Penaea mucronata fruiting started

These Penaea mucronata stem-tips have seen through their flower-bearing duties. The swollen, ovoid post-floral structures are in the throes of morphing into the enlarging capsules within which seeds develop.

The reddish to orange pigmentation visible contrasts against the yellow of the inquisitive-looking, lower leafy bracts ending in incurving, sting-like tips. These yellow ones appear protective, stationed around the perimeter, supposedly menacing to unwelcome intruders bothering the value items, the promises of seeds.

Some protective threats in nature are innocuous, serving as prevention rather than cure. Look again, the yellow bracts are little more than the leaves lower down.