Arctopus echinatus L.

Leaves widely to very widely ovate, semi-orbicular or rhomboidal, blades 20-80 mm long and broad, thorny (sparsely thorny in the Milnerton population); lobes dentate to doubly dentate, rarely crenate (Milnerton population); margins conspicuously toothed; setae spinose, rarely flexuose, 3-10 mm; spine(s) in leaf recesses between segments inflexed, occasionally attached to an inflexed laminar tooth; inflexed part of lamina absent or narrow, 0.5-1.0 (-4.0) mm wide, setae absent, vertical spines 1 to 3(4), stout, 6-15 mm; petioles 20-200 x 5-7 mm; wings narrow, ca. 1 mm wide. Male umbellules with pedicels 6 as long as the bracteoles; bracteoles ovate to lanceolate, spiny, 5-10 mm. Female inflorescence with rays 10-40 mm; pseudanthial bracteoles relatively small, 4 or 5, ovate, boat-shaped and keeled; ca. 6 3 3 mm at flowering stage, accrescent, becoming 10-18 3 5-8 mm at fruiting stage; apex acute, with a sharp spine, spine 2-3 mm; margin with 1 or 2 inflexed and overlapping spines; pseudanthial bracteoles becoming leathery and firm at fruiting stage, prominently thickened along periphery and midrib, becoming brown when dried, not separating. Fruit rostrate; usually 1-seeded, rarely 2-seeded; surface usually spiny, brown; developed mericarp ca. 10 3 5 mm; abortive mericarp small, separating in mature fruit.