Protea subvestita also flowers pink, its head about cylindrical. The pollen presenters are pink in a dense multitude, taller than the involucre.
The plants occur widespread in the Drakensberg, summer rainfall mountain slopes where the grassland is sour.
The plant has been called the waterlily sugarbush. Apart from flowerhead colouring it is hard to see the connection, although the habitat is damp.
The specific name subvestita means not completely clothed. This refers to the leaf pubescence or hairiness that tends to disappear with age. Plants at higher altitude, such as those above the snowline, mostly retain hairiness where a shaggy cloak is useful.
This plant serves as larval food for the butterfly Capys alphaeus (Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; www.protea.worldonline.co.za).