Protea caffra subsp. caffra flowerhead

The young Protea caffra subsp. caffra flowerhead in picture has its involucral bracts spreading, forming the shallow cup or handy floret container which serves as stable base for the head of blooms. The lower inside parts of the innermost, longest row of bracts are cream and longitudinally furrowed, the upper parts dark pink red and the hooded tips nearly pointed and hairy. There are six to eight series of involucral bracts on a flowerhead.

On the involucre rests the coherent bunch of perianths or florets waiting to open and release the styles that become well longer than perianths could. The styles have not yet escaped from the clutching tips of their perianths, but the outermost ones have here already broken free through the middle parts of the outer seams of their perianths. These visible style parts are white and bent outwards in exerting gradually increasing force to become free. When they succeed they will straighten, holding their pollen presenters high for pollinating visitors to see and reach (Manning, 2009; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Rebelo, 1995; Rourke, 1980; iNaturalist).