Protea

Protea ( ) is a genus of South African flowering plants, also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: suikerbos). It is the type genus of the Proteaceae family. About 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mountainous coastal land from Clanwilliam to Grahamstown, South Africa. Most protea species are found south of the Limpopo River. Protea madiensis grows in Afromontane enclaves across tropical Africa, from Guinea to Sudan, Mozambique, and Angola. Protea afra ranges from the Cape region to Uganda and Kenya, including in the chaparral zone of Mount Kenya National Park. The extraordinary richness and diversity of species characteristic of the Cape flora are thought to be caused in part by the diverse landscape, where populations can become isolated from each other and in time develop into separate species.

Protea ( ) is a genus of South African flowering plants, also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: suikerbos). It is the type genus of the Proteaceae family. About 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mountainous coastal land from Clanwilliam to Grahamstown, South Africa. Most protea species are found south of the Limpopo River. Protea madiensis grows in Afromontane enclaves across tropical Africa, from Guinea to Sudan, Mozambique, and Angola. Protea afra ranges from the Cape region to Uganda and Kenya, including in the chaparral zone of Mount Kenya National Park. The extraordinary richness and diversity of species characteristic of the Cape flora are thought to be caused in part by the diverse landscape, where populations can become isolated from each other and in time develop into separate species. ==Botanical history== Proteas attracted the attention of botanists visiting the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th century. Many species were introduced to Europe in the 18th century, enjoying a unique popularity at the time amongst botanists. ==Classification== Within the huge family Proteaceae, they are a member of the subfamily Proteoideae, which has Southern African and Australian members. ==Species== (listed by section: a 'section' has a name in two parts, consisting of the genus name and an epithet). Protea sect. Leiocephalae Protea afra (common protea) Protea dracomontana (Drakensberg sugarbush) Protea glabra (Clanwilliam sugarbush) Protea inopina (large-nut sugarbush) Protea nitida (wagon tree) Protea nubigena (cloud sugarbush) Protea parvula (dainty sugarbush) Protea petiolaris (sickle-leaf sugarbush) Protea rupicola (krantz sugarbush) Protea simplex (dwarf grassland sugarbush) Protea sect. Paludosae Protea enervis (Chimanimani sugarbush) Protea sect. Patentiflorae Protea angolensis (woodland sugarbush) Protea comptonii (saddleback sugarbush) Protea curvata (Barberton sugarbush) Protea laetans (Blyde sugarbush) Protea madiensis (tall woodland sugarbush) Protea rubropilosa (Transvaal sugarbush) Protea rupestris (rocket sugarbush) Protea sect. Lasiocephalae Protea gaguedi (African sugarbush) Protea welwitschii (dwarf savanna sugarbush) Protea sect. Cristatae Protea asymmetrica (Inyanga sugarbush) Protea wentzeliana (Wentzel's sugarbush) Protea sect. Protea Protea cynaroides (king protea) Protea sect. Paracynaroides Protea cryophila (snow protea) Protea pruinosa (frosted sugarbush) Protea scabriuscula (hoary sugarbush) Protea scolopendriifolia (Hart's tongue-fern sugarbush) Protea sect. Ligulatae Protea burchellii (Burchell's sugarbush) Protea compacta (Bot River sugarbush) Protea eximia (broad-leaf sugarbush) Protea longifolia (long-leaf sugarbush) Protea obtusifolia (limestone sugarbush) Protea pudens (bashful sugarbush) Protea roupelliae (silver sugarbush) Protea susannae (stink-leaf sugarbush) Protea sect. Melliferae Protea aristata (Ladysmith sugarbush) Protea lanceolata (Lance-leaf sugarbush) Protea repens (common sugarbush, Honey flower, Sugarbush) Protea sect. Speciosae Protea coronata (green sugarbush) Protea grandiceps (red sugarbush) Protea holosericea (saw-edge sugarbush) Protea laurifolia (gray-leaf sugarbush) Protea lepidocarpodendron (black-beard sugarbush) Protea lorifolia (strap-leaf sugarbush) Protea magnifica (queen sugarbush) Protea neriifolia (oleander-leaf protea, narrow-leaf sugarbush) Protea speciosa (brown-beard sugarbush) Protea stokoei (pink sugarbush) Protea sect. Exsertae Protea aurea (common shuttlecock sugarbush) Protea lacticolor (Hottentot sugarbush) Protea mundii (forest sugarbush) Protea punctata (water sugarbush) Protea subvestita (waterlily sugarbush) Protea venusta (creeping beauty) Protea sect. Microgeantae Protea acaulos (common ground sugarbush) Protea convexa (large-leaf sugarbush) Protea laevis (smooth-leaf sugarbush) Protea revoluta (rolled-leaf sugarbush) Protea angustata (Kleinmond sugarbush) Protea sect. Crinitae Protea foliosa (leafy sugarbush) Protea intonsa (tufted sugarbush) Protea montana (Swartberg sugarbush) Protea tenax (tenacious sugarbush) Protea vogtsiae (Kouga sugarbush) Protea sect. Pinifolia Protea acuminata (blackrim sugarbush) Protea canaliculata (groove-leaf sugarbush) Protea nana (mountain-rose sugarbush) Protea pityphylla (Ceres sugarbush) Protea scolymocephala (thistle sugarbush) Protea witzenbergiana (swan sugarbush) Protea sect. Craterifolia Protea effusa (Marloth's sugarbush) Protea namaquana (Kamiesberg sugarbush) Protea pendula (arid sugarbush) Protea recondita (hidden sugarbush) Protea sulphurea (sulphur sugarbush) Protea sect. Obvallatae Protea caespitosa (bishop sugarbush) Protea sect. Subacaules Protea aspera (rough-leaf sugarbush) Protea denticulata (tooth-leaf sugarbush) Protea lorea (thong-leaf sugarbush) Protea piscina (Visgat sugarbush) Protea restionifolia (reed-leaf sugarbush) Protea scabra (sandpaper-leaf sugarbush) Protea scorzonerifolia (channel-leaf sugarbush) ==External links== Protea Atlas Project: a project to map the distribution of South African plant species, using Protea as a flagship. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser Photographs of flowers from many species of Protea

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