About Protea scabra R.Br.
Protea scabra R.Br. is a long-lived shrub that forms dense mats of root-like underground rhizomes that can reach up to 50 centimeters in diameter. Tufts of leaves that eventually produce flowers grow above the soil surface. Individual plants can live for more than a century, and they resprout from their underground stems after fires. Ecologically, this species is monoecious, with each individual flower containing both male and female reproductive structures. It blooms between April and October, with its flowering peak occurring from July to October. Pollination may happen through the activity of rodents, though birds may also act as pollinators for this plant. Seeds are stored in the plant's woody fruit, which remains attached to the plant for one to two years. The fruit only opens after a fire to release the stored seeds, which are then dispersed by wind. This Protea species grows on flats or low slopes in mountainous regions, at elevations between 50 and 900 meters above sea level. It most commonly grows in shale soil, but can also be found growing in sandstone fynbos.
