Exotic Bouquet (Flowers of South Africa)

            The King Protea (Protea cynaroides) is a flowering plant. It is a distinctive Protea, having the largest flower head in the genus. The species is also known as Giant Protea, Honeypot or King Sugar Bush. It is widely distributed in the southwestern and southern parts of South Africa of the fynbos region.
The King Protea is the National Flower of South Africa. It also is the flagship of the The Protea Atlas Project, run by the South African National Botanical Institute.
The King Protea has several colour forms and horticulturists have recognized 81 garden varieties, some of which have injudiciously been planted in its natural range. In some varieties the pink of the flower and red borders of leaves are replaced by a creamy yellow. This unusual flower has a long vase life in flower arrangements, and makes for an excellent dried flower.
The specific epithet cynaroides refers to the artichoke-like appearance of the flower-heads: the artichoke belongs to the genus Cynara.
The King Protea is the National Flower of South Africa and as such lends its name to the national Cricket team, whose nickname is the Proteas. In the early 1990s there was a political debate as to how and if the flower should be incorporated onto the national Rugby teams shirts, perhaps replacing the controversial Springbok.

Leucospermum cordifolium belongs to the protea family and is indigenous to South Africa. It grows in acid, nutrient poor soils in a fairly small area in the South Western Cape, from the Kogelberg to the Soetanysberg near Bredasdorp. It is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom and occurs only in the winter rainfall area with its wet winters from May to September and hot, dry summers from December to the end of February.  
An added attraction during flowering time are the numerous birds found near the plants. In the early hours of the morning the abundant nectar flow attracts a variety of small insects, which in turn attract the Cape Sugar bird and three species of Sunbird. These insectivorous birds consume the small insects as well as the nectar, and in the process transfer pollen from one flower to the next. The flowers are not self-pollinating and depend on the small Scarab beetles and the birds for pollination. The birds are accustomed to the visitors in the Gardens and provide great photo opportunities when feeding on the flowers.
Leucospermum cordifolium is a rounded spreading shrub up to 2 m in diameter and about 1,5 m high, with a single main stem and horizontally spreading stems, hard green leaves and 1 to 3 large inflorescences borne at the end on the stem. The inflorescences consist of a large number of small flowers. It is the stiff protruding styles of the flowers which are the source of the common name "pincushion" for this genus. Only a few large, hard, nut-like seeds are produced by each inflorescence. In their natural environment the seeds are collected by ants, stored in the soil, and germinate only after a fire has killed the mature plants and returned the nutrients back to the soil.

King Protea riunisce un centinaio di arbusti sempreverdi, originari dell'Africa; producono lunghi fusti eretti, scarsamente ramificati, rigidi e spessi, che possono raggiungere i 100-150 cm negli esemplari adulti; le foglie sono allungate, ovali o lanceolate, di colore verde scuro, cerose. In estate producono alcune infiorescenze larghe 10-25 cm, costituite da molti piccoli fiori riuniti al centro, contornati da lunghe brattee colorate; le infiorescenze di protea hanno le forme più varie, talune sembrano grandi carciofi, oppure pigne di conifera. I fiori vengono prodotti in numero contenuto da ogni pianta, ma rimangono fioriti per settimane. Le brattee possono essere bianche, rosa, rosse, arancioni. P. neriifolia ha le foglie simili all'oleandro, e presenta una curiosa peluria scura sul margine delle brattee rigide; P. cynaroides produce infiorescenze tondeggianti, simili a grossi carciofi, di colore rosato o bianco. Queste piante non sono molto diffuse nei nostri giardini, ma vengono molto utilizzate per i fiori recisi, anche perchè nei paesi di origine i fiori sbocciano quando nella nostra penisola è pieno inverno. Con il passare degli anni gli arbusti tendono a "svuotarsi" nella parte inferiore, e a produrre meno fiori, è quindi consigliabile potare la pianta fino al terreno per favorire lo sviluppo di ramificazioni nuove e più vigorose. 

 Leucospermum cordifolium appartiene alla famiglia delle proteaceae ed è originaria del Sud Africa. Famiglia numerosa alla quale appartengono circa 1200 specie .
Sono piante molto antiche: in Egitto sono state trovate nei fossili del periodo Cretaceo.
   

