Doll’s Protea – Macledium zeyheri

The Macledium genus or Maagwortel as it is also known is part of the daisy family – Asteraceae. This plant was previously also known as Dicoma zeyheri, but during a taxonomy review in 2001 it was decided to transfer those species belonging to the Macledium and Pterocoma section out of the Dicoma genus and re-instate the Macledium genus.  I have seen many of these plants on the south western sloping stony grassland that leads down to our boundary stream.

 

The Doll’s Protea grows in rocky grassland in the north eastern part of South Africa and is a perennial erect herb growing from a woody rootstock. Each year new flowering stems appear and grow to about 300mm in height.  These flower heads are surrounded by 35 – 45 very tough, spikey outer bracts.  The bracts are silvery-green with purple tinges.  The inner bracts appear to have more distinctive margins and markings, while the inner-most bracts are white and very delicate.  These discoid flower heads are about 40-60mm in diameter and the numerous flowers are brownish-red (±90 flowers per head).  Initially the flower buds are sunken between numerous white pappus hairs (Simple or feathery hairs or bristles, crowning the cypsela in most Asteraceae genii) and as they mature the five narrow lobes are raised and spread above the pappus layer.  Flowers may appear from January through to May.

 

The flowering stems of this hardy plant is often used in dry flower arrangements. The seeds are wind dispersed but, as they are sought after as a food source for insects and their larvae, not many survive in nature.  The seeds are surrounded by a persistent pappus which aids the wind dispersal.

The leaves are simple, alternate and young leaves may be covered with white woolly felt. Older leaves appear with white felt on the underside, while the upper side is a light apple green. The leaves have a narrow paddle shape with an acute apex and grow up to 110mm long by 30mm wide.

 

A little whimsy – Petal Quilltree

She watches over the birds. She lives in gardens and parks where almond trees and roses grow. She can only be seen when the first leaves fall from the trees.  She wears soft pale pink and yellow petals and has lemon coloured butterfly wings.