasp-leaf erodendrum, scab-leaf protea, and scabrous sugarbush. In Afrikaans it is known as the skurweblaargrondsuikerbos. [5]

Taxonomy

This species was collected as a herbarium specimen by William Roxburgh during a stop at the Cape of Good Hope on the way to India, and was first described by Robert Brown in the 1810 publication On the Proteaceae of Jussieu . Brown states the wealthy merchant George Hibbert grew the species in his private protea collection, although he questions if it were not another new species entirely. Brown also described Protea tenuifolia from a plant obtained by Hibbert's personal plant collector, the Scotsman James Niven, in the same publication. [6] Although this taxon is now seen as a synonym of this species and was published first and thus had priority, the name had already been published a number of times prior for other species and was therefore occupied and illegitimate. [6] [7]

Description

The shrub forms a dense mat, up to 50cm in diameter, of root-like, underground rhizomes. [2] [3] [4] Tufts of leaves eventually bearing flowers appear on the surface of the soil. [3] It is long-lived, with individuals living longer than a century. [2] The plant sprouts again from the underground stems after fires. [2] [4]

Ecology

The plant is monoecious with both sexes in each flower. It blooms from April to October with the peak from July to October. Pollination may occur through the action of rodents, [4] although it might also be pollinated by birds. [2] The seeds are stored in the woody fruit which is retained on the plant for one to two years, until fires open the fruit. When released the seeds are dispersed by wind. [2] [4]

The species grows on flats or low slopes in mountainous areas, typically in shale soil, but also in sandstone fynbos, at altitudes of 50 - 900 m. [2] [4]

Conservation

The population of this species has decreased by an estimated 25-30% over the last century due to afforestation, invasive species, agriculture and urban expansion, [2] but it is still locally common. [4]

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

Protea nana, also known as the mountain rose or mountain-rose sugarbush, is a flowering shrub which belongs within the genus Protea.

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

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'.

<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 canaliculata</i> Species of shrub

Protea canaliculata, also known as the groove-leaf sugarbush, is a species of flowering shrub of the genus Protea, which is endemic to the Cape Provinces 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.

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

Protea aspera, commonly known as rough leaf sugar bush or aardroos suikerbos, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the well-known Protea genus. The plant is endemic to South Africa and is found at Kleinrivierberg, Bredasdorpberg and Garcia's Pass.

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 laevis</i> Species of shrub

Protea laevis, also known as the smooth-leaf sugarbush, is a flowering shrub that belongs within the genus Protea.

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

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.

<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 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.

<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 scabra". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T113220610A185563301. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113220610A185563301.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (31 March 2006). "Clanwilliam Sugarbush". Red List of South African Plants. version 2020.1. South African National Biodiversity Institute . Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Protea scabra (Sandpaper-leaf sugarbush)". biodiversity explorer. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Dwarf-tufted Sugarbushes - Proteas". Protea Atlas Project Website. 11 March 1998. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  5. Tony Rebelo (25 January 2008). Protea Atlas, part 4 (PDF) (Report). South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch, Cape Town. p. 23-24. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  6. 1 2 Brown, Robert (1810). "On the Proteaceae of Jussieu". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 10 (1): 46, 90–92. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1810.tb00013.x . Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  7. "Protea tenuifolia | International Plant Names Index". www.ipni.org. Retrieved 12 July 2020.