Aulax umbellata male flowers

Aulax umbellata, the broad-leaf featherbush is dioecious, which means that it bears male and female flowers on separate plants, unlike the proteas but similar to the leucadendrons. This one is a male plant therefore a male inflorescence growing as a cluster of yellow racemes at the erect tip of a branch.

The female flowers have flatter tops, umbels embedded among dense leaves, involucral bracts that on some plants develop a purplish colour for the duration of the flowering period. Expect the fruits on these plants. They are small hairy nuts that have a low percentage of fertile seeds. The fruit is ovoid or obovoid with four prominent ridges.

These fruits are retained on the plant for years, often germinating after about two years, but may last in viable form on the plant for as long as six years (Rebelo 1995; iNaturalist; www.plantzafrica.com).