Everything about Protea totally explained
» This article is about the plant genus. For further uses see Protea (disambiguation).:
"Sugarbush" redirects here. For the ski resort, see Sugarbush ResortProtea is both the
botanical name and the English common name of a
genus of
flowering plants, sometimes also called
sugarbushes.
The genus Protea was named in 1735 by
Carolus Linnaeus after the Greek god
Proteus who could change his form at will, because proteas have such different forms.
Proteas attracted the attention of botanists visiting the
Cape of Good Hope in the 1600s. Many species were introduced to Europe in the 1700s, enjoying a unique popularity at the time amongst botanists.
The Proteaceae family to which Proteas belong is an ancient one. Its ancestors grew in
Gondwanaland, 300 million years ago. Proteaceae is divided into two subfamilies: the Proteoideae, best represented in southern
Africa, and the Grevilleoideae, concentrated in
Australia and
South America and the other smaller segments of Gondwanaland that are now part of eastern
Asia. Africa shares only one genus with
Madagascar, whereas South America and Australia share many common genera — this indicates they separated from Africa before they separated from each other.
Most protea occur south of the
Limpopo River. However,
Protea kilimanjaro is found in the
chaparral zone of
Mt. Kenya National Park. 92% of the species occur only in the
Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mountainous coastal land from Clanwilliam to Grahamstown, South Africa. The extraordinary richness and diversity of species characteristic of the Cape Flora is 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.
Classification
Within the huge family
Proteaceae, they're 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 section Leiocephalae
Protea section Paludosae
Protea section Patentiflorae
Protea section Lasiocephalae
Protea section Cristatae
Protea section Cynaroidae
Protea section Paracynaroides
Protea section Ligulatae
Protea section Melliferae
Protea section Speciosae
Protea section Exsertae
Protea section Microgeantae
Protea section Crinitae
Protea section Pinifolia
Protea section Craterifolia
Protea section Obvallatae
Protea section Subacaules
National symbol
Together with the Springbok Antelope, the Protea had been treated as a sometimes controversial national symbol in South Africa, both during and after apartheid.
The former South African Prime Minister and architect of apartheid, Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd, had a dream to change the then-current Flag of South Africa and have in its center a leaping Springbok Antelope over a wreath of six Proteas. This proposal, however, aroused too much controversy and was never implemented.
After the demise of apartheid, the ANC government decreed that South African sporting teams, hitherto called "Springboks" were to be known as "The Proteas", although an exemption was made for the rugby union team, who remain "Springboks".
Further Information
Get more info on 'Protea'.
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