Leucadendron macowanii E.Phillips

Shrubs up to 2.3 m tall, erect, arising from a single stem at th base. Branches erect, slightly flexuose, sparsely pubescent, becoming glabrous. Branchlets short, numerous and stout in the female; shorter, mor numerous and slender in the male, sparsely pubescent. Leaves in the male plant up to 5.3 cm long, 7 mm broad, in the female plant up to 7.7 cm long, 9 mm broad, in both sexes narrowly oblanceolate, twisted and very sparsely pubescent towards the base, with the mucro subulate, recurved, hollow above, the cartilaginous margins forming a raised rim on the sides. Involucral leaves absent. Male inflorescence 1.5 cm long, 1.4 cm diam., solitary, terminal on numerous scattered short slender branchlets, ovoid, conical in bud, without smell. Basal bracts 7 mm long, 2.5 mm broad, about 14 in number, the outer few leaf-like, lanceolate, acute, becoming brown, glabrous, ciliate towards the base. Floral bract 3 mm long, 0.7 mm broad, linear, obtuse, villous at the apex and down the midrib. Floral bud 4.5 mm long, glabrous, sub-quadrangular from above, arranged in spirals of 21 and 13. Perianth tube 1.5 mm long, glabrous. Limb 2 mm long, concave, hooked, glabrous. Anther 1.25 mm long, curled inwards, cleft above. Pollen a much rounded triangle in polar view, spherical in side view, 28 µ diam. Stigma abortive, 0.75 mm long, clavate, not acting as a pollen presenter. Style 2.7 mm long, glabrous, narrower above, with a tuft of minute hairs at the base. Hypogynous scales 0.25 mm long, rudimentary. Nectar not seen. Receptacle 1.4 cm long, 2.5 mm diam., clavate, acute. Female inflorescence 2.3 cm long, 2.5 mm diam., solitary, terminal on stout branchlets, elongated ovoid, glabrous, coloured on the side facing the sun, not hidden by the leaves, clearly showing the large exposed stigmas arranged in 8 spirals, without smell. Basal bracts about 11 in number, the outermost leaf-like, becoming broadly lanceolate, then oval, glabrous, ciliate. Floral bract 4 mm long, 9 mm broad, broadly elliptic, apex slightly retuse, ciliate, glabrous except for a small patch of pubescence in the middle of the anterior surface, broadly lobed on both sides below. Floral bud 4 mm long, the stigma protruding above the perianth. Perianth tube 4 mm long, pubescent, remaining hidden beneath the floral bract, segments divided below. Claw and Limb very small and ill-defined. Staminode 0.25 mm long, minute, divided into pairs, absent from the anterior limb which is modified (retuse at the apex) to permit the style and stigma to pass. Ovary 1 mm diam., ovoid, short-pubescent. Style 3.5 mm long, glabrous, narrower below. Stigma 1.5 mm long, 1 mm broad, unusually large, oval, lateral, sticky with a milky exudation. Hypogynous scales 0.5 mm long, rudimentary. Nectar not seen. Receptacle 2 cm long, 2.5 mm diam., cylindrical, acute. Mature female head indehiscent, 3 cm long, 2.5 cm diam., elongated-globose, with bracts 2.4 cm broad, glabrous, rounded above, laterally lobed. Fruit 6 mm long, 5 mm broad, trigonal, very sparsely pubescent, black, pitted.