Leucadendron burchellii I.Williams

Shrubs up to 1.6 m, developing from a single stem at the base, erect. Branches stout, erect, tomentose, reddened, few in number. Branchlets short, stout, erect, tomentose, reddened, much stouter below the head, arising from below the previous years inflorescence. Leaves of the male plants 5.8 cm long, 1.7 cm broad, of the female plant 6 cm long, 2 cm broad, elliptic, obtuse, with a blunt red recurved mucro concave on the inner surface, glabrous, veined, erect, concealing the stems, dark green, often purplish towards the apex and margins. Involucral leaves of the male plant brightly coloured in yellow and red, crowded, closely clasping the base of the head, exceeding the head but not concealing it, of the female less colourful, somewhat larger, more erect, densely crowded, concealing the head except from directly above, larger than the stem leaves, the innermost becoming small, acute, lanceolate and pubescent. Male inflorescence 3.5 cm long, 4.2 cm diam., solitary, terminal, the flowers spreading widely when open fully, giving off a lemony smell. Basal bracts up to 1.2 cm long and 1.2 cm broad, about 50 in number, lanceolate, glabrous, eciliate, resinous, red and recurved at the apex. Floral bract 2.2 cm long, 4 mm broad, linear, glabrous, oily, apex broadened, coloured and acute. Floral bud 2.1 cm long, linear, yellow above, pale below, very sparsely pubescent in the middle, surrounded below by a small tuft of hairs. Perianth tube 1.8 cm long, sparsely pubescent above. Claw 2 mm long, recurved 90°, glabrous. Limb 8 mm long, linear, glabrous. Anthers linear, erect, presenting their pollen-Pollen triangular in polar view with sides 36 µ long and polar depth 27 µ. Stigma abortive, truncate, bifid, terminating at the throat of the perianth tube. Style 1.8 cm long, filiform, narrower above, villous below. Hypogynous scales 9 mm long, filiform, tapering to the apex, pale yellow. Receptacle 1.1 cm long, 1.3 cm diam., depressed, globose. Female inflorescence 2.7 cm diam., solitary, terminal, globose, with florets clustered at the apex, sides imbricated by the recurved basal bracts, giving off a faint lemon-like smell. Basal bracts 2 cm long, 1 cm broad, about 97 cm number, oblong, glabrous, oily, recurved above. Floral bract 1.6 cm long, 1.2 cm broad, elliptic, obtuse, apex somewhat recurved, glabrous, eciliate, densely pubescent at the base. Floral bud 1.3 cm long, apex glabrous, otherwise densely villous, surrounded below by a tuft of hairs. Perianth tube 1.6 cm long, compressed, pubescent. Claw 4 mm long, recurved more than 180°, pubescent. Limb 2.2 mm long, glabrous, laterals concave and hooked. Staminodes 1 mm long, linear, erect. Ovary 1.5 mm long, ovoid, glabrous. Style 1.9 cm long, filiform, glabrous, thickened at the apex. Stigma 1 mm diam., oblique, cleft. Hypogynous scales 5 mm long, pale, filiform, tapering to a fine point. Receptacle 1.6 cm long, 1.1 mm diam., conical, acute. Mature female head dehiscent up to 4.5 cm long, 3.5 cm diam., globose, with bracts quadrangular, pubescent across the middle, not connate. Fruit a nut 8 mm long, 9 mm broad, 5 mm thick, biconvex, perimeter bluntly ridged, glabrous, brown, with a small tuft of hairs at the basal scar.