Protea aristata E.Phillips

An erect stocky shrub to 2.5 m in height, up to 3 m in diameter with a single main stem up to 250 mm in diameter. Stems erect, glabrous, 5-7 mm in diameter. Leaves erect, ascending, linear, 70-110 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, flattened but petiolar region terete, apex with a soft black acuminate tip; glabrous, glaucous. Inflorescence obconic-campanulate, no-140 mm long, 100-120 mm in diameter. Receptacle broadly conic, 30-35 mm in diameter, 10-15 mm high. Involucral bracts 7-9 seriate; outer series very broadly ovate-obtuse to almost rounded, glabrous to glabrescent, 10 mm long, 10-15 mm wide; inner series broadly oblong, acute, 40-80 mm long, 20-25 mm wide, densely puberulous; innermost series spathulate, 100-120 mm long, 10-15 mm wide, apices incurved, acute, softly puberulous. Perianth 90-100 mm long, straight, glabrous externally, tube region and claws white, limbs bright crimson; tube region 20 mm long, glabrous; claws 45 mm long, glabrous externally but with a distinct line of pubescence on inner margin of perianth sheath, free claw pubescent on inner surface; limbs 30-35 mm long, each limb prolonged into a 15 mm long, glabrous awn, pubescent at apex only. Anthers 3, subsessile, on adaxial perianth sheath only; abaxial anther absent. Style 70-75 mm long, glabrous, flattened vertically, tapering terminally. Pollen-presenter 7-10 mm long, slightly geniculate at junction with style, linear, stigmatic groove adaxially curved. Ovary obliquely obconic, 5 mm long, covered with very long (10-50 mm) straight, white to pale golden trichomes. Hypogynous scales ovate to rounded, 1 mm long, yellow. At lower elevations, flowering may commence in October but December is the peak of the flowering season although inflorescences continue to open as late as February.