Serruria furcellata

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Serruria furcellata
Serruria furcellata (6).jpg
Serruria furcellata Kraaifontein Spiderhead Nov 13.jpg

Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Serruria
Species:
S. furcellata
Binomial name
Serruria furcellata

Serruria furcellata, the Kraaifontein spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, it has always been found at Brackenfell, Kraaifontein and Kuils River.[2]

Description[]

The shrub is erect and grows only 50 cm tall and bears flowers from August to October.[3]

After a fire, the plant's roots can sprout again. Two months after flowering, the fruit falls off and ants disperse the seeds. They store the seeds in their nests. The plant is unisexual. Pollination takes place through the action of insects. The plant grows in sandy soil at altitudes of 90 - 390 m.[3]

Conservation[]

This plant has previously been considered extinct. In 1985 it occurred in only two places, near Kraaifontein and close to Bottelary Heuwels, where in 1979 three plants were identified. After 1985, however, there was no sign of the plants at the two sites and it was assumed that the species became extinct.[4] In 2004, however, two plants were discovered at North Pine, but one was soon destroyed by the municipality's bush cutting program.

However, Cape Town's Environmental Resource Management Division developed the 36-hectare Bracken Nature Reserve where native plants are preserved.[5] Kraaifontein spiderhead specimens were transplanted after successful garden cultivation.[4]

References[]

  1. ^ Rebelo, A.G., Raimondo, D., von Staden, L. & Gibbs, D. 2020. Serruria furcellata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T113237808A185558823. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113237808A185558823.en. Downloaded on 28 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants". redlist.sanbi.org. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Skirted Spiderheads". www.proteaatlas.org.za. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b Poulsen, Zoë (5 November 2016). "Bringing Serruria furcellata back from the brink of extinction on the Cape Flats". Cape Town Botanist. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Dump site transformed into Cape nature reserve". Brand South Africa. 5 January 2016. Archived from the original on 16 May 2020.
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