Cuspidia cernua flowerhead

The flowerheads of Cuspidia cernua grow solitary on sturdy, erect peduncles.

The ray and disc florets are both yellow, the rays neuter, the disc florets bisexual and fertile. The narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate rays spread to 25 mm in diameter. The five acutely pointed lobes of the disc florets are visible in the photo, angling out above narrow, funnel-shaped tubes. 

The bracts around the base of the head are fused into a shallow cup, differing from Berkheya flowerheads. Unlike gazanias the upper bracts harden and fold in over the developing fruit after flowering. The seeds are thus retained and protected, germinating inside the old flowerhead husks and not freed to spread individually as is common in Asteraceae. The seedlings root through the bracts at the base. This feature also characterises Berkheya cuneata.

Flowering happens in winter and spring (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Shearing and Van Heerden; 2008; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000).