Protea 301565 220562962 2008-06-20T13:33:13Z Hesperian 111359 Sorry Carl, you don't get the credit for this one :''This article is about the plant genus. For further uses see [[Protea (disambiguation)]]''. :''"Sugarbush" redirects here. For the ski resort, see [[Sugarbush Resort]]'' {{Taxobox | name = ''Protea'' | image = Protea_nerifola_close.jpg | image_width = 230px | image_caption = ''Protea lepidocarpodendron x neriifolia'' | regnum = [[Plant]]ae | divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] | ordo = [[Proteales]] | familia = [[Proteaceae]] | subfamilia = [[Proteoideae]] | genus = '''''Protea''''' | genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]] | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text }} '''''Protea''''' 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. Linneaus's genus was formed by merging a number of genera previously published by [[Herman Boerhaave]], although precisely which of Boerhaave's genera were included in Linnaeus's ''Protea'' varied with each of Linnaeus's publications. 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 are a member of the subfamily '''Proteoideae''', which has Southern African and Australian members. ==Species== [[Image:Protea Pink Ice.jpg|Protea Pink ice|200px|thumb]] (listed by section: a section has a name in two parts, consisting of the genus name and an epithet). * ''Protea'' section ''Leiocephalae'' **''[[Protea caffra]]'' (Common Protea) **''[[Protea dracomontana]]'' **''[[Protea glabra]]'' **''[[Protea inopina]]'' **''[[Protea nitida]]'' **''[[Protea nubigena]]'' **''[[Protea parvula]]'' **''[[Protea petiolaris]]'' **''[[Protea rupicola]]'' **''[[Protea simplex]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Paludosae'' **''[[Protea enervis]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Patentiflorae'' **''[[Protea angolensis]]'' **''[[Protea comptonii]]'' **''[[Protea curvata]]'' **''[[Protea laetans]]'' **''[[Protea madiensis]]'' **''[[Protea rubropilosa]]'' **''[[Protea rupestris]]'' [[Image:Protea flower.jpg|thumb|222px|right|King Protea (''Protea cynaroides'')]] [[Image:Protea flower02.jpg|thumb|222px|right|King Protea (''Protea cynaroides'')]] * ''Protea'' section ''Lasiocephalae'' **''[[Protea gaguedi]]'' **''[[Protea welwitschii]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Cristatae'' **''[[Protea asymmetrica]]'' **''[[Protea wentzeliana]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Cynaroidae'' **''[[Protea cynaroides]]'' (King Protea) * ''Protea'' section ''Paracynaroides'' **''[[Protea cryophila]]'' (Snow Protea) **''[[Protea pruinosa]]'' **''[[Protea scabriuscula]]'' **''[[Protea scolopendriifolia]]'' [[Image:Protea cynaroides 5.jpg|thumb|222px|right|King Protea (''Protea cynaroides'')]] * ''Protea'' section ''Ligulatae'' **''[[Protea burchellii]]'' **''[[Protea compacta]]'' **''[[Protea eximia]]'' **''[[Protea longifolia]]'' **''[[Protea obtusifolia]]'' **''[[Protea pudens]]'' **''[[Protea roupelliae]]'' **''[[Protea susannae]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Melliferae'' **''[[Protea aristata]]'' **''[[Protea lanceolata]]'' **''[[Protea repens]]'' (Common Sugarbush Protea) * ''Protea'' section ''Speciosae'' **''[[Protea coronata]]'' **''[[Protea grandiceps]]'' **''[[Protea holosericea]]'' **''[[Protea laurifolia]]'' **''[[Protea lepidocarpodendron]]'' **''[[Protea lorifolia]]'' **''[[Protea magnifica]]'' **''[[Protea neriifolia]]'' (Oleander-leaf Protea) **''[[Protea speciosa]]'' **''[[Protea stokoei]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Exsertae'' **''[[Protea aurea]]'' **''[[Protea lacticolor]]'' **''[[Protea mundii]]'' **''[[Protea punctata]]'' **''[[Protea subvestita]]'' **''[[Protea venusta]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Microgeantae'' **''[[Protea acaulos]]'' **''[[Protea convexa]]'' **''[[Protea laevis]]'' **''[[Protea revoluta]]'' **''[[Protea ungustata]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Crinitae'' **''[[Protea foliosa]]'' **''[[Protea intonsa]]'' **''[[Protea montana]]'' **''[[Protea tenax]]'' **''[[Protea vogtsiae]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Pinifolia'' **''[[Protea acuminata]]'' **''[[Protea canaliculata]]'' **''[[Protea nana]]'' **''[[Protea pityphylla]]'' **''[[Protea scolymocephala]]'' **''[[Protea witzenbergiana]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Craterifolia'' **''[[Protea effusa]]'' **''[[Protea namaquana]]'' **''[[Protea pendula]]'' **''[[Protea recondita]]'' **''[[Protea sulphurea]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Obvallatae'' **''[[Protea caespitosa]]'' * ''Protea'' section ''Subacaules'' **''[[Protea aspera]]'' **''[[Protea denticulata]]'' **''[[Protea lorea]]'' **''[[Protea piscina]]'' **''[[Protea restionifolia]]'' **''[[Protea scabra]]'' **''[[Protea scorzonerifolia]]'' ==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 [[List of Prime Ministers of South Africa|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 [[African National Congress|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 [[South African national rugby union team|rugby union team]], who remain "Springboks". ==External links== *[http://protea.worldonline.co.za/default.htm Protea Atlas Project]: a project to map the distribution of South African plant species, using ''Protea'' as a flagship. *[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Tree&id=4331&lvl=3&p=mapview&p=has_linkout&p=blast_url&p=genome_blast&lin=f&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock NCBI Taxonomy Browser] [[Category:Protea]] [[Category:Flora_of_Africa]] [[af:Protea]] [[cs:Protea]] [[de:Zuckerbüsche]] [[el:Πρωτέα (φυτό)]] [[es:Protea]] [[fr:Protea]] [[nl:Protea]] [[pt:Protea]] [[fi:Proteat]] [[sv:Protea]]