▁ ▁The ▁infl ores c ence ▁is ▁broad ly ▁cyl inder - sh aped , ▁ 8 – 1 2   cm ▁( 3 ¼ – 4 ¾ ▁in ) ▁long ▁and ▁ 6 – 8   cm ▁( 2 ⅓ – 3 ¼ ▁in ) ▁in ▁diameter , ▁to pped ▁by ▁small ish , ▁more ▁or ▁less ▁fl atten ed , ▁sil very - p ink ▁leaves . ▁In ▁the ▁ax ils ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁leaves ▁just ▁below ▁the ▁cr est ▁are ▁flower ▁heads ▁each ▁containing ▁ten ▁to ▁four teen ▁flowers , ▁the ▁subt ending ▁leaves ▁with ▁ears ▁at ▁its ▁base , ▁forming ▁a ▁h ood ▁over ▁the ▁underlying ▁flower ▁head , ▁that ▁is ▁fl ushed ▁in ▁a ▁brilliant ▁or ang y ▁p ink ▁when ▁flow ering . ▁The ▁b ract s ▁that ▁enc irc le ▁the ▁flower ▁heads ▁are ▁broad ly ▁o val ▁to ▁invert ed ▁egg - sh aped ▁or ▁t ending ▁to ▁rect angular ▁with ▁a ▁bl unt ▁tip , ▁a ▁hair less ▁or ▁pow der y ▁hair y ▁surface ▁and ▁a ▁fr inge ▁of ▁hair s ▁along ▁its ▁mar ing , ▁pap ery ▁when ▁dry , ▁warm ▁yellow ▁or ▁am ber - col oured ▁when ▁fresh , ▁the ▁marg ins ▁cur ving ▁in wards ▁and ▁en velop ing ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁flowers , ▁ 1 ¼ – 1 ¾ ▁cm ▁( ½ – <0xE2> <0x85> <0x94> ▁in ) ▁long ▁and ▁ ¾ – 1   cm ▁( 0 . 1 2 – 0 . 2 4  