Protea eximia flowerhead in its prime

In its prime a Protea eximia flowerhead is crowned. One ring of spoon-shaped, pinkish red involucral bract tips are erect, tallest. Their inner surfaces are slightly concave, variably tipped and margins white-fringed. The lower, outer rings of bracts hang back, shorter, minimising embarrassment from the chocolate brown stripes at their tips.

The head in the centre of the crown has its fluffy perianth tips still coherent, before individual florets open in wilful separation of pollen presenters.