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Afrikaanse Inligting

Identifying Proteaceae: 9. The Spoon-bract Proteas

Protea Atlas Logo The Spoon-bract Proteas (Protea section Ligulatae [literally - tongue-shaped]) are easily recognized by the inner involucral bracts which are shaped like spoons. The section comprises eight species, six of which have perfect spoon-bracts, and two with vague spoon-bracts and a cone. All the species have three fertile anthers, with a sterile "anther" on the free tepal.

Unlike the Bearded Proteas which tend to have similar widespread distributions, the Spoon-bract Proteas tend not to share habitats and distribution ranges between themselves. Thus we have:

Pr roupelliae in the non-Fynbos region in a large variety of habitats;

Pr eximia on the southern Cape sandstone mountains from very arid to moist, but confined to the summer/all year rainfall region.;

Pr longifolia to the sandstone mountains of the south-western Cape where it seems to replace the bearded proteas (especially Pr neriifolia Oleander-leaf Bearded Protea);

Pr burchellii occupies the western Cape lowlands, occurring on granites, shales and sandstone.

In contrast to the west coast with only one species on all the geological types, on the south coastal lowlands the spoon-bract proteas have divided the different habitats between them. Thus we have:

Pr compacta on acid sands;

Pr susannae on neutral sands;

Pr obtusifolia on limestones; and,

Pr pudens on sand-covered Bokkeveld Shales.

Character	roup	exim	comp	suss	obtu	burc	long	pude

Leaf shape: linear							A	A
narrow oblong						B
oblanceolate	C			C	C
elliptic			D
ovate		E
Leaf bases: tapering to a short stalk						F
tapering without a stalk	G			G	G		G	G
lobed		H	H
Leaf colour: glaucous (grey wax covering)		*
silver (due to hairs)	*
green	*		*	*	*	*	*	*
Hairs on involucral bracts: fringing	I	I	I	I	(I)		(I)	(I)
beard (black/white/purple)						J
none					K		K	K
Involucral bracts: two distinct types	L	L
no clear distinction			M	M	M	M	M	M
Bract colour: pink	*	*	*		*	*	*	*
cream	*		*		*	*	*
brown				*
red					*	*
Awn colour: silver-white			*		*	*
rusty-red	*
purple-black	*			*
purple		*
brown	*					*
white outer/purple-black inner							*	*
Basal involucral bracts: recurved and splitting	N
clasping, with black rim		O	(O)
clasping, black rim + absent			P	P	P	P	P
Style: minutely hairy at base or lower end	Q	Q		Q	Q
minutely hairy on lower two-thirds						R	R	R
hairless along entire length			S

Pr pudens:	with a cone. Styles less than 40 mm long. Leaves secund (all facing up, at right angles to stem). Habit sprawling. Leaves narrow (2-5 mm wide)
Pr longifolia:	with long black cone. Invol. bracts hairless, widely spaced. Leaves long and thin. Variety minor like Pr pudens but erect in habit. The most promiscuous of all proteas: natural hybrids are known with over 10 other species!
Pr burchellii:	Innermost invol. bracts bearded. Invol bracts hairless with a shiny greasy appearance. Styles short (2/3 as long as invol. bracts), hairy below. Leaves narrow oblong, olive-like, ending in a black tip.
Pr obtusifolia:	Invol. bracts with dry, hairless outer surface, outer-most with brown tips. Leaves oblanceolate-elliptic, tapering below.
Pr susannae:	Invol. bracts hairless, slightly sticky, brown varnish ("shoe polish") on outer side. Leaves with sulphurous odour. Styles persist in seed head.
Pr compacta:	Style hairless. Invol. bracts hairy. Leaves ear/heart-shaped at base. Habit lanky and erect.
Pr eximia:	Style hairy at base. Leaf oblong to ovate, ear/heart-shaped at base, pink-purple blush. Invol bracts hairy, innermost widely splayed. Awns purple.
Pr roupelliae	The only Natal-OFS-Transvaal Protea with spoon bracts.

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