Paranomus reflexus Seeds - Indigenous Protea Family Shrub - Endemic to South Africa

Paranomus reflexus is an unusual, decorative fynbos shrub with showy winter flowers; it is probably the best known paranomus but is not often seen in gardens, yet is as deserving of a place as its relatives, the pincushions and proteas.

Paranomus reflexus is a robust, well-branched shrub, 1–2 m tall. It has leaves of two different kinds: low down on the stem they are dissected while on the upper part of the stem, particularly on stems carrying flowerheads, they are entire. The dissected leaves are 40–80 mm long, hairless, with slender segments divided in the upper half and tipped with red. The entire leaves are 35 mm long, egg- to spatula- shaped, hairless and reduce in size towards the tip of the stem. The petiole is up to 15 mm long and clasps the stem. The leaf blade turns outwards and the edges curve upwards. 

Elegant cream to greenish yellow flowerheads cover the bush during winter–spring (Jun.–Aug.). The flowerheads are 80–140 mm long and up to 70 mm in diameter and resemble a bottlebrush. The flowerhead is made up of many individual flowers, each one 30–35 mm long, very slender, and possessing four free perianth segments. Just before the flowers open they turn downwards (reflex). As soon as they have reflexed, the perianth segments separate, releasing the style with its pollen presenter. The perianth segments can be seen as the mass of curled threads on the lower half of the flowerhead. The pollen presenter is the 5 mm long green tip of the style. The stigma is a tiny groove at the tip of the style. The seeds are released about two months after flowering. The seed, more correctly termed the fruit, is a smooth achene with a ring of hairs around the base. Although Paranomus species are quite tricky to differentiate, this one is easy to recognise as no other species produces a similar flowerhead. The closest is P. sceptrum-gustavianus, King Gustav's sceptre, which has similar leaves but its flowerheads are smaller and the flowers are shorter and do not bend downwards, and the two species are separated geographically.

The bid amount is for 1 Seed