Protea laevis
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| Protea laevis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Protea |
| Species: | P. laevis
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| Binomial name | |
| Protea laevis R.Br.
| |
Protea laevis, the smooth-leaf sugarbush, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the well-known genus Protea. The plant is endemic to South Africa. It occurs from the Cederberg to the Hex River Mountains and Waboomsberg.
The plant is flat and grows 80 cm in diameter and blooms from September to February with the peak from September to November. A fire destroys the plant but the seeds survive. The seed is stored in a cap and released one to two years after flowering and spread through the wind. The plant is unisexual. Pollination occurs through the action of rats, mice and birds . The plant grows in dry, rocky moldings at altitudes of 1000-1800 m.