Protea eximia flowerhead receptacle remains

This is what remains of a Protea eximia flowerhead after blooming, fruiting and seed dispersal. The woody receptacle base is surrounded by the spreading lower ends of involucral bracts of the inner rows of the cup that once was the head, still partly retained here in dried form.

In the centre, the low cone or mound of hard, pointed bracts of a different kind requires a closer look. Around each dark hole the short, angled bracts that long ago subtended the base of each floret perianth and ovary, jointly form one of nature’s geometric masterpieces. Curves conforming to Fibonacci series numbers hide in the bases of Protea flowerheads, shown here like the same magical numbers emerged from Fibonacci's head so long ago.

The evenly arranged, curving rows of woody rings show the gaps from where the neatly arranged florets emerged. This is where all the vital parts were firmly held in place until the dispersal of the seeds (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Rourke, 1980).