''Spatalla'' is a
genus containing 20
species of
flowering plants, commonly known as "spoons", in the
family Proteaceae
The Proteaceae form a family of flowering plants predominantly distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises 83 genera with about 1,660 known species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae, they make up the order Pro ...
. The genus is
endemic to the
Cape Floristic Region of
South Africa where it is associated with
fynbos
Fynbos (; meaning fine plants) is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. This area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean clim ...
habitats. The species are all small
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s. The name is derived from the
Greek, meaning “wantonness”, alluding to the plants’ unusually large
pollen-presenter
A pollen-presenter is an area on the tip of the style in flowers of plants of the family Proteaceae on which the anthers release their pollen prior to anthesis. To ensure pollination, the style grows during anthesis, sticking out the pollen-pres ...
s. Most species are
threatened.
[
]
Species
Described species are listed below, with their conservation status:Spatalla barbigera
''Spatalla barbigera'', the fine-leaf spoon, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus ''Spatalla'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape, South Africa.
Description
The shrub is flat, rounded, grows on ...
'' Salisb. ex Knight – Fine-leaf spoon – NT
* '' Spatalla caudata'' (Thunb.) R.Br. – Woolly-hair spoon – EN
* '' Spatalla colorata'' Meisn. – Shiny spoon – EN
* '' Spatalla confusa'' (E.Phillips) Rourke – Long-tube spoon – LC
* '' Spatalla curvifolia'' Salisb. ex Knight – White-stalked spoon – NT
* '' Spatalla ericoides'' E.Phillips – Erica-leaf spoon – EN
* '' Spatalla incurva'' (Thunb.) R.Br. – Swan-head spoon – LC
* '' Spatalla longifolia'' Salisb. ex Knight – Pink-stalked spoon – NT
* '' Spatalla mollis'' R.Br. – Woolly spoon – Rare
* '' Spatalla nubicola'' Rourke – Medusa spoon – NT
* '' Spatalla parilis'' Salisb. ex Knight – Spike spoon – LC
* '' Spatalla prolifera'' (Thunb.) Salisb. ex Knight – Palmiet spoon – EN
* '' Spatalla propinqua'' R.Br. – Lax spoon – EN
* '' Spatalla racemosa'' (L.) Druce – Lax-stalked spoon – NT
* '' Spatalla salsoloides'' (R.Br.) Rourke – Kink-style spoon – CR
* '' Spatalla setacea'' (R.Br.) Rourke – Needle-leaf spoon – LC
* ''Spatalla squamata
''Spatalla squamata'' the silky spoon is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus ''Spatalla'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa, where it occurs in the Bredasdorp Mountains and Agulha ...
'' Meisn. – Silky spoon – NT
* '' Spatalla thyrsiflora'' Salisb. ex Knight – Swan-neck spoon – VU
* '' Spatalla tulbaghensis'' (E.Phillips) Rourke – Shaggy-hair spoon – EN
Gallery
Spatalla confusa vBerkel2.jpg,
Spatalla propinqua 1DS-II 3-8370.jpg,
Spatalla longifolia Rebelo 2.jpg,
Spatalla curvifolia 1DS-II 1-C4337.jpg,
Spatalla parilis Rebelo 1.jpg,
Spatalla racemosa 1DS-II 1-9440.jpg,
References
Proteaceae genera
Endemic flora of South Africa
Flora of the Cape Provinces
{{Proteaceae-stub