Review: Lyn Mair

Proteas of the Fynbos, by John Manning , photographs by Colin Paterson-Jones (Struik Nature)

This is the most interesting and up-to-date book on fynbos proteas, and what immediately catches the eye are the superb photos by the late Colin Paterson-Jones. 

If you are seriously keen to identify the many different species and genera of this huge and complex group of plants, it’s a good idea to have a botanical background but if you don’t, this book will be a great help in sorting them out.  

Right at the beginning John Manning answers the question What are proteas? With 1750 species worldwide he makes things easy for us in the Western Cape fynbos biome by separating the true Proteas from their close relatives the Conebushes Leucodendron, Pincushions Leucospermum, Pagodas Mimetes and Spiderheads Serruria, and then further dividing them into groups or clusters.  

The protea group must be one of the most diverse groups of flowering plants, named after the Greek god Proteas who was so versatile that he could take on many forms.  

There are sometimes only small differences between the species and it will be helpful to know about the involucral bracts which are clearly labelled in the straightforward photos in the beginning of the book. They can be inconspicuous or large and colourful.  

The various parts of the flower itself are shown and labelled so you will get to know about anthers and sepals, stamens and pollen presenters. The flowers of proteas are complex and often very small but bunched together to form large, showy and colourful flowerheads, which helps in the identification of similar species. 

There are details about the seeds, how some of them can stay in the cone for several years or until the plant dies naturally or gets burnt in a fire. The complexity of the leaves is discussed as some are feathery and some large, flat and broad with a specific number of small knobs at the tips, while some are smooth and some are covered in fine hairs. 

So many botanical details are given but in easy-to-understand language. A magnifying glass helps to see the smaller details. In some genera some species have male and female on separate plants while others have both sexes on the one species.  

There are other interesting facts before you even get to the species section – the evolutionary beginnings of the Protea family and where else in the world they may be found. 

Then to the species which Manning  divides into sections starting with the unisexual plants which consist mainly of the Leucodendrons or Conebushes, of which there are 83 fynbos species, but only about half are described.

Feather-leaved proteas or Spiderheads are next in Section 2 and these are followed by what he calls the daisy-head Proteas which include Proteas and Sugarbushes. Section 4 takes in the Pincushions and the final Section 5 covers the Brush Proteas which include the Mimetes.

Each of the sections is divided into groups and clusters where the distribution is discussed, flowering times are given and minute details of each plant are described in concise and clear text which helps to sort out the identification.

So even if your mystery protea does not appear on any of the pages, at least you will know in which group it belongs. Considering the number of species and sub species it would take a huge tome to describe and illustrate each and every one.

Even if you don’t need to know the exact name of each plant, this is a very special, small and beautifully illustrated book about the Proteas of our glorious fynbos. It is a companion volume to Manning’s Ericas of the Fynbos.

• Lyn Mair is a dedicated mountain hiker and a tour guide.