Protea in African Fynbos

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

David Berry

David Berry

🇦🇺 Australia 🦘
Member's gallery
Protea neriifolia : Fynbos near Cape Agulhas
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

Protea neriifolia in Fynbos Heathland
Near Cape Agulhas (southernmost point of Africa)​
Classification:
  • Fynbos : literally 'fine bush'; heathland ecoregion of extreme south of African continent. Pronounce fyn to rhyme with vain.
  • Proteaceae : Southern Hemisphere plant family which includes genera in Australia (Grevillea, Banksia…) and Africa (Protea, Leucadendron…).
  • Protea : South African plant genus within the family Proteaceae.
  • Protea neriifolia : Protea species.
Conservation Status:
  • Fynbos is threatened by huge increases in human population.
  • Proteas such as Protea neriifolia are of 'least concern'.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
Patrick M said:
Gorgeous!
Click to expand...
Andrew Lamberson said:
You know it is sharp when you can see the spider webs!
Click to expand...
Where this photo was taken, South Africa's Western Cape province, is a ruggedly beautiful part of the world. This is where Africa comes to an end at the Cape of Good Hope. The accepted story is that the original, definitely apposite, name 'Cape of Storms' was replaced lest it dampen the enthusiasm of Portuguese sailors seeking an eastward route to the Indies. This was about a decade before Columbus's westward exploits.

The fynbos heathland where we came across this protea was near Cape Agulhas—just another unimposing stretch of rocky coastline, but actually the southernmost 'point' of Africa.

Fynbos heathlands are places to amble through, pausing—as my wife, Jen (a biologist), is doing here—to marvel at the myriad of plants belonging to the smallest of the world's six 'floral kingdoms'.
Fynbos Heathland, Western Cape, South Africa
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

Fernkloof, Western Cape, South Africa​
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
Rookie Roy said:
David, you have a way with flowers! Every time I take a picture of a flower I immediately hit the delete button!
Click to expand...
Roy, protea flowers are often 'soft'; therefore, I have avoided the temptation to make the bloom 'pop'. That's not what they are like in the 'back country'!

Easy does it with the saturation and clarity sliders gifted to us by Adobe & Co.
 
Member's gallery
Protea neriifolia
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

A similar bloom after a gentle rain shower. The sky was heavily overcast and I was at a loss to choose an appropriate exposure.

Hopefully, I'll learn to watch the auto-ISO setting as my experience with botanical photography progresses!

BTW: The flower is about 10 cm in length.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
David Berry said:
View attachment 53032
Protea neriifolia in Fynbos Heathland
Near Cape Agulhas (southernmost point of Africa)​
Classification:
  • Fynbos : literally 'fine bush'; heathland ecoregion of extreme south of African continent. Pronounce fyn to rhyme with vain.
  • Proteaceae : Southern Hemisphere plant family which includes genera in Australia (Grevillea, Banksia…) and Africa (Protea, Leucadendron…).
  • Protea : South African plant genus within the family Proteaceae.
  • Protea neriifolia : Protea species.
Conservation Status:
  • Fynbos is threatened by huge increases in human population.
  • Proteas such as Protea neriifolia are of 'least concern'.
Click to expand...
Sweet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top