Leucospermum cordifolium in profile

Seen from the side, this Leucospermum cordifolium flowerhead stiffly upholds a multitude of curved styles, appearing like the cultural weapons of a tribe remote from modern technology.

The orange-yellow stigmas form a prominent part of the floral allure of this species, unlike many well-known flower types that attract using colourful and shapely corollas. These stigmas are diligent female floral parts that do male work as well, by serving as pollen presenters to birds and bees before they internalise their own consignment of pollen and grow seed.

Note the tiny dark bracts on the stem of the flowerhead, curving variably to pointed tips (Matthews and Carter, 1993; Manning 2007).