FFF363 - PINCUSHION PROTEA

Leucospermum is a genus of evergreen upright, sometimes creeping shrubs that is assigned to the Proteaceae, with currently forty-eight known species. Almost all species are easily recognised as Leucospermum because of the long protruding styles with a thickened pollen-presenter, which jointly give the flower head the appearance of a pincushion, its common name. Pincushions can be found in South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Currently, the genus is subdivided in nine sections based on morphological commonalities and differences, each section having several species. The classification becomes more complex when garden hybrids are considered. Leucospermum pluridens 'Gold Fever' is shown here and is a large upright evergreen shrub of up to 3 m high. It has leathery, oblong to wedge-shaped leaves about 7½ cm long and 2½ cm wide, deeply incised near the tip with seven to ten teeth.

It has initially yellow, later carmine coloured flower heads. The 2 cm long bracts have slender, recurved tips. From the centre of the perianth emerge long styles that jointly give the impression of a pincushion. It is called Robinson pincushion in English and Robinson-kreupelhout in Afrikaans. Flowers can be found between September and December. It naturally occurs in the south of South Africa.

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