Protea scolymocephala

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Protea scolymocephala
Protea scolymocephala flower1.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Protea
Species:
P. scolymocephala
Binomial name
Protea scolymocephala
Protea scolymocephala
Protea scolymocephala distribution
  Extant (resident)
Synonyms [2]
  • Leucadendron scolymocephalum L.
  • Protea angustifoliaSalisb.
  • Erodendrum scolymiflorum Salisb. ex. Knight
  • Protea scolymus Thunb.
  • Scolymocephalus scolymus(Thunb.) Kuntze

Protea scolymocephala, also known as the thistle protea [3] [4] or thistle sugarbush, [5] [4] [6] [7] is a flowering plant from the genus Protea native to South Africa. [7]

Contents

Other recorded vernacular names for the plant are small green protea or scoly. In the Afrikaans language it is known by the name of kleingroenroos, or alternatively witskollie. [4]

Taxonomy

Protea scolymocephala was first described by Linnaeus as Leucadendron scolymocephalum, [2] but moved to the genus Protea by Johann Jacob Reichard in 1779 or 1780. [8]

Description

It is a small, erect shrub between 0.5 and 1.5 metres in height. [3] [7] It has a single main stem, which branches into a large number of secondary stems. [4] The leaves are linear-spatulate and curve upwards. [3] [6] The inflorescence is yellowish green and relatively small, some 3.5–4.5 cm in diameter. [3] The species flowers in Spring, [6] between June or July to November, [3] [7] with the peak in early Spring, between August and September. This species is monoecious with both sexes in each flower. [7] The fruits are persistent, which means they are retained on the plant after drying. [3] [7] The seeds stored within the fire-resistant, dried fruit, and when released after fires are dispersed by means of wind. [5] [7]

Individual plants generally have a generational length of some 20 years. [5]

Distribution

P. scolymocephala is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa, [5] where it is found from approximately the Olifants River [3] and the Gifberg [5] [7] in the north, through Cape Town, [3] [7] to Hermanus in the east, [5] [3] and from Kleinmond to Hawston in the west. [7] It grows on the Slangkop headland on the Cape Peninsula. [6]

Ecology

It grows in sandy flats (sandveld) and coastal lowlands, [5] [3] [6] and is often found growing near drainage lines. It is found from altitudes of 0 to 400 metres. [5]

The mature plants are usually completely killed by wildfires, but the seeds can survive such events within the fire-resistant inflorescences. [5] [7]

It is pollinated by birds and rodents. The roots are eaten by mole rats. [5]

Conservation

In 1998 it was said to be largely extirpated in the southern part of its range, but still locally common in the north. [7] The status of the population of this species was first assessed as 'vulnerable' by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) in 2005. In the 2019 SANBI assessment the authors state that the population is decreasing and that the situation of the population is such that its status might require upgrading to that of 'endangered' in the near future, should current trends in the northern part of its range continue. Its range has decreased by some 40% over the last sixty years. Over the sixty year time period, the range has furthermore been decreased by urban expansion, agriculture, invasive vegetation, too frequent wildfires, groundwater extraction and increased mole rat activity. The expansion of rooibos tea plantations and arable land for the production of potatoes are specific present-day threats causing habitat loss in the northern part of this species' range, and likely are the greatest threats to its survival. Other possible problems identified as threats to the survival of this species are direct effects from invasive species, over-harvesting due to gathering of plant (parts), habitat loss, habitat degradation and other intrinsic factors such as changes in native species dynamics. [5]

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

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.

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

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 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.

References

  1. ↑ Rebelo, A.G.; Raimondo, D.; von Staden, L. (2020). "Protea scolymocephala". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T113220846A185541863. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113220846A185541863.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Protea scolymocephala Reichard". Plants of the World Online. Kew Science. 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rebelo, Tony (2001). Sasol Proteas – A Field Guide to the Proteas of South Africa (2 ed.). Vlaeberg: Fernwood Press & National Botanical Institute. ISBN   1-874950-40-7.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Notten, Alice (August 2006). "Protea scolymocephala (L.) Reichard". PlantZAfrica. South African National Biodiversity Institute . Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (17 April 2005). "Thistle Sugarbush". Red List of South African Plants. version 2020.1. South African National Biodiversity Institute . Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Protea scolymocephala (Thistle sugarbush)". Biodiversity Explorer. Iziko – Museums of South Africa. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Rose Sugarbushes – Proteas". Protea Atlas Project Website. 11 March 1998. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Protea scolymocephala | International Plant Names Index". www.ipni.org. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
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