About Protea speciosa (L.) L.
Protea speciosa (L.) L. is an upright shrub that reaches a maximum height of 1.2 metres. It flowers from June through January, with blooming peaking between September and October. This species is monoecious, meaning each individual flower contains both male and female reproductive structures. Pollination is carried out by birds that forage in its large flowerheads to feed on nectar. Its seeds are kept in woody capsules and dispersed by wind. The shrub grows in cool mountainous southern slopes, at altitudes ranging from sea level up to 1,300 metres. It is able to re-sprout after its aboveground growth is burned off during periodic wildfires. This protea species is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa, where its distribution extends from the Cape Peninsula to the Heuningberg mountain above the town of Bredasdorp.
