About Leucadendron muirii E.Phillips
Taxonomy and Common Name
Leucadendron muirii, common name silver-ball conebush, is a flowering shrub in the genus Leucadendron that is part of the fynbos vegetation.
Native Distribution
It is native to the Western Cape, South Africa, occurring on the Elim, Bredasdorp, and Riversdale plains.
Size and Flowering Period
This shrub grows up to 2.0 meters tall, and produces flowers from November to December.
Fire Response
Mature plants are killed by fire, but their seeds survive.
Seed Characteristics and Dispersal
Seeds are held in a cone on female plants, and are released after fire; they may then be dispersed by wind.
Reproduction
The species is unisexual, with separate male and female individual plants, and reproduction relies on insect pollination.
Habitat
It grows in limestone soils at elevations between 0 and 200 meters.
Afrikaans Common Name
In Afrikaans, this species is called kruiphout.
