Fockea capensis withered flower

Fockea capensis flowers in their prime have large lime-green outer lobes, tiny white inner ones. The outer lobes achieve a diameter of about 1,5 cm. The ends of the five long thin outer lobes twist to the side, creating a spiral effect in the flower.

There is a tubular white corona in the centre of the corolla; the anther appendages are swollen. Flowers are sweetly scented. Flowering occurs in summer. The species is dioecious, producing male and female flowers on different plants. They attract hoverflies and whiteflies.

In this April photo the green corolla lobes have dried, adopting a pale buff colour. Their spiral twist is by now exaggerated. Exaggeration also features in the leaf curvature of this plant; the yellow-green surfaces covered in short pale hairs (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; iSpot; www.desert-tropicals.com).