'' Sorocephalus '' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

containing 11

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s, commonly known as powderpuffs, in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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 name means “heaped head”. The genus is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the Cape Floristic Region of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, more particularly the winter rainfall zone of the southwestern Cape. 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 characterised by flower-heads containing clusters of four or more flowers. Most species are

threatened Threatened species are any species (including animals, plants and fungi) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of ''critical depensat ...

Species

Described species are shown below, with their conservation status: * ''

Sorocephalus alopecurus ''Sorocephalus alopecurus'', the woolly-stalk clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape The Western Cape is a province of South Africa ...

'' Rourke – Woolly-stalk powderpuff – EN * ''

Sorocephalus capitatus ''Sorocephalus capitatusis'', the woolly clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs on the Piketberg and Onderboskloof in th ...

'' Rourke – Woolly powderpuff – NT * ''

Sorocephalus clavigerus ''Sorocephalus clavigerus'', the erect clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs on the Kogelberg and Kleinrivierberge. Th ...

'' (Knight) Hutch. – Erect powderpuff – EN * ''

Sorocephalus crassifolius ''Sorocephalus crassifolius'', the flowerless clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs on the Riviersonderendberge. The pl ...

'' Hutch. – Flowerless powderpuff – CR * ''

Sorocephalus imbricatus ''Sorocephalus imbricatus'', the tile-leaf clusterhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape where it is found in the Piketberg, Groot Winterhoe ...

'' (Thunb.) R. Br. – Lanceolate-leaf powderpuff – CR * ''

Sorocephalus lanatus ''Sorocephalus lanatus'', the common clusterhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the Western Cape and occurs in the Cederberg, Groot Winterhoek and Hex Riv ...

'' R. Br. – Common powderpuff – LC * ''

Sorocephalus palustris ''Sorocephalus palustris'', the mat clusterhead or prostrate clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape The Western Cape is a province ...

'' Rourke – Prostrate powderpuff – CR * ''

Sorocephalus pinifolius ''Sorocephalus pinifolius'', the long-leaf clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, ...

'' Rourke – Long-leaf powderpuff – EN * ''

Sorocephalus scabridus ''Sorocephalus scabridus'', the Tulbagh clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, sit ...

'' Meisn. – Tulbagh powderpuff – CR * ''

Sorocephalus tenuifolius ''Sorocephalus tenuifolius'', the diminutive clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape The Western Cape is a province of South Africa ...

'' R.Br. – Diminutive powderpuff – EN * ''

Sorocephalus teretifolius ''Sorocephalus teretifolius'', the pinhead clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''Sorocephalus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, ...

'' (Meisn.) E.Phillips – Pin-shaped powderpuff – EN

References

Proteaceae Proteaceae genera Endemic flora of South Africa Flora of the Cape Provinces {{Proteaceae-stub