Chrysocoma coma-aurea spring flowers

Chrysocoma coma-aurea, in Afrikaans known as beesbos (cattle bush) or bitterbos (bitter bush), bears flowers normally seen from before midspring to after midsummer. This plant was photographed on Table Mountain in November.

The solitary discoid flowerheads at stem-tips are notably flat-topped with a dark spot, a gap in the centre of each floret, here mostly not fully open yet. The florets are five-lobed. Four rows of green involucral bracts surrounding the flowerhead can be seen still covering the tops of some greenish white buds. These bracts have membranous margins; the receptacle below is without scales (Marais, (Ed.), 2017; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).