Metalasia densa inflorescence structure

Observed in profile, the stem-tip inflorescences of Metalasia densa display delta-like branching among the stalks of the clustering flowerheads. These inflorescence branches may be white-woolly when young. The inflorescence measures from 1 cm to 9 cm across.

Whitish colouring at the top of the flowerheads is replaced by brown in the enfolding involucral bracts around the base. The individual flowerhead becomes 4 mm wide.

The tiny disc florets in the flowerhead each has five lobes. The anthers are tailed at the base, each with a lance-shaped appendage at its tip. The linear style is swollen at its base, the style branches separating the stigmatic areas slightly.

The achene-like fruit yet to appear, the cypsela, will have a pappus with one ring of bristles at its tip (Manning, 2007; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; iSpot).