Protea mucronifolia, the dagger-leaf sugarbush, is a flower-bearing shrub belonging to the Protea genus. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs from Hermon to Saron.[3] This is the only population. The shrub grows upright and grows 1 m tall and flowers from October to January with the peak from November to December.[4]

Protea mucronifolia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Protea
Species:
P. mucronifolia
Binomial name
Protea mucronifolia
Salisb.
Synonyms[2]
  • Erodendrum mucronifolium Knight
  • Protea odoratissima Masson ex R.Br.
  • Scolymocephalus mucronifolius Kuntze

A fire destroys the plant but the seeds survive. The seeds are still in a shell, released only after fire and spread by the wind. The plant is unisexual. Pollination takes place through the action of insects. The plant grows on gravelly Klipheuwel soil at heights of 80 m.[3]

In Afrikaans it is known as the kasteelkloofsuikerbos.[citation needed]

References

edit
  1. ^ Rebelo, A.G.; Raimondo, D.; von Staden, L. (2020). "Protea mucronifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020. IUCN: e.T113210886A185576255. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113210886A185576255.en.
  2. ^ "Protea mucronifolia". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants". redlist.sanbi.org.
  4. ^ "Shale Sugarbushes". www.proteaatlas.org.za.
  5. ^ "Protea mucronifolia (Dagger-leaf sugarbush)". biodiversityexplorer.info.