Aciphylla lecomtei

Detailed description

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 × 6–12 mm, sheath joint obscure; stipules 35 × 1–1.5 mm, simple; petiole up to 45 × 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 × 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 × 10 mm, pale yellow to brown; head 125 × 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 × 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 × 2.5 mm; primary bracteoles simple, up to 9 × 1 mm; simple umbels 13 with peduncles up to 15 × 0.8 mm; secondary bracteoles simple, up to 7 × 1 mm; 15 flowers per umbel, pedicels 3 × 0.2 mm. Sepals up to 0.8 mm long. Petals up to 1.4 × 0.7 mm, not inflexed; staminodes up to 0.6 mm long. Male Inflorescence up to 420 mm long, stem 290 × 8 mm, pale yellow to brown; head 140 × 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 × 0.4 mm; 20 flowers per umbel and pedicels up to 5 × 0.2 mm. Sepals up to 0.8 mm long. Petals up to 1.3 × 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.