Description:

• Trees or shrubs, sometimes prostrate, sometimes dioecious
• Leaves alternate, subopposite or in whorls, simple and entire, variously lobed or pinnatisect, often dimorphic, the apices occasionally bearing teeth; stipules 0
• Inflorescence a panicle, raceme, spike or capitulum; capitula often involucrate
• Flowers bisexual or unisexual, if unisexual, then plants usually dioecious; regular to irregular
• Perianth of 4 valvate segments, differentiated into a claw and limb, often fused at base to form a tube
• Stamens 4, opposite perianth segments and usually arising at base of perianth limbs, occasionally with free filaments arising from torus; anthers 2-locular, introrse, dehiscing longitudinally, connective produced into a dark, apical boss
• Ovary superior, sessile or stipitate, unilocular with one (in most southern Africa genera) or more ovules; style simple, terete, modified to form a stigma and terminal pollen presenter; pollen presenter terminal, straight or oblique, filiform, cylindric, linear, ovoid, or discoid
• Hypogynous scales 4, alternating with perianth segments, or as an annular, lobed disc, or occasionally 0
• Fruit an indehiscent achene, or drupe, occasionally winged, or a woody, dehiscent follicle with several seeds
• Seeds sometimes winged, usually endospermous

Classification Notes:

• The Proteaceae is currently divided into seven subfamilies (Douglas 1995): the Persoonioideae, Bellendenoideae, Ediotheoideae, Proteoideae, Sphalmioideae, Carnavonioideae and Grevilleoideae of which only the Proteoideae and Grevilleoideae are represented in southern Africa

Nomenclature:

• Proteaceae
  • Stapf et al.: 502 (1912)
  • Johnson & Briggs: 83 (1975)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera ± 75, species ± 1 350, mostly Africa, Madagascar, southeast Asia, the Malaysian Region, Pacific Islands, Australasia and South America
• Southern Africa: Genera 16 (2 exotic), species ± 360

References:

• JOHNSON, L.A.S. & BRIGGS, B.G. 1975. On the Proteaceae - the evolution and classification of a southern family. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 70
• STAPF, O, PHILLIPS, E.P. & HUTCHINSON, J. 1912. Proteaceae. Flora capensis 5,1

Resources:

• Classification of Proteaceae
• Key to Proteaceae genera

• Proteaceae genera: