Leucadendron gydoense I.Williams

Shrubs 1.3 m and over, developing from a single stem at the ground, well branched. Branches glabrous, smooth, often purplish, fairly slender, not hidden by the leaves, arising from below the previous year's inflorescence. Leaves about 4.5 cm long and 8 mm broad in both sexes, narrowly oblanceolate, almost erect, glabrous, not shining, sub-scabrous, veined, contracted at the apex to a blunt recurved mucro, margins narrowly cartilaginous, tapering evenly towards the narrow base. Involucral leaves similar to the stem leaves, few in number, not much crowded, becoming yellow in the male and pale green in the female. Male inflorescence 1.4 cm long, 3 cm diam., solitary, terminal, depressed globose, yellow, glabrous, giving off a strong spicy or fruity odour. Basal bracts up to 1.1 cm long and 9 mm broad, about 43 cm number, ovate, glabrous, ciliate. Floral bracts 9 mm long and 1.2 mm broad, linear, acute, translucent, glabrous, very sparsely ciliate. Floral bud 1.2 cm long, glabrous, sharply bent, surrounded by a few hairs at the base. Perianth tube 8 mm long, glabrous. Claw 1.7 mm long, recurved 90°, glabrous. Limb 3.7 mm long, linear, hooked, glabrous. Anther 3.2 mm long, linear, erect, retaining part of the pollen. Pollen triangular in polar view with sides 38µ, polar depth 26µ. Stigma abortive, 2.5 mm long, cylindric, minutely cleft at the apex, acting as a pollen presenter. Style 9 mm long, pubescent in the lower two thirds, narrower above, connate with the perianth 1.2 mm from the base. Hypogynous scales 7 mm long, filiform, pale, exuding nectar at their apices. Receptacle 7 mm long and 6 mm diam., conical. Female inflorescence 1.9 cm long and 1.2 cm diam., ovoid with the florets clustered at the apex and with the sides closely imbricated by the basal bracts, solitary, terminal on the main branch and also often at the ends of up to three secondary branchlets arising from immediately below the main head, giving off a faint odour similar to the male. Basal bracts similar to the male, with the apex elevated and mucronate. Floral bracts 7 mm long and 8 mm broad, ovate, obtuse, glabrous except below where laterally ciliate and pubescent. Floral bud 9 mm long, pubescent on the sides and front in the middle, glabrous above and below. Perianth tube 8 mm long, transversely compressed, anterior and lateral segments pubescent except below where glabrous and divided. Claw 1.7 mm long, recurved 180°, glabrous. Limb 1.3 mm long, glabrous. Staminode 0.7 mm long. Ovary 1.5 mm long, ovoid, sparsely pubescent. Style 9 mm long, filiform, glabrous, narrower below. Stigma 0.7 mm diam., semi-oblique. Hypogynous scales 4 mm long, acicular, pale, exuding nectar at their apices. Receptacle A cm long and 5 mm diam., conical. Mature female head dehiscent, 3.2 cm long and 2.7 cm diam., globose, with bracts broad, ovate, glabrous, resinous, reddened, arranged in three spirals of about 15 cm each. Fruit a nut, 7.5 mm long, 1 cm broad, and 5.5 mm thick, bluntly ridged on the sides, sub-retuse at the apex, very sparsely pubescent towards the basal scar.