Leucospermum cuneiforme

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Leucospermum cuneiforme

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Leucospermum
Species:
L. cuneiforme
Binomial name
Leucospermum cuneiforme
Synonyms[2]
  • Leucadendron cuneiforme
  • Protea elliptica, Leucadendrum ellipticum, Leucospermum ellipticum, Leucadendron ellipticum
  • Leucadendrum phyllanthifolium, Leucospermum phyllanthifolium
  • Leucadendrum cervinum
  • Leucospermum attenuatum, P. attenuata
  • Leucospermum zeyheri
  • Leucospermum septemdentatum

Leucospermum cuneiforme is an upright evergreen shrub with many pustules growing on the lower branches, wedge-shaped leaves, and oval, initially yellow flower heads that later turn orange, with long styles sticking far beyond the perianths, jointly giving the impression of a pincushion. It is called wart-stemmed pincushion in English and luisiesbos (lice-bush) in Afrikaans. The species is common in the southern mountains of South Africa.[3][4]

Description

Leucospermum cuneiforme is an upright, evergreen shrub, often of only ½–1 m (1½–3 ft) high, that has branches that originate from a woody rootstock in the ground, and if protected against fire will develop a main stem and grows up to 3 m (9.8 ft) high. The stem and lower branches are covered in pustules, a unique feature for this species. The upright flowering branches are 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) in diameter and appear to be grey due to soft, crinkly hairs. The leaves are hairless, narrow to broadly wedge-shaped 4½–11 cm (1.8–4.4 in) long and 0.6–3 cm (0.24–1.18 in) wide, with three to ten teeth with bony tips near the far end of the leaf.[2][5]

The flower heads sitting usually solitary or grouped with two or three near the end of the branches, are egg-shaped, 5–9 cm (2.0–3.5 in) in diameter each on a

pollen presenter, which is narrow or broadly cone-shaped 1½–4 mm (0.6–1.6 in) long and up to 2 cm (0.79 in) wide, with the groove that functions as the stigma central at the very tip. The four scales that subtend the ovary are triangular to awl-shaped and about 1 mm (0.039 in) long.[2][5]

Taxonomy

new combination, Leucospermum phyllanthifolium, needed to be made for Salisbury's second species. Although the variation in leaf length, leaf toothing and size of the flower heads in Leucospermum cuneiforme is large, and distant populations may appear to be quite distinct, the characters all change gradually, so it is not possible to determine where subtaxa might start and end. Hence, John Patrick Rourke in 1970 only recognises one variable species.[2]

Leucospermum cuneiforme is the type species of the cylindric pincushions, section Crassicaudex.

The subtribe Proteinae, to which the genus Leucospermum has been assigned, consistently has a basic chromosome number of twelve (

2n=24).[6]

The species name cuneiforme is compounded from the Latin words cuneus, meaning "wedge" and forma, meaning "form", combined "wedge-shaped".[4][7] The Afrikaans name luisiesbos "lice bush" comes from the similarity of the seed pods to species of lice.[8]

Distribution, habitat and ecology

Little Karoo and the wet margins of the temperate evergreen forests near Knysna and Tsitsikama. It does however stick to poor sandy soils derived from Table Mountain Sandstone, Witteberg Quartzite and stabilised sandy Tertiary deposits. It can be found at sea-level as well as up to over 1,000 m (3,300 ft) altitude. L. cuneiforme is one of the most fire resistant pincushions. Although fire kills the above ground parts of the plant, multiple branches sprout from the rootstock. Mostly the frequency of the fires makes sure shrubs generally are only ½–1 m (1½–3 ft), but when left unchecked, it develops a dominant stem and grows to about 3 m (9.8 ft). Some flowers can be found all year round, but there is a distinct peak from August till February.[2] The unscented but conspicuously coloured flower heads are pollinated by birds that feed on the nectar, such as the Cape sugarbird and some species of sunbird. The birds sit on the flower head and stick their long bills into perianth tubes and so bring their heads and necks in contact with the pollen presenters. Although the flowers are also visited by insects, these do not touch the pollen presenters so do not contribute to the pollination.[4]

The seeds are covered in a pale fleshy coating called elaiosome that attracts ants. About two months after flowering, the seeds are ripe and get released from the flower heads, and native ants gather them and carry them to their underground nests. Here the elaiosome is consumed. The remaining seed is big, slick and hard and the ants cannot remove it. This way the seeds are safe from seed-eaters and fire. This seed dispersal strategy is called myrmecochory. After a fire, the seeds promptly germinate. So L. cuneiforme has two strategies to survive a fire: myrmecochory and resprouting from the rootstock.[4]

Cultivation

L. cuneiforme is used as an ornamental shrub and is also cultivated as cut flower. There are a few cultivars, such as "Goldie", in addition to several hybrids of L. cuneiforme with other species.[4]

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113172114A157946891.en
    . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e Rourke, John Patrick (1970). = 1 Taxonomic Studies on Leucospermum R.Br (PDF). pp. 30–37. {{cite book}}: Check |url= value (help)
  3. ^ "Identifying Pincushions". Protea Atlas Project.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Leucospermum cuneiforme (Burm.f.) Rourke". SANBI.
  5. ^ a b "Compilation Leucospermum zeyheri". JSTOR Global Plants.
  6. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1975.tb01644.x.[permanent dead link
    ]
  7. ISBN 9780470650721
    .
  8. ISBN 9781770072657
    .

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leucospermum_cuneiforme&oldid=1177792842"