Leucadendron

Leucadendron
Leucadendron argenteum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
Order:	Proteales
Family:	Proteaceae
Genus:	Leucadendron R.Br.
Species
See text.
natural range of the genus

Leucadendron salignum

Leucadendron is a genus of about 80 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, endemic to South Africa, where they are a prominent part of the fynbos ecoregion and vegetation type.

Description

Species in the genus Leucadendron are evergreen shrubs or small trees. Most species are shrubs that grow up to 1 m tall, some to 2 or 3 m. A few grow into moderate-sized trees up to 16 m tall. The leaves are spirally arranged, simple, entire, and usually green, often covered with a waxy bloom, and in the case of the Silvertree, with a distinct silvery tone produced by dense, straight, silky hairs. This inspired the generic name Leucadendron, which literally means "white tree".

The flowers are produced in dense inflorescences; they are dioecious, with separate male and female plants.

The seed heads, or infructescences, of Leucadendron are woody cone-like structures. This gave rise to their generic common name cone-bush. The cones contain numerous seeds. The seed morphology is varied and reflects subgeneric groupings within the genus. A few such as the Silvertree, Leucadendron argenteum have a silky-haired parachute, enabling the large round nut to be dispersed by wind. A few are rodent dispersed, cached by rats, and a few have elaiosomes and are dispersed by ants. About half the species store the seeds in fire-proof cones and release them only after a fire has killed the plant or at least the branch bearing the cone. Many such species hardly recruit naturally except after fires.

Selected species

Leucadendron album Leucadendron arcuatum Leucadendron argenteum Leucadendron barkerae Leucadendron bonum Leucadendron brunioides Leucadendron burchellii Leucadendron cadens Leucadendron chamelaea Leucadendron cinereum Leucadendron comosum Leucadendron concavum Leucadendron conicum Leucadendron coniferum Leucadendron cordatum Leucadendron coriaceum Leucadendron corymbosum Leucadendron cryptocephalum Leucadendron daphnoides Leucadendron diemontianum Leucadendron discolor

Leucadendron dregei Leucadendron dubium Leucadendron elimense Leucadendron ericifolium Leucadendron eucalyptifolium Leucadendron flexuosum Leucadendron floridum Leucadendron foedum Leucadendron galpinii Leucadendron gandogeri Leucadendron glaberrimum Leucadendron globosum Leucadendron grandiflorum Leucadendron gydoense Leucadendron immoderatum Leucadendron lanigerum Leucadendron laureolum Leucadendron laxum Leucadendron levisanus Leucadendron linifolium Leucadendron loeriense

Leucadendron loranthifolium Leucadendron macowanii Leucadendron meridianum Leucadendron meyerianum Leucadendron microcephalum Leucadendron modestum Leucadendron muirii Leucadendron nervosum Leucadendron nitidum Leucadendron nobile Leucadendron olens Leucadendron orientale Leucadendron osbornei Leucadendron platyspermum Leucadendron pondoense Leucadendron procerum Leucadendron pubescens Leucadendron pubibracteolatum Leucadendron radiatum Leucadendron remotum Leucadendron roodii

Leucadendron rourkei Leucadendron rubrum Leucadendron salicifolium Leucadendron salignum Leucadendron sericeum Leucadendron sessile Leucadendron sheilae Leucadendron singulare Leucadendron sorocephalodes Leucadendron spirale Leucadendron spissifolium Leucadendron stellare Leucadendron stelligerum Leucadendron strobilinum Leucadendron teretifolium Leucadendron thymifolium Leucadendron tinctum Leucadendron tradouwense Leucadendron uliginosum Leucadendron verticillatum Leucadendron xanthoconus

Gallery

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  Leucadendron loriense

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  Leucadendron pubescens

See also

• Index: Fynbos