Aciphylla lecomtei

Features

Rosettes up to 350 mm diameter in groups of 25 or more. Leaves coriaceous, yellowish-green, up to 250 mm long, 1-pinnate, usually with 4 pairs of leaflets, these more or less plane; sheath up to 90 x 6-12 mm, sheath joint obscure; stipules 35 x 1-1.5 mm, simple; petiole up to 45 x 3-54 mm, more or less convex above, margins rounded, pulvinus evident, 8-10 mm long; lamina obtriangular in outline, lowermost leafleft up to 100 x 3-4 mm, apex acute with a spine 1 mm long, margins finely tuberculate, mid- and margin ribs 0.2 mm wides vein not raised. Inflorescences broad. Female inflorescence up to 520 mm or more long, stem 300 x 10 mm, pale yellow to brown; head 125 x 90 mm, more or less ovate in outline; compound umbels 12-16, usually arranged in 3 or 4 whorls, the terminal umbel larger than to about the same size as the laterals; lower bracts 70 mm long with a sheath 20 x 4-8 mm, stipules, and 1-2 pairs of leaflets, upper bracts smaller and simple with stipules. Lower compound umbels up to 70 mm long with peduncles up to 50 x 2.5 mm; primary bracteoles simple, up to 9 x 1 mm; simple umbels 13 with peduncles up to 15 x 0.8 mm; secondary bracteoles simple, up to 7 x 1 mm; 15 flowers per umbel, pedicels 3 x 0.2 mm. Sepals up to 0.8 mm long; petals up to 1.4 x 0.7 mm, not inflexed; staminodes up to 0.6 mm long. Male Inflorescence up to 420 mm long, stem 290 x 8 mm, pale yellow to brown; head 140 x 105 mm, almost circular in outline; compound umbels c. 8, tending to be in 2-3 whorls, the terminal umbel generally larger than the laterals; bracts and bracteoles similar to female inflorescences; lower compound umbels up to 80 mm long with peduncles up to 15 x 0.4 mm; 20 flowers per umbel and pedicels up to 5 x 0.2 mm. Sepals up to 0.8 mm long; petals up to 1.3 x 0.6 mm, not inflexed; stamens up to 2.5 mm long. Mericarps 4.1 x 2 mm, dull, pale brown, lateral ribs up to 0.4 mm wide; style up to 1.2 mm long.