Leucadendron meridianum T.M.Salter ex I.Williams

Shrubs up to 2 m, densely branched, developing from a single main stem. Branches sub-verticilliate, erect, terete, glabrous. Branchlets arising from below the previous years inflorescence in groups of up to 5, slender, short-silvery-pubescent, soon glabrescent, occasionally somewhat reddish, not hidden by the leaves. Leaves equal in both sexes, about 4 cm long, 7 mm broad, oblanceolate-linear, suberect, twisted at the base, short-adpressed-silvery-pubescent, sometimes glabrescent, apical mucro short, reddened and recurved. Involucral leaves crowded; the outer, about 8 in number, longer than the stem leaves and somewhat broader at the base; the inner, about 9 in number, bractlike, yellow, lanceolate, acute, completely enveloping the head except from above in the later stages of flowering, somewhat less numerous in the male. Male inflorescence about 1.2 cm diam., terminal, yellow, subglobose, with buds in 13 spiral rows and very few barren bracts at the apex, giving off a faint somewhat lemony smell. Basal bracts 2 mm long, 3.5 mm broad, about 12 in number, ciliate, sparsely pubescent. Floral bract 1.75 mm long, 1.25 mm broad, spathulate, densely pubescent, ciliate. Floral bud 4 mm long, yellow, glabrous, swollen at the apex. Perianth segments 1.5 mm long, glabrous, not connate. Claw 1 mm long, recurved more than 90°. Limb 1.5 mm long, spathulate, concave, hooked. Anther 1 mm long, curling upwards. Pollen triangular in polar view with convex sides and blunt apices, 22 µ diam. Stigma abortive, 1 mm long, clavate, minutely cleft, not acting as a pollen presenter. Style 2.5 mm long, terete, glabrous, narrower above, surrounded below by a sparse tuft of short hairs. Hypogynous scales less than 1 mm long, yellow, acicular. Nectar not noticed. Receptacle 1.1 cm long, 3 mm diam., clavate. Female inflorescence 1.6 cm long, 1.2 cm diam., terminal, solitary, subglobose, with florets in 8 spiral rows, giving off a faint smell. Basal bracts 3 mm long, 5 mm broad, about 38 cm number, oval, sparsely pubescent, ciliate. Floral bract 4 mm long, 8 mm broad, oval, silvery pubescent, ciliate. Floral bud hidden by the bract, the exserted stigma being first to appear. Perianth segments slightly imbricate, 4 mm long, glabrous. Claw 0.5 mm long, recurved 90° or less, glabrous. Limb 0.5 mm long, blunt, glabrous, anterior absent, posterior flattened. Staminode 0.25 mm long, anterior absent. Ovary 1 mm long, glabrous, bilobed above. Style 3 mm long, glabrous. Stigma less than 1 mm diam., oblique, emarginate. Hypogynous scales 0.75 mm long, tapering, yellow above. Nectar not noticed. Receptacle 1.2 cm long, 3 mm diam., ob-clavate. Mature female head indehiscent, 2.8 cm long, 2.2 cm diam., sub-globose, silvery pubescent. Fruit 8 mm long, 6 mm broad, black, winged, glabrous, emarginate, pitted.