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Rocket pincushion

Leucospermum reflexum

Also called Skyrocket Leucospermum, Cedarberg Pincushion, Sky Rocket Pincushion

Rocket pincushion
Photo: Andrew Massyn, Public domain
Family
Proteaceae (Protea family)
Grows as
Shrub
Native range
SW. Cape Prov.
Climate
subtropical

About

Leucospermum reflexum is a large rounded shrub that is assigned to the family Proteaceae. It grows from a single trunk and its branches are covered in smooth grey bark. It has small elliptic to inverted lance-shaped greyish leaves of only 2–5½ cm (0.8–2.2 in) long. The heads consist of mostly dark orange (rarely pale yellow) 4-merous flowers, from which long, identically colored styles emerge, which are directed straight down during flowering. It is called rocket pincushion or skyrocket leucospermum in English and perdekop (horse head) in Afrikaans. It flowers from the end of August to December. It is an endemic species that can only be found in the southwest of South Africa.

Where it grows

L. reflexum is an endemic species that is only found in the east of the Cederberg mountains between Wupperthal in the south to the Pakhuis Pass in the north. It occurs between 900 and 1800 m (3000–6000 ft) altitude. The annual rainfall in its range is 250–380 mm (10–15 in), mainly during the winter. Due to the area's dry climate and its preference for relatively moist conditions, it grows mainly in locations such as in seepage areas or along streams, where it is often in the company of the reed-like restionid Cannomois virgata and common bracken Pteridium aquilinum.

Other Leucospermum plants

Redelinghuys Pincushion · Gordon's Bay Pincushion · Arid Pincushion · Catherine's Pincushion · Grey tree-pincushion · Heart Leaf Pincushion · Red pincushion-protea · Common Pincushion · Oudtshoorn Pincushion · Silver-leaf wheel pincushion · Potberg Pincushion · Soapstone Pincushion

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Leucospermum reflexum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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