Taken in: Italia / Sicilia / Taormina (show map)

Taken on: February 3, 2010

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Flowers

Fiori

Fleurs

Blumen

Leucospermum cordifolium

Proteaceae

King Protea

Protea cynaroides

Protea

South Africa flowers

South Africa

Awesome Blossoms.

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Sets appears in: • Tropical and Exotic Flora

Groups appears in: • flower power • Flower Macros ~ONE photo per day~GROUP CLOSED more » • Flores • Flora and Fauna • Flowers, buds, seeds... • * FLOWERPIX (no B&W, animals, seeds, leaves) • Flowers,flowers,flowers... any kind! • Red Flowers • Nature Photography • Flower Garden • FlowersFree • Flower Photography • Flower Close-Ups • The Magic of Nature • FLORES-FLOWERS-FLEURS-FIORI-BLUMEN • fiori • FLOWERS IN MACRO MODE • FLOWER IN THE SKY • **A Big Fave (INVITE ONLY PLEASE) • FLOWERS in the SKY • FLOWER-POWER • In A Country"FLOWER" Garden (NO BORDERS) • FLOWERS and/ or CRYSTALS • FlowerAddicts • Favorite Flower Pictures • AMOUR DES FLEURS • Flowers Galore • FLORES E FLOWERS - • * FABULOUS FLOWERS (moderators needed) • NATURE PHOTOS HP • Flower Crazzzzzy!!!(ENTER THE 'NEW PHOTO OF THE WEEK CONTEST') • Blooming Beauty • Flower Watching (Post 1 : Award 2) • Welcome to this Group • FLOWERS and GARDEN (POST 1 / COMMENT 3) • NATURE'S BEST • Excellent Flowers • FLORES / FLOWERS MACRO • * FLOWERIA (no B&W, animals, seeds, leaves or fruit) • Flowers Macro World - Feel free to join us! • "Smörgåsbord" (Unlimited Posting - Award 3) • Flowers all kinds • NATURE ♥ unlimited ♥ (Public Group Forever) • FLOWER LOVERS* • Solo Fotos! (Post -1- Award -3-) No B&W - No People • Flowers are Fabulous • FLORES Y MAS FLORES/FLOWERS AND MORE FLOWERS (P1/C3) • ♥✩ Master flower! - ♥✩ Flor Maestra! SWEEPER ON P1 A3 • FIORI(TUTTI I TIPI)(1 post-1 com-1 inv)-"24° GARA"- CHIUSA - • The Golden Flower - Post 1 & Award 2 • FLOWERS_INSECTS_AND_BUTTERFLIES // FLORES_INSECTOS_Y_MARIPOSAS • Flowers of gardens • Tropical and Exotic Flora • Free Flickr Flowers ~FFF~ • FLOR-CAULE, P FOLHA - POST 1 AWARD 2- • A UNIVERSE OF FLOWERS/Post 1 C 2 • "Flickr's Awesome Blossoms" P1/A3 Sweeper Active • "Croque NATURE" • NATURE GREEN STAR ☆ P1&A3 • ✿Flowers!✿ • The Flower Basket *Post 1 - Award 3* *Sweeper Active* • MILLEFIORI ♥ --- ♥ P 1 A 2 • Lover of nature • Fiori e Animali • PLANET EARTH FLOWERS* • * FLORAL FANTASIA (NO insects, seeds, b&w) • El aroma de las flores • ♦♦♦ TUTTI I FIORI DEL MONDO ♦♦♦ • ***Addicted to Flower!***(Post 1+Comment 3)*SWEEPER ACTIVE* • "Just Nature/Solo Natura" post 1-Award 1--#3 CONTEST -OPEN • ♦♦♦ TUTTI I FOTOGRAFI DEL MONDO ♦♦♦ • Flower "Color Ful" • Flowers of World.(Post2-Comment4) • NON SOLO FIORI,LA NATURA VISTA ATTRAVERSO IL NOSTRO OBIETTIVO • Explosion Of Colours • F&F (Fiori e Farfalle) Flowers & Butterflys • Flower Power (Post One - Award One) • Floricultura - flores e poesia / flowers and poetry « less

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FX7, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, 5.8mm, ISO 80 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Panasonic DMC-FX7
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.008 sec (1/125)
Focal Length:	5.8mm
ISO:	80
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
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