A perfect Waratah

Despite our clever hybidising techniques, which have greatly increased the floriferousness of the modern hybrid Waratahs, we have not improved the form of the flower of the NSW Waratah, Telopea speciosissima

These are several of the many Waratahs in flower in the East Kangaloon area, just north from Robertson.
Waratahs grow well in Robertson as cultivated plants.They are a feature of our gardens, and our Parks and the local Railway Heritage Railway Station.

However, in my opinion, nothing can beat the perfect form of the wild Waratah.

NSW Waratah - with the bracts still half closed

Here is what I regard as a perfect Waratah flower. 

The bracts are fully open.

NSW Waratah - Telopea speciosissima

Here is the same flower image, cropped a little to show the details.

Cropped image to show tubular flowers of the NSW Waratah

That image shows some of the lower flowers just opening.
The Waratah "flower" is actually a "conflorescence" - a head of flowers.
Each individual flower is tubular in shape, with the inner "stigma" protruding as the flower matures.

For details of the Waratah flower structure, please visit that previous Blog on the subject.