Fockea capensis follicle

The follicle or fruit of the kambro, Fockea capensis, borne horizontally from the branch in the photo is not the edible part, at least not for mammals, or particularly for people. That component lies in the underground or partly underground caudex.

What some insects might do to this follicle is another matter, probably not (yet) researched extensively. Robots equipped with computers and cameras positioned next to plants (or instructed to move there) might increase such knowledge faster one day, if the robots can defend themselves against criminals and certain animals. (But will robots continue any botanical research if they ever take over from people, their creators? Some could be programmed as tin botanists, but digital overruling at a higher level would be easy.)

The about spindle-shaped (fusiform) to cylindrical fruit body of the F. capensis follicle attenuates to an abruptly truncated tip. Its base is wider, the pedicel short and there is a possibility of short sepals persisting at the back. Purple black to brown black blotches, irregular in shape and size are scattered upon the smooth, off-white fruit surface (Frandsen, 2017; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://www.llifle.com).