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Grassland Sugarbushes - Proteas


Common Sugarbush - Protea caffra caffra

Common Sugarbush - Photo: NBI Collection Common Sugarbush - Photo: NBI Collection Habit: Variable species, shrub or tree up to 8m tall
Fire survival: Resprouts from underground bole
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: October - January
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: Released to lie on ground
Rarity status: Not threatened, can dominate landscapes
Habitat: Varied, 0-2100m
Distribution: Free State, the Highveld, Lesotho, Transvaal, Swaziland escarpment, Kwa-Zulu Natal to Eastern Cape

Manica Sugarbush - Protea caffra gazensis

Manica Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: Variable species, shrub or tree up to 8m tall
Fire survival: Resprouts from underground bole
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: December - March
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Stored on plant
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: Released to lie on ground
Rarity status: Not threatened, locally abundant
Habitat: Mountain grassland, 800-2000m
Distribution: Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, Mozambique

Drakensberg Sugarbush - Protea dracomontana
Drakensberg Sugarbush - Photo: Protea Atlas Collection Habit: An low shrub up to 1.5m tall
Fire survival: Resprouts from an underground bole
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: January - March
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Released 9 - 12 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: Released to lie on the ground
Rarity status: Not threatened, occurs in dense isolated stands
Habitat: Subalpine grassland on basalt, 1600-2600m
Distribution: Eastern Cape, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State escarpment, Zimbabwe

Cloud Sugarbush - Protea nubigena
Cloud Sugarbush - Photo: Dave Osborne Habit: An erect shrub up to 0.7m tall
Fire survival: Resprouts from an underground bole
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: March - April
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: March - April
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: Released to lie on the ground
Rarity status: Rare, extremely localised
Habitat: Cliffs, 2300m
Distribution: Natal Drakensberg at Policeman's Helmet

Dainty Sugarbush - Protea parvula
Dainty Sugarbush - Photo: Protea Atlas Collection Habit: A low sprawling shrub up to 0.16m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: December - March
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: April - July
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: Released to lie on the ground
Rarity status: Not threatened, locally common
Habitat: Rocky, exposed grassland on acid soils, 1300-2150m
Distribution: Escarpment of Swaziland, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from Mariepskop to Vryheid

Sickle-leaf Sugarbush - Protea petiolaris
Sickle-leaf Sugarbush - Photo: Nigel Forshaw Habit: A straggling tree up to 8m tall
Fire survival: Killed, only seeds survive
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: November - March
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Released 9-12 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: Released to lie on the ground
Rarity status: Not threatened, locally common
Habitat: High altitude woodland and montane grassland
Distribution: Angola, Zambia, Zaire and Zimbabwe

Dwarf Grassland Sugarbush - Protea simplex
Dwarf Grassland Sugarbush - Photo: T Abbott Habit: A low sprawling shrub up to 0.16m across with a rootstock
Fire survival: Resprouts from underground bole
Sexual system: Both sexes in each flower
Flowers: December - March
Pollinator: Bird
Fruit: Released 9-12 months after flowering
Seed dispersal: Wind
Seed storage: Released to lie on the ground
Rarity status: Not threatened
Habitat: Rocky, exposed grasslands on acid soils, 1300-2150m
Distribution: Escarpment of Swaziland, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from Mariepskop to Vryheid

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