I think it is a pity that South Africa has taken "ownership" of the Proteas. That is where the Protea genus comes from so we cannot really complain, but here, in the south-west of WA, the Proteaceae family is everywhere. You can hardly expect to visita patch of bushland without encountering several members. Not only are they an important component of our flora, they have put their stamp on our landscape by secreting organic acids (mainly citric acid) from their roots, temporally dissolving iron oxides, but leading ultimately to large accumulations of gravel in many of our soils.They are more than merely present; they are conspicuously present. The flowers are often gaudy. If they were people we would berate them for being showoffs! But they are plants so we can simply enjoy their beauty.
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