Erica glandulosa subsp. fourcadei buds in different stages

Erica glandulosa subsp. fourcadei bud development may be very uneven in the same inflorescence. More than ten of them are present here, at different stages of length and colour development. All start off in the umbel with rounded green, later dark tips. The typical corolla curve is already present in the longer ones, as are the lateral vein lines.

The sepals are fully grown early to render protective services to all the beginners, hardly noticed once the corollas reach full length. Short green bracts spread close to the sepal bases (Baker and Oliver, 1967; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).