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Spoon-bract Sugarbushes - Proteas


Burchell's Sugarbush - Protea burchellii

Burchell's Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Erect spreading shrub up to 3m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: June - August
Pollinator: Birds
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: In seedheads on plant
Rarity status: Not threatened but extinct on Cape Peninsula, locally common
Habitat: Varied but richer soils preferred, 100-850m
Distribution: Hottentots-Holland to Olifants River Mountains, Cape to Hopefield Flats, Witzenbergvlakte, Piketberg and upper Breede River valley

Broadleaf Sugarbush - Protea eximia

Broadleaf Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Erect to sprawling shrub to 5m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: July - December, mainly August - October
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: In seedheads on plant
Rarity status: Not threatened
Habitat: Sandstone and quartzite soils, 0-1000m
Distribution: Keeromsberg, Langeberg, Swartberg to Kouga Mountains and Elandsberg

Bot River Sugarbush - Protea compacta

Bot River Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Erect lanky shrub to 3.5m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: April - September
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: In seedheads on plant
Rarity status: Not threatened, social in dense stands
Habitat: Sandy soils, 0-200m
Distribution: Agulhas, from Kleinmond to Bredasdorp

Long-leaf Sugarbush - Protea longifolia

Long-leaf Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Erect to sprawling shrub to 1.5m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: May - September
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: In seedheads on plant
Rarity status: Not threatened
Habitat: Sandy and ironstone soils, 0-1000m
Distribution: Du Toitskloof to Agulhas

Limestone Sugarbush - Protea obtusifolia

Limestone Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Erect shrub 2-4m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: April - September, mainly June - July
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: In seedheads on plant
Rarity status: Not threatened
Habitat: Limestone hills and flats, 0-200m
Distribution: Elim, Bredasdorp and Riversdale Flats

Dwarf Silver Sugarbush - Protea roupelliae hamiltonii

Dwarf Silver Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Low sprawling shrublet up to 0.3m tall
Fire survival:
Single stemmed, killed by fire
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: February - April
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: In seedheads on plant
Rarity status: Endangered, extremely localised and occurs in a population scattered over a few km ²
Habitat: Leached clay on quartzite,1300m
Distribution: Nelshoogte near Baberton
Note:
This photograph is of a reputed Protea roupelliae hamiltonii growing outside the Forestry offices. It may perhaps be a hybrid, butthe exact provenance is being tested using DNA. The plants at Nelshoogte have not flowered for the last five years and are in imminent danger of extinction.

Silver Sugarbush - Protea roupelliae roupelliae

Silver Sugarbush - Photo: NBI Collection Habit: Small tree up to 8m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: All year but mainly February - April
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: In seedheads on plant
Rarity status: Not threatened, dominant in protea woodland
Habitat: Varied, 0-2400m
Distribution: North West Province, Gauteng, Northern Province and Mpumalanga

Bashful Sugarbush - Protea pudens

Bashful Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Sprawling, prostrate up to 1m across
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: May - September, mainly July - August
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: In seedheads on plant
Rarity status: Locally abundant, but not conspicuous
Habitat: Heavy sandy-clay soils, 30-40m
Distribution: Elim Flats

Stink-leaf Sugarbush - Protea susannae

Stink-leaf Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Erect shrub 2 - 3m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: April - September
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: In seedheads on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: In seedheads on plant
Rarity status: Not threatened
Habitat: Calcerous and neutral sandy soils, 0-200m
Distribution: Elim, Bredasdorp and Riversdale Flats

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