Sorocephalus is a genus containing 11 species of flowering plants, commonly known as powderpuffs, in the family Proteaceae. The name means “heaped head”. The genus is endemic to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, more particularly the winter rainfall zone of the southwestern Cape. The species are all small shrubs characterised by flower-heads containing clusters of four or more flowers. Most species are threatened.
Leucadendron sorocephalodes, the woolly conebush, is a flower-bearing shrub belonging to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is native to the Western Cape and Eastern Cape where it occurs from the Outeniqua Mountains to the Baviaanskloof Mountains.
Serruria bolusii, the Agulhas spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. 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.
Paranomus reflexus, the Van Staden's scepter, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is native to the Eastern Cape where it occurs on the Elandsberg and Van Stadensberg.
Paranomus tomentosus, the hairy-leaf tree sceptre, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is native to the Western Cape, South Africa.
Sorocephalus lanatus, the common clusterhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape and occurs in the Cederberg, Groot Winterhoek and Hex River Mountains.
Leucadendron nervosum, the silky-ruff conebush, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South Africa fynbos vegetation type. The plant is native to the Western Cape, where it occurs on the Jonaskop in the Riviersonderend Mountains and Grootberg in the Langeberg. The shrub grows 1.5 m tall and flowers in September.
Leucadendron meyerianum, the Van Rhynsdorp conebush, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the fynbos vegetation type of South Africa. The plant is native to the Western Cape and Northern Cape, where it occurs in the Bokkeveld escarpment near Nieuwoudtville. The shrub grows 2.0 m tall and bears flowers in August. Two months after the plant has flowered, the fruit appears and the seeds later fall to the ground where they are spread by rodents. The plant grows in level, sandstone sand at altitudes of 800 m. Small beetles do the pollination.
Sorocephalus imbricatus, the tile-leaf clusterhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape where it is found in the Piketberg, Groot Winterhoek and Elandskloof mountains. However, plants were last observed at the latter two sites 50 years ago.
Serruria dodii, the Hex River spiderhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape and occurs in the Hex River Mountains and Keeromsberg. The shrub grows upright, reaches a height of 1.0 m and flowers from August to November.
Leucadendron radiatum, also called the Langeberg conebush, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African Fynbos vegetation type. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs on the Langeberg from Grootberg to Kampscheberg.
Sorocephalus alopecurus, the woolly-stalk clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs in the Riviersonderendberge.
Serruria leipoldtii, the Leipoldt's spiderhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape and occurs in the northern Sederberg. The shrub grows up to 1.5 m tall with a diameter of 30 cm and flowers from summer to autumn.
Sorocephalus capitatusis, the woolly clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs on the Piketberg and Onderboskloof in the Koue Bokkeveld.
Sorocephalus clavigerus, the erect clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs on the Kogelberg and Kleinrivierberge.
Sorocephalus palustris, the mat clusterhead or prostrate clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs on the Kogelberg. The plant was considered extinct and was last seen in 1984. Very little information is available on the species.
Sorocephalus pinifolius, the long-leaf clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs on the Riviersonderendberge near Tygerhoek.
Sorocephalus scabridus, the Tulbagh clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs in the Great Winterhoek Mountains to the Olifants River Mountains.
Sorocephalus tenuifolius, the diminutive clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs in the Palmiet River valley in the Kogelberg. The plant was considered extinct in 1987 but a new population was discovered.
Sorocephalus teretifolius, the pinhead clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Sorocephalus and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs in the Palmiet River valley in the Kogelberg.
