Leucadendron cordatum E.Phillips

Shrubs up to 1 m., erect or decumbent and sprawling ove rocks. Branches short, sub-erect or decumbent, clothed with a dense sho erect pubescence, often purplish, bent about 90° near the head, arising fro immediately below the previous years inflorescence, few in number, stout in female plants. Leaves about 5 cm long, 2.5 cm broad, increasing in size towards the head, elliptic or oblong, obtuse, apical callus immersed small re and recurved, margins narrow and cartilaginous, distinctly sub-parallel nerve coriaceous, glabrous, sub-glaucous, patulate. Involucral leaves becoming much larger, in male plants up to 7.5 cm long and 5.7 cm broad, in female plants up to 9 cm long and 5.3 cm broad, crowded, colourful, often cordate at the base exceeding the head by a long way. Male inflorescence 2.6 cm long, 2.5 c diam., solitary, terminal, cylindrical, flattened above, giving off a somewha peppery smell. Basal bracts about 1.2 cm long, 1 cm broad, about 47 in number ovate, obtuse, glabrous, oily, somewhat recurved, imbricating the base an sides of the head. Floral bract 1.3 cm long, 3 mm broad, linear, glabrous translucent. Floral bud 1.1 cm long, bent, glabrous. Perianth tube 1.1 cm long, glabrous. Claw 1.5 mm long, recurved 90°, glabrous. Limb 4.5 mm long, linear, glabrous, hooked. Anther 4 mm long, linear, erect or curled upwards, presenting the pollen. Pollen triangular in polar view with sides 33 µ long and polar depth 21 µ. Stigma abortive, truncate. Style 1.1 cm long, glabrous above, thicker and villous below, 1 mm connate at the base, not exceeding the perianth tube. Hypogynous scales 5 mm long, filiform. Nectar not seen. Receptacle 1.1 cm diam., globose. Female inflorescence 2 cm long, solitary, terminal, ovoid with the florets clustered at the apex, giving off a somewhat peppery smell. Basal bracts about 1.1 cm long, 1.1 cm broad, about 40 in number, ovate, glabrous, oily, somewhat recurved, imbricating the base and sides of the head. Floral bract 1 cm long, 1.1 cm broad, orbicular, obtuse, eciliate, glabrous except for a small densely pubescent area towards the base. Floral bud 9 mm long, pubescent except at the apex and on the adaxial surface, surrounded below by a small tuft of hairs, the stigma protruding from the apex at an early stage. Perianth tube 1.1 cm long, compressed, pubescent, divided near the base. Claw 1 mm long, recurved 180°, glabrous. Limb 1.2 mm long, glabrous, concave. Staminode 0.6 mm long, supported on a short thick filament. Ovary 1.3 mm long, ovoid, glabrous, surrounded below by a tuft of hairs. Style 1.2 cm long, filiform, glabrous, somewhat thicker above. Stigma 0.7 mm diam., oblique, cleft. Hypogynous scales 4.5 mm long, filiform, tapering to the apex. Nectar not seen. Receptacle 1.1 cm long, 9 mm diam., conical. Mature female head dehiscent, globose, 3 cm diam., with bracts, brown, glabrous above, densely pubescent abaxially across the middle. Fruit a nut, 8 mm long, 9 mm broad, 5 mm thick, brown, glabrous, biconvex, perimeter ridged, apex somewhat retuse, with a tuft of hairs surrounding the basal scar.