Lapeirousia pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis fruit capsules

This Lapeirousia pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis plant growing near Oudtshoorn is done flowering for the year. Lumpy fruit capsules have replaced the flowers. While the earlier, long corolla tubes protruded far from the neat pyramid of floral bracts, the heavier fruits sit comfortably inside their boat-shaped supports.

The whole plant structure has lost its green. Blushing by the looks of it, leaves gone, all remaining parts now lack chlorophyll. The year’s growth about at an end, the only remaining function of the above-ground plant part is to release the ripe seeds from their capsules when the fulness of time comes.

Next year the corm, when duty calls, will send up a new stem and leaves to repeat the performance, sustaