readily attracted to the rodent-pollinated protea flower heads as opposed to those of bird-pollinated proteas when experimentally exposed to both. Taken together, Wiens et al. thus surmise that while the proteas have evolved to accommodate the rodents, the rodents are not dependent on the proteas and have thus not specifically co-evolved to take advantage of the flowers, as seen in the relationships created with plants that have insects, birds or bats as pollinators. Protea species such as this one which have evolved from bird-pollination to then specialise in rodent-pollination may have done so in part due to ever-decreasing population sizes over many millennia, or perhaps following rhizomatous adaptions to fire. There are also no flower-feeding bats in this southern region of Africa. The flower heads are bourne at ground level, in order to facilitate access for rodents. The styles are stiff and wiry, but still flexible and robust enough to withstand rough treatment. These styles act to maintain a distance of some 10mm between the nectar sources and the stigma, which is the best 'fit' for the styles to rub across the rodents' snouts, on which pollen accumulates. It has also been theorised that this and other similar species have their flower heads hidden out of sight below tangles of branches and foliage for two reasons: first, it does not need to display its flowers for sight-dependent birds or insects to better find them, and second, because it affords visiting rodents better protection from predators, especially owls. Cryptic flower heads which are hidden also reduce 'nectar-robbing' which some bird species engage in. Other aspects of this pollination syndrome are the scent, the relatively copious amounts of nectar produced, bowl-shaped flower heads on short peduncles, the high sucrose and low protein content of the nectar and the anthesis (flower-opening) occurring during the night. Most flowers open in the evening from 18:00 to 21:00, which is also the period of peak rodent activity. Nectar secretion also appears to be stimulated by cold nights, and perhaps no rainfall, with no nectar being produced during the day and on warm nights. The scent is carried in the nectar and also appears to become stronger at night. The styles and nectar reservoirs are positioned in such a way that foraging can be done from all angles except from the centre of the head outward. Chacma baboons, either to take the nectar or to search for