Phaenocoma prolifera more dead heads than live ones

This Phaenocoma prolifera shrublet has few flowerheads left with any floral colour, the majority now dark in fruiting. Some plants of the species have pale, papery old, dead flowerheads instead of dark ones. This resting mode is to be expected when the flowering season has reached its end. Bloomtime for the species normally ends in March. The photo was taken in June on the Akkedisberg.

New stem and leaf growth is vigorous, light-coloured at the thin, erect stem tips. The rainy season here is winter. 

The veld around the plant does not appear to be very old since the last fire but responding (Manning, 2009; iNaturalist).