Syncarpha zeyheri buds

The flowerheads of Syncarpha zeyheri grow more or less clustered at stem-tips. The heads start off in pointed buds displaying several rows of deep pink to rose bracts covering the florets. The buds grow either on extended, variably leafy stems, or nestled in the upper leaves.

 The bracts fade to white as the flowerheads open, and show the small, yellow discs of numerous five-lobed, bisexual florets. Bloomtime is late winter to after midspring. Flowering is best after fire.

When the flowers are open the plants resemble the much taller S. vestita that grows mostly on lower slopes.

The photo was taken near Hermanus during August (Marais, (Ed.), 2017; Bean and Johns, 2005; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist).