Leucospermum conocarpodendron subsp. viridum young leaves

These Leucospermum conocarpodendron leaves were photographed in Kirstenbosch during November on a very young plant marked subsp. viridum. That makes it the green tree pincushion, also the hairless tree pincushion, while the other subspecies found on the Cape Peninsula, the grey tree pincushion, is supposed to have the greyer leaves.

The young age of the plant, however, goes with hairy leaves in subsp. viridum, particularly during autumn. Some blades lower down appear to have less hair already, while the margins have long ones. Mature leaves or leaves of a mature subsp. viridum tree are expected to be glabrous, while some margins may be hair-fringed.

The apical, glandular leaf teeth vary considerably in number between the usual limits of three and ten. Their colour is red on the youngest leaves in picture, yellow on older ones, while the size and angularity of the teeth also vary (Manning, 2007; http://pza.sanb.org).