Protea nubigena

{{short description|Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae}}

{{Speciesbox

|name=Cloud sugarbush

|image =

|image_caption =

| status = CR

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Rebelo, A.G. |author2=Mtshali, H. |author3=von Staden, L. |year=2020 |title=Protea nubigena |volume=2020 |page=e.T113211106A185570554 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113211106A185570554.en |access-date=7 August 2021}}

|genus = Protea

|species = nubigena

|authority = Rourke{{R|TSP 2006}}

|synonyms =

|synonyms_ref =

}}

Protea nubigena, commonly known as cloud sugarbush,{{R|TSP 2006|Sugarbushes}} is a very rare species of a flowering shrub belonging to the Protea genus. It is endemic to KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa{{R|TSP 2006|CJB}} and is found in the uKhahlamba Basalt Grassland within the Royal Natal National Park, near Mont-Aux-Sources, at an altitude of about {{convert|2250|m|ft|sigfig=3}} in well-drained, humus-rich soil on shaded slopes.{{R|TSP 2006|Tropicos 1978}}

Description

The plant grows as an erect shrub which is up to {{convert|70|cm|in|abbr=on}} high, and blooms from March to April. It is a long-lived species, and survives fires by resprouting from underground boles or rootstocks. The plant is monoecious with both sexes in each flower; the wind-dispersed seeds are not stored on the plant and are released immediately after ripening. It is pollinated by birds.{{R|TSP 2006|Sugarbushes}}

Conservation

It is listed as 'critically endangered' on the SANBI red list, as the population of mature individual plants within the one known location are in decline, mostly due to poor fire management.{{R|TSP 2006|PAP}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web | title=Protea nubigena Rourke - Detail | website=African plant database | url=https://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=82741 | access-date=13 July 2020}}

{{cite web | last=Pajor| first= Istvan| title=Protea nubigena CLOUD PROTEA in the Drakensberg | website=Protea Atlas Project | url=https://www.proteaatlas.org.za/p12prn.htm | access-date=13 July 2020}}

{{cite web | last=Pajor| first= Istvan| title=Grassland Sugarbushes | website=Protea Atlas Project | url=https://www.proteaatlas.org.za/sugar11.htm | access-date=13 July 2020}}

{{cite web | title=Protea nubigena Rourke | website=Tropicos | date=4 April 1978 | url=http://legacy.tropicos.org/Name/26500496 | access-date=13 July 2020}}

{{cite web | title=SANBI Red List of South African Plants | website=Threatened Species Programme | date=1 September 2006 | url=http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=799-98 | access-date=13 July 2020}}

}}

Sources

{{cite book | last=Pooley | first=Elsa | title=Mountain flowers : a field guide to the flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho | publisher=Flora Publications Trust, c/o Natal Herbarium | publication-place=Durban South Africa | year=2003 | isbn=978-0-620-30221-0 | oclc=53281866}}

nubigena

Category:Flora of KwaZulu-Natal

Category:Taxa named by John Patrick Rourke

Category:Plants described in 1978