Protea baumii Engl. & Gilg

Suffrutex with simple stems up to 1.3 m. high, usually with 2 bud scars at intervals (apparently flowering only in third year of growth).. Stems thinly to densely appressed-pubescent when young to glabrous and dark purplish at maturity.. Leaves 6-13.5 × 0.4-2 cm., 5-27 times as long as broad, linear to linear-elliptic or linear-lanceolate, cuneate to slightly rounded at the base, obtuse to acute at the apex, glabrous to densely appressed-pubescent when young and sparsely so at maturity.. Heads 8-11 cm. in diameter.. Middle bracts 1.5-3 × 0.6-1.3 cm., obtuse, appressed pubescent, glabrescent towards the margin, light brown to creamy white, deflexed in full flower; inner bracts 4-6 × 0.3-0.8 cm., obtuse to rounded at the apex, indumentum and colour as for middle bracts, deflexed.. Flowers 3.5-5 cm., white.. Perianth-base glabrous below and appressed pubescent on upper half, with a few hairs inside the upper part of the margin; claw villous or with long sparse hairs outside; limb 14-18(20) mm., villous with long ascending hairs on the 3 fused segments and the fourth segment glabrescent or with long sparse hairs.. Styles usually hairy towards the base, sometimes villous with long appressed hairs.