Leucadendron spissifolium

Leucadendron spissifolium, the spear-leaf conebush, is a species of plant in the family Proteaceae.^[4] It was first described in 1809 as Euryspermum spissifolium.^[3] It was renamed Leucadendron spissifolium in 1967.^[2]

Leucadendron spissifolium
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Proteales
Family:	Proteaceae
Genus:	Leucadendron
Species:	L. spissifolium
Binomial name
Leucadendron spissifolium (Salisb. ex Knight) I.Williams
Synonyms[2]
Euryspermum spissifolium Knight (1809)[3] Leucadendron decorum var. minus Buek. Leucadendron virgatum f. gnidioides Gand.

Description

Leucadendron spissifolium is endemic to grasslands and shrublands of South Africa. The species is pyrophytic, and requires wildfires to disperse seeds. Flowers are dioecious and pollinated by insects.^[1]

Subspecies

There are five subspecies recognized under L. spissifolium.^[2]

• Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. spissifolium (Common spear-leaf conebush)
• Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. fragrans (Fragrant spear-leaf conebush)
• Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. natalense (Natal spear-leaf conebush)
• Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. oribinum (Oribi spear-leaf conebush)
• Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. phillipsii (Kareedouwvlakte spear-leaf conebush)