Serruria hirsuta, the Swartkops spiderhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape and occurs in the Cape Peninsula at the Swartkop above Simon's Town. The shrub grows up to 50 cm tall and flowers from June to October.
| Serruria hirsuta | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Serruria |
| Species: | S. hirsuta
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| Binomial name | |
| Serruria hirsuta | |
Fire destroys the plant but the seeds survive. Two months after flowering, the fruit falls and ants disperse the seeds. They store the seeds in their nests. The plant is unisexual. Pollination takes place through the action of insects. The plant grows in sandstone soil at elevations of 360 – 470 m.
References
edit- ^ Rebelo, A.G.; Helme, N.A.; Raimondo, D. (2020). "Serruria hirsuta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T113237999A185544774. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113237999A185544774.en. Retrieved 18 August 2023.