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Louse Pincushions - Leucospermum


Gordon's Bay Pincushion - Leucospermum bolusii

Gordon's Bay Pincushion - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Erect shrub to 1.5m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: September - December
Pollinator: Bees, flies and butterflies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Not threatened, dense populations occur
Habitat: Sandstone-gravel slopes, 0-150m
Distribution: Gordon's Bay to Kogel Bay

Arid Pincushion - Leucospermum calligerum

Arid Pincushion - Photo: David Osborne Habit: An erect to almost erect shrub to 2m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: July - January
Pollinator: Bees, flies and butterflies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Not threatened, extensive stands occur
Habitat: Hot, dry flats and northern slopes, 150-1350m
Distribution: Bokkeveld escarpment, Gifberg to Olifants River to Bredasdorp Mountains, Bonteberg to Langeberg, Riversdale Flats, Potberg

Trident Pincushion - Leucospermum heterophyllum

Trident Pincushion - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Prostrate shrub forming dense mats 1-6m across
Fire survival: Resprouts from underground bole
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: August - January, mainly September - October
Pollinator: Bees, flies and butterflies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Vulnerable, localised dense patches occur
Habitat: Sandstone or shale conglomerates, 150-200m
Distribution: Elim flats from Elim to De Hoop

White Trailing Pincushion - Leucospermum pendunculatum

Whitetrailing Pincushion - Photo: David Osborne Habit: Prostrate shrub forming dense mats 3m across
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: August - January, mainly September
Pollinator: Bees, flies and butterflies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Rare, scattered plants cover large areas
Habitat: Deep, white, recent, tertiary or sandstone sands, 0-200m
Distribution: Elim Flats at coast from Danger Point to Soetanysberg

Eastern Pincushion - Leucospermum royenifolium

Eastern Pincushion - Photo: David Osborne Habit: Sprawling shrub forming dense mats 1-3m across
Fire survival: Resprouts from underground bole
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: July - December
Pollinator: Bees, flies and butterflies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Not threatened, social species occurring in dense stands
Habitat: Hot, northern, quartzitic, sandstone slopes, 650-1350m
Distribution: Outeniqua Mountains at Langkloof and Swartberg at Meiringspoort to Kouga

Yellow Trailing Pincushion - Leucospermum prostratum

Yellow Trailing Pincushion - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Prostrate shrub with long trailing stems up to up 4m across
Fire survival: Resprouts from underground bole
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: July - December
Pollinator: Bees, flies and butterflies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Not threatened, encountered as scattered plants
Habitat: Deep sands, mainly on coastal flats, 0-500m
Distribution: Kogelberg, Kleinmond, Groenland and Klein River Mountains

Stalked Pincushion - Leucospermum secundifolium

Stalked Pincushion - Photo: David Osborne Habit: Prostrate shrub up to up 2m across
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: December
Pollinator: Bees, flies and butterflies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Rare, in isolated populations
Habitat: Southern slopes, 1200-1400m
Distribution: Klein Swartberg between Towerkop and Seweweekspoort

Oval-leaf Pincushion - Leucospermum truncatulum

Oval-leaf Pincushion - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Spindly shrub to 2m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: August - December
Pollinator: Bees and flies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Not threatened, usually social
Habitat: Sandy soils on mountains 0-400m
Distribution: Agulhas, from Kogelberg to Bredasdorp

Riversdale Pincushion - Leucospermum winterii

Riversdale Pincushion - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: A rounded shrub up to 1.3m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: July - December
Pollinator: Bees and flies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Rare, population  of a few hundred plants
Habitat: Summit ridges,1100-1300m
Distribution: Langkloof in the Langeberg

Swartberg Pincushion - Leucospermum wittebergense

Swartberg Pincushion - Photo: David Osborne Habit: An erect shrub up to 1.5m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: August - January
Pollinator: Bees and flies
Fruit: Released 2 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Ants
Seed storage: Underground in ants nests
Rarity status: Not threatened, occurs in extensive stands
Habitat: Arid, rocky, sandstone/quartzite slopes, 830-2000m
Distribution: Witteberg to Swartberg to Kouga Moutnains

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