Protea longifolia flowerhead

The oblong to obconic flowerhead of Protea longifolia varies much in length, from 8 cm to 16 cm. This variability is associated with the geographical location of the plant.

The smaller ones grow in the southeastern part of the species distribution near Bredasdorp and the Soetanysberg where the involucres are greenish and the plants smaller, about 50 cm tall. To the northwestern extreme of the distribution, the Hottentots Holland Mountains, Kogelberg, Caledon and Fernkloof, plants typically reach heights near 1 m, occasionally up to 1,5 m.

The involucre comprises bracts growing in five or six rows. The individual florets inside the flowerhead, an erect, compact bunch of straight perianths, each has three anthers at perianth segment tips, the outside segment sterile, only a staminode. The perianths are from 4,5 cm to 10 cm long.

Once the style is released from its perianth covering, the straight pollen presenter becomes visible, showing a slight kink at the style joint (Bean and Johns, 2005; Rebelo, 1995; Rourke, 1980; iNaturalist).