''Paranomus bracteolaris'', the smooth-leaf tree sceptre or Bokkeveld sceptre, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus '' Paranomus'' and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is native to the

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Description

The shrub is monoecious and grows up to tall and flowers from August to October. The leaves are finely divided into acicular segments; they are hairy when they are young. The flowers are arranged in small clusters in veins at the tips of the branches. They are purple-pink and long. Fire destroys the plant but the seeds survive. The plant is

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and pollinated by insects. The fruit ripens two months after the plant has flowered and the seeds fall to the ground where they are spread by ants. In Afrikaans, it is known as , , , , , , , , , . The tree's national number is 72.3 on the list of South African indigenous trees.

Distribution and habitat

The plant occurs on the Bokkeveld Carp, in the Cold Bokkeveld and the Olifants River Mountains. It grows sandstone soil at altitudes of .

Gallery

Paranomus bracteolaris Rebelo 2.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris 1DS-II 2-2383.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris 1DS-II 2-2374.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris 1DS-II 2-2377.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris 1DS-II 2-2382.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris Flipphi 1.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris Flipphi 2.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris Flipphi 3.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris Flipphi 4.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris Flipphi 5.jpg Paranomus bracteolaris Flipphi 6.jpg

References

bracteolaris {{Proteaceae-stub