The inflorescences of nonflying mammal-pollinated (NFMP) proteas ( I Protea i , Proteaceae) and other NFMP taxa tend to be hidden from aerial view by the plant canopy. This crypsis can be achieved by inflorescences being presented at the base of stems; by inflorescences being hidden by live and dead bracts and leaves; by inflorescences being pendulous; and by inflorescences being dull coloured (Rourke & Wiens, 1977). Visitation to exposed inflorescences by a bird which involved probing of the inflorescence was recorded 118 times on I P. amplexicaulis i inflorescences ( I n i = 26 inflorescences) compared with 201 small mammal visits; and 202 bird visits on I P. humiflora i inflorescences ( I n i = 4 inflorescences) compared with 36 small mammal visits over a 16-day period. Thus, the percentage of inflorescences hidden from view decreased from 68% to 38% ( I n i = 30 plants, I n i = 327 inflorescences) once dead leaves were removed from the shrub, with naturally exposed inflorescences being rare in the natural state. [Extracted from the article]