the protea (giant protea known as protea cynaroides) is part of an ancient plant family, the proteaceae, which had already divided into two subfamilies before the break-up of the gondwanaland continent about 140 million years ago. both subfamilies, the proteoideae and the grevilleoideae, occur mainly in the southern hemisphere. in southern africa there are about 360 species, mainly from the subfamily proteoideae, of which more than 330 species are confined to the cape foral kingdom, between nieuwoudtville in the northwest and grahamstown in the east. protea cynaroides belongs to the genus protea, which has more than 92 species, subspecies and varieties. other well-known genera of the proteaceae are the leucospermum with the brightly coloured "pincushion" flowers, leucadendron with yellow or red-brown foliage and serruria, of which the serruria florida or "blushing bride" with its pale pink flowers is widely used in bridal bouquets. plants in the subfamily grevilleoideae occur mainly in australia. the protea (protea cynaroides) is the national flower of south africa.