Serruria elongata flowerheads

In the half transformed, maturing Serruria elongata flowerhead shown here, the central cluster of last to perform florets still stand together like woolly-headed matchsticks, their shafts pink. Around them their more advanced siblings spread dull purple styles with yellow, pollen-laden tips.

S. elongata heads bear from 5 to 25 fragrant florets. The comparative ages of the open florets can be deduced from the pollen presenter or stigma discoloration that occurs in the later, fruiting stages.

This is when own pollen has been donated and other flower pollen received for stigmas to respond. The pollen reaches ovules down below by the nucleus of the pollen grain travelling down the pollen tube, fertilising the nucleus of the ovule and fruiting is launched.

The pinkish purple and white perianth sections of open florets curl about wantonly, like snakes dancing on the head of an angered Medusa. Discarded perianth segments are far more picturesque here than on the average Proteaceae flowerhead.

Oblong bracts are present, sessile and spreading below the heads in picture (Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; Bean and Burman, 1985; iNaturalist).