Erica discolor shiny and pink-purple

This deep pink-purple form of Erica discolor was photographed on the Minwater farm southwest of Oudtshoorn.

There are also duller and paler pink forms of the plant, as well as pinkish red and almost orange red ones. The corolla tubes in picture bulge near the tips and nod from hairy pedicels. The width of the pale band at the lobe tips varies among the plants.

On this plant stamens and styles are not exserted at the time of the photo. There are both sepals and bracts at the back of each flower, the bracts resembling the calyx immediately in front of it.

The corolla tubes shine but are said to be not sticky. Always a pity for the girls growing up on the farms who play grownup by attaching decorative Erica flowers from the sticky species to their earlobes (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).