Protea mundii old flowerhead

When bloomtime for a Protea mundii flowerhead is done, the upper part of the involucre, which was widest when the pollen presenters turned into stigmas, loses diameter dramatically. It becomes narrow above the basic bulge where the seeds grow. The bunch of brown, wiry style tips protruding from the involucre top are by now only functional as part of the protective covering around the developing or developed fruits below.

The upper or inner involucral bracts have withered completely here by now as floral matters have been dealt with. The lower, outer ones around the fruits and ultimately the seeds last longest, protective of the key asset, safeguarding the plant's future (Venter, 2012; Manning, 2007; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Rebelo, 1995; Rourke, 1980; iNaturalist).