Leucadendron stelligerum I.Williams

Shrubs up to 1.3 m tall, erect, arising from a single stem at the base. Branches erect, fairly thin, glabrescent. Branchlets concealed by the leaves, thinly tomentose, often reddened, more numerous and thinner in the male plant. Leaves of male plants 2.3 cm long, 7 mm broad, of female plants 2.8 cm long, 8 mm broad, in both sexes oblanceolate, subacute or obtuse with a small blunt mucro, sparsely pubescent, becoming glabrescent, ciliate at first, thick. Involucral leaves longer, more acute, crowded, exceeding and concealing the head except when in bloom, then giving a star-like appearance to the inflorescence. Male inflorescence 1.9 cm long, 1.6 cm diam., ovoid, terminal, solitary, frequently with a number of slightly smaller heads on short branchlets arising from immediately below the main head, containing 21 spiral rows of buds, giving off a foetid smell. Basal bracts 4 mm long, 3 mm broad, 7-10 in number, more or less ovate, brown, ciliate, apex with a tuft of hairs and with a few hairs below. Floral bract 1.3 mm long, 1.25 mm broad, varying, densely pubescent, ciliate above. Floral bud 5 mm long, erect, glabrous, bent upwards, far exceeding the bract, the apex enlarged, clavate and yellow. Perianth tube 2 mm long, glabrous. Claw 2.25 mm long, recurved 140°, glabrous. Limb 1.5 mm long, spathulate, concave, hooked, glabrous. Anther 1.25 mm long, linear, curled upwards, practically devoid of pollen at anthesis. Pollen triangular in polar view with sides 32 µ long, polar depth 20 µ. Stigma abortive, 1.25 mm long, clavate, acting as a pollen presenter. Style 4 mm long, filiform, glabrous, narrower above. Hypogynous scales 1.75 mm long, tapering, thick, yellow. Nectar seen at the throat of the perianth tube. Receptacle 1.3 cm long, 3 mm diam., cylindrical. Female inflorescence 1.3 cm long, 1 cm diam., ovoid, solitary, terminal, with 8 spiral rows of about 8 flowers in each, giving off a foetid smell. Basal bracts 6 mm long, 3.5 mm broad, 18-28 cm number, lanceolate, obtuse, glabrous, ciliate, apex tufted with hairs, brown above. Floral bract 3 mm long, 3.5 mm broad, broadly ovate, apex sub-acute, densely silvery-silky-pubescent, ciliate with a small tuft of hairs at the apex. Floral bud 4.5 mm long, transversely flattened towards the base, apex slightly swollen, glabrous except for a few hairs on the sides towards the lower half. Perianth segments imbricated forming a tube 3 mm long, with or without a few hairs on the laterals. Claw about 1 mm long, recurved 180°, glabrous. Limb 1 mm long, glabrous, concave, hooked, anterior flattened. Staminode 0.3 mm long, anterior much reduced. Ovary 0.75 mm long, ovoid, glabrous. Style 3.5 mm long, glabrous, narrower below. Stigma 0.5 mm diam., oblique. Hypogynous scales 1 mm long, tapering, broad, yellow. Nectar seen at the throat of the perianth tube. Receptacle 1 cm long, 3 mm diam., conical. Mature female head indehiscent, 2.3 cm long, 1.5 cm diam., sub-globose, hidden except from above within the erect involucral leaves, old flowers persisting, with bracts small and tomentose. Fruit samaroid, 4 mm long, 3.5-4 mm broad, pitted, dusky, with a rib up the middle of the adaxial surface, narrowed to the base, a few white hairs at the basal scar.