Aulax umbellata female flowerbuds

Size and shape differences exist between the upper leaves and the smaller bracts around the cluster of stem-tip, female Aulax umbellata flower buds, now still hiding as they develop. Tiny protuberances are visible at the tips of the pale-yellow bracts. Although these flowerheads produce no nectar, they are still pollinated by insects and not the wind. Colour and shape can do wonders for deception.

The single-stemmed, branched shrubs don’t resprout after fire. New plants grow from seeds released by the fire and dispersed by the wind. The fruit of A. umbellata is a small nut. The seed coat is damaged during the fire, aiding the germination process when the rain comes. The durable cup-shaped remains of the female flowers will hold the few seeds that have formed in the head until the fire arrives (Manning, 2007; iNaturalist; www.plantzafrica.com).