Mimetes Salisb.

	Mimetes cucullatus Photo: © Nigel Forshaw Mimetes hirtus Photo: © Nigel Forshaw

pagoda

Mimetes cucullatus R. Br.

M. hirtus (L.) Salisb. ex Knight¹

South Africa.

Leaves crowded, spiralling, sometimes overlapping, sessile, hairy, entire or with 3 or 5 apical teeth; inflorescence a cylindrical aggregation of sessile heads in upper leaf axils; each axillary head (pseudanthium) with 3-22 flowers, surrounded by an involucre of bracts; perianth tube very short, 4 perianth segments with filiform claws and linear limbs, each bearing a stalkless linear anther. Inflorescence generally has a showy, flame-like, tasseled appearance, owing to colored leaves or bracts, protruding, pendent, hairy tepal limbs, and glabrous, brightly colored styles.

Few cultivars, if any. Number of heads per inflorescence 4 to 12; involucral bracts enlarged, brightly colored, hairy, and leaves green with no display function, or leaves larger and more brightly colored than involucral bracts (as in Mimetes cucullatus); shape of pollen presenter (style-end) species-specific. Head 5-8 cm long in M. cucullatus.

Curcuma

South Africa, Zimbabwe.