Leucadendron thymifolium (salisb. ex Knight) I.williams

Shrubs up to 2 m with few branches arising from a single stem at the base. Branches erect, slender, finely tomentose when young, soon glabrous, welll clothed with leaves. Leaves of male plants up to 8 mm long, 3.5 mm broad, those of female plants up to 16 mm long, 4 mm broad, in both sexes elliptic or oblong, obtuse, with a small blunt callus at the apex, base shortly petiolate, sparsely pubescent when young, soon glabrous, not shining, thick, veinless, imbricate. Involucral leaves inconspicuous, not exceeding the head, the inner becoming ciliate and narrower towards the base. Male inflorescence 1 cm long, 1.7 cm diam., globose, solitary, terminal, on scattered short branchlets, j giving off a yeasty smell. Basal bracts variable, 3.5 mm long, 1.2-1.3 mm broad, about 38 cm number, acute, very short-pubescent and ciliate. Floral bracts 2 mm long, 1 mm broad, lanceolate, acute, much thickened below, very short-pubescent and ciliate, surrounded at the base by a small tuft of hairs, j Floral bud up to 8 mm long, slender, apex swollen and glabrous, minutely pubescent below, surrounded by a few hairs at the base. Perianth tube 4 mm I long, sparsely very short-pubescent. Claw 2.5 mm long, slender, recurved! 180°, very short-pubescent. Limb 1.3 mm long, spathulate, hooked, glabrous above. Anther 0.9 mm long, slightly curled upwards, devoid of pollen atl anthesis. Pollen triangular in polar view with rounded apices and straight sides; 41 µ long, polar depth 22µ. Stigma abortive, 0.9 mm long, 0.3 mm diam., clavate, acting as a pollen presenter. Style 6 mm long, narrower above, pubescent below. Hypogynous scales 2 mm long, filiform. Nectar seen in the perianth tube. Receptacle 6 mm long, 3 mm diam., clavate. Female inflorescence 1.3 cm diam., globose, solitary, terminal, purplish, with the bracts gaping, giving off a faint yeasty smell. Basal bracts variable, similar to those in the male plant, transitional shape acute, 4.5 mm long, 2 mm broad, about 30 cm number. Floral bracts 6.5 mm long, 9.5 mm broad, broadly elliptic, retuse, minutely ciliate and pubescent, coloured above, densely pubescent at the base. Floral bud 8 mm long, apex not swollen, broadened below, minutely pubescent, base surroun-1 ded by a tuft of hairs, much exceeding the bract. Perianth segments imbricated forming a tube 6 mm long, minutely pubescent above, glabrous below. Claw 3 mm long, recurved 180°, minutely pubescent. Limb 1 mm long, hollow, hooked, minutely pubescent. Staminode 0.6 mm long, curled upwards. Ovary 0.9 mm long, ovoid, very densely covered with hairs 4 mm long. Style 7.5 mm long, filiform, glabrous. Stigma 0.6 mm broad, truncate. Hypogynous scales 3 mm long, acicular, pale. Nectar seen at the apices of the hypogynous scales. Receptacle 9 mm long, 3 mm diam., clavate. Mature female head globose, dehiscent, 1.8 cm diam., with bracts somewhat retuse and thinly pubescent. Fruit a nut, 5.5 mm long, 6 mm broad, 3.5 mm thick, biconvex, apiculate, rough, villous, light brown.