Serruria trilopha, the trident spiderbush, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the genus Serruria and forms part of the fynbos. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape, where it only occurs on the Cape Peninsula and Cape Flats up to Malmesbury. The shrub is upright and grows only 80 cm high and bears flowers from August to October.

Serruria trilopha
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Serruria
Species:
S. trilopha
Binomial name
Serruria trilopha
Salisb. ex Knight, (1809)

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 bisexual. Pollination takes place through the action of insects. The plant grows in sandy soil at elevations of 50–310 m.

References

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  1. ^ Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; Raimondo, D.; Koopman, R. (2020). "Serruria trilopha". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T113239458A185557394. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T113239458A185557394.en. Retrieved 16 July 2023.

Sources

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