Home
Mission
Overview of Project
Project Staff
Sponsors
Achievements
Checking, Illustrations
Upcoming Activities
Id and Species Lists
Protea Information
Protea Gallery
Growing Proteas
Interim Dist. Maps
Publications
Afrikaanse Inligting
Scraggly Conebush Vaaknopbos - Leucadendron cinereum
The Scraggly Conebush is a member of the Sandveld Conebushes. This group of Conebushes has speciated along the West Coast - some 6 of the 11 Sandveld Conebush species grow in the Sandveld. All are characterised by their small cones and hairy fruit. The Scraggly Conebush has long thin leaves. Populations from the Berg River have hairy big leaves, whereas near Kraaifontein the leaves are less hairy and smaller. It is single-stemmed and killed by fire. However, the fruit are stored in the cones of the female plants and only released after a fire. Flowering takes place in September-October. Plants older than 20 years become leggy and start dying. Without fire, most Fynbos species - like the Scraggly Conebush - would all die out. Like other Sandveld plant species, the great threat is to their existence is alien invader plants - 96% of Scraggly Conebush populations are threatened by the Port Jackson Wattle. Fortunately, a fungus has been released and it is hoped that this will bring the Port Jackson under control.