Leucadendron tinctum I.Williams

Shrubs 1-1.3 m tall, bushy, spreading, developing from a single stem below. Branchlets tomentose, purplish where exposed to sunlight, short, stout, usually with a characteristic bend near the base where it arises from below the previous years inflorescence, becoming much thickened towards the head, somewhat less numerous but stouter in the female plant. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, somewhat glaucous, not shining, distinctly nerved, rounded at the apex with a reddish sub-retuse or recurved callus, margins narrowly cartilaginous, rounded deflexed and tomentose towards the base, sessile, increasing in size and becoming more crowded towards the head, forming a large involucre which becomes yellow at anthesis, up to 9 cm long, 2.4 cm broad in the male plant, up to 11.5 cm long, 4.5 cm broad in the female plant. Male inflorescence 3 cm long, 3.5 cm diam., solitary, terminal. Basal bracts 2 cm long, 1 cm broad, about 70 in number, conspicuous, oblanceolate, obtuse, glabrous, recurved, oily, strongly peppery smelling, occasionally weakly ciliate below, adjacent bracts in 5 spiral rows. Floral bract 1.6 cm long, 2.5 mm broad, linear, glabrous, obtuse. Floral bud 2.2 cm long, glabrous, arched, slightly thickened and yellow above, tapering to a blunt point. Perianth tube 1.5 cm long, glabrous, standing in a small tuft of hairs. Claw 2 mm long, recurved 45°, glabrous. Limb 6 mm long, narrowing to the apex, glabrous. Anther 4.5 mm long, linear, curled upwards, presenting the pollen. Pollen triangular in polar view with sides 31 µ long, polar depth 22 µ. Stigma abortive, 0.7 mm broad, truncate, cleft, not exceeding the perianth tube. Style 1.3 cm long, filiform, thicker and pubescent in the lower half. Hypogynous scales 8 mm long, filiform. Nectar not seen. Receptacle 1.5 cm diam., globose. Female inflorescence 2.4 cm long, 2.7 cm diam., solitary, terminal, with the flower cluster at the apex 1 cm in diam., giving off a strong spicy smell. Basal bracts as in the male inflorescence about 50 in number. Floral bract 1.5 cm long, 1.2 cm broad, ovate, glabrous above, densely pubescent at the base. Floral bud 1.2 cm long, long-silky-white-pubescent except at the yellow apex, surrounded below by a tuft of hairs. Perianth ruoa.1.3 cm long, transversely compressed, pubescent. Claw 1 mm long, recurved 90°, pubescent. Limb 1.5 mm long, glabrous. Staminode 0.5 mm long. Ovary 1.5 mm long, ovoid, glabrous, with a few hairs at the base. Style 1.3 cm long, filiform, narrowing to the base. Stigma 1 mm diam., oblique. Hypogynous scales 3.2 mm long, filiform, pale. Nectar not seen. Receptacle 1.5 cm long, 1 cm diam., conical. Mature female head dehiscent, 3.8-4.7 cm long, 3.6-4.1 cm diam., globose, of a dark maroon colour, with bracts sub-quadrangular in outline, not recurved, glabrous and oily above, densely pubescent across the middle. Fruit a nut 8.5 mm long, 1.1 cm broad, 6 mm thick, biconvex, light brown, glabrous, with a few hairs surrounding the basal scar.