Leucospermum grandiflorum stem-tip leaves

These stem-tip leaves of Leucospermum grandiflorum show the pale, grey-green colour and hairy blades for which the plant is known. Dark midribs are visible on some blades. Right at the tip, the leaves are still folded together although they are already quite long.

L. grandiflorum leaves are sessile or stalkless, elliptic, ovate to oblong in shape and here slightly concave on their upper surfaces. The tapering of the leaf-tips is made angular by the usually three spaced, glandular teeth present; pinkish red in picture.

Some leaves have only one horny tooth at their tips, while in picture some have more than three, but so uneven in shape and positioning that Proteaceae orthodontists, if ever there might be such a profession, would have a field day therapeutically or cosmetically. Plants must, however, first grow brains to fall for such nonsense (Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; Eliovson, 1983; iNaturalist; Wikipedia; http://pza.sanbi.org).