Serruria furcellata

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Serruria furcellata
Serruria furcellata (6).jpg
Serruria furcellata Kraaifontein Spiderhead Nov 13.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Serruria
Species:
S. furcellata
Binomial name
Serruria furcellata

Serruria furcellata, the Kraaifontein spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, it has always been found at Brackenfell, Kraaifontein and Kuils River. [2]

Contents

Description

The shrub is erect and grows only 50 cm tall and bears flowers from August to October. [3]

After a fire, the plant's roots can sprout again. Two months after flowering, the fruit falls off and ants disperse the seeds. They store the seeds in their nests. The plant is unisexual. Pollination takes place through the action of insects. The plant grows in sandy soil at elevations of 90 - 390 m. [3]

Conservation

This plant has previously been considered extinct. In 1985 it occurred in only two places, near Kraaifontein and close to Bottelary Heuwels, where in 1979 three plants were identified. After 1985, however, there was no sign of the plants at the two sites and it was assumed that the species became extinct. [4] In 2004, however, two plants were discovered at North Pine, but one was soon destroyed by the municipality's bush cutting program.

However, Cape Town's Environmental Resource Management Division developed the 36-hectare Bracken Nature Reserve where native plants are preserved. [5] Kraaifontein spiderhead specimens were transplanted after successful garden cultivation. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Serruria acrocarpa</i> Species of plant

Serruria acrocarpa, the common rootstock spiderhead. is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape and occurs from the Cederberg to the Southern Cape. The shrub grows to 50 cm in length and flowers in spring. The plant sprouts again after it has burned. The plant grows on plains and lower slopes of fynbos vegetation.

<i>Serruria aitonii</i> Species of plant

Serruria aitonii, the marshmallow spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape and occurs from the Cederberg and Sandveld to the Groot-Winterhoek Mountains and Piketberg. The shrub is round and grows 1.0 m tall and flowers from July to November.

Serruria altiscapa, the stately spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape and occurs at Blokkop in Villiersdorp as far as the Hottentots-Holland Mountains.

<i>Serruria rosea</i> Species of plant

Serruria rosea, the rose spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, South Africa.

<i>Serruria decipiens</i> Species of flowering plant

Serruria decipiens, the Sandveld spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria. It forms part of the fynbos biome. The plant is native to the Western Cape, where it only occurs on the Sandveld, Hopefield, the Cape Flats, Piketberg, and Olifants River Mountains. The shrub is round and grows 1.0 m tall and bears flowers from July to October.

<i>Serruria phylicoides</i> Species of plant

Serruria phylicoides, the bearded spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, where it occurs in the Du Toits Peak, the Hottentots Holland Mountains, the Riviersonderend Mountains and the Kleinrivier Mountains. The shrub grows 1.0 m tall and bears flowers from August to November.

<i>Serruria fucifolia</i> Species of plant

Serruria fucifolia, the northern spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, South Africa.

<i>Serruria brownii</i> Species of flowering plant

Serruria brownii, the bottlebrush spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, South Africa.

Serruria candicans, the shiny spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, where it occurs from Elandskloof to the Slanghoek Mountains and Paardeberg at Malmesbury. The shrub is erect and grows only 80 cm tall and bears flowers from July to December.

Serruria cyanoides, the Wynberg spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos.

<i>Serruria glomerata</i> Species of flowering plant

Serruria glomerata, the cluster spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, it occurs on the Cape Flats and Cape Peninsula. The shrub is erect and grows only 40 cm tall and bears flowers from August to October.

<i>Serruria lacunosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Serruria lacunosa, the Matsikamma spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape and occurs on the Gifberg. The shrub grows up to 1.5 m tall and flowers from September to April.

<i>Serruria bolusii</i> Species of plant

Serruria bolusii, the Agulhas spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape and is found in Elim hills and Soetanysberg. The shrub grows upright to 1.0 m tall and flowers from August to December.

<i>Serruria villosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Serruria villosa, the golden spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, where it occurs only on the Cape Peninsula and just south of Constantia. The shrub is erect and grows only 50 cm tall and bears flowers from April to July.

<i>Serruria stellata</i> Species of flowering plant

Serruria stellata, the star spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, South Africa.

Serruria balanocephala, the acorn spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape and occurs on the Langeberg between Montagu and Swellendam. The shrub grows upright and grows 1.0 m long and flowers from late August to December.

Serruria confragosa, the wavy spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape and occurs in the Koue Bokkeveld Mountains and Great Winterhoek Mountains. The shrub grows upright with few branches and grows 1.0 m tall, and flowers from September to November.

<i>Serruria effusa</i> Shrub endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa

Serruria effusa, the candelabra spiderhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape, where it occurs in the Olifants River Mountains and the Sederberg. The shrub is upright with a diameter of 1.5 m, one grows to 1.5 m high and bears flowers from August to September.

Serruria linearis, the needle-leaf spiderhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape and occurs from Mamre to Dassenberg. The shrub grows upright, reaches a height of 80 cm and flowers from August to November.

Serruria rubricaulis, the red-stem spiderhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape and occurs from the Kleinrivierberge to the Elim plain and seaward. The shrub is small, upright and grows only 30 cm tall and flowers from July to November.

References

  1. Rebelo, A.G., Raimondo, D., von Staden, L. & Gibbs, D. 2020. Serruria furcellata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T113237808A185558823. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113237808A185558823.en. Downloaded on 28 November 2021.
  2. "Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants". redlist.sanbi.org. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Skirted Spiderheads". www.proteaatlas.org.za. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  4. 1 2 Poulsen, Zoë (5 November 2016). "Bringing Serruria furcellata back from the brink of extinction on the Cape Flats". Cape Town Botanist. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  5. "Dump site transformed into Cape nature reserve". Brand South Africa. 5 January 2016. Archived from the original on 16 May 2020.