Tag: Proteaceae
Kings of Phillipskop
Golden Boot Polish
The golden yellow heads of Leucadendron, conebushes, are easy to identify, but the species can often be a challenge to separate. A key character in narrowing down the options is the size of the colourful leaves that surround the flowerhead. One of the species with comparatively large flowerheads is Leucadendron…
Last of the King’s Sceptres
One of the rarest members of the Protea Family at Phillipskop is Paranomus sceptrum-gustavianus. The rather long and tortuous name refers to the patronage of King Gustav III of Sweden. The species, was originally described by Anders Sparrman as a Protea in 1777 and beautifully illustrated at the same time.…
Like Sunshine on our Hillsides
From a distance, the fynbos in springtime lights up with golden splashes as though the sun is shining through gaps in the cloud. These bright yellow patches are created by conebush proteas, Leucadendron. In the Klein River Mountains, the most common species is Leucadendron xanthoconus. “Xanthoconus” means yellow cone and…
Prostrate Pincushions
Pincushion proteas (Leucospermum) count as some of the most popular members of the Protea family (Proteaceae) for cut-flowers. However, there are a number of members of the genus Leucospermum that will never find their way into a cut-flower bouquet. This is because their stems are weak and trailing and their…