''Spatalla thyrsiflora'', the swan-neck spoon, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus ''
Spatalla
''Spatalla'' is a genus containing 20 species of flowering plants, commonly known as "spoons", in the family (biology), family Proteaceae. The genus is endemism, endemic to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa where it is associated with fyn ...
'' and forms part of the
fynbos
Fynbos (; , ) is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. The area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean climate. The fynbos ...
. The plant is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only 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 foun ...
to the
Western Cape
The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ...
of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
where it occurs in the Du Toitskloofberge, Louwshoekberg and in the Swartberg at Caledon.
The shrub spreads to 1.5 m in diameter and flowers from August to December. The shrub sprouts again after it has burned. The plant is bisexual and pollination takes place through the action of insects. Two months after the plant has flowered, the fruit ripens and the seeds fall to the ground where they are spread by ants. The plant grows in sandstone and granite soil at elevations of 900 – 1500 m.
References
Sources
REDLIST SanbiProtea Atlas, bl 74Plants of the World Online
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15585597
thyrsiflora
Endemic flora of the Cape Provinces
Fynbos