Erica glandulosa subsp. fourcadei buds

These healthy young Erica glandulosa subsp. fourcadei buds have started their perianth elongation, as well as floral and pedicel colour changes. The ridged and striped cylinders of the three developing corollas are caught by the camera in different stages of their colour transformation.

The purple-haired, bright green, worm-like sepals on the back ends of the corolla tubes are still significant in size for now, relative to the corollas.

The tiny glands at the tips of the shiny, purple hairs provide the sticky secretion for which E. glandulosa plants are known. The few white hairs on the thick green leaves in picture appear as if they may not be glandular. The visible stem hairs are dense, also white (Manning and Helme, 2024; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; Baker and Oliver, 1967; iNaturalist; iSpot; http://pza.sanbi.org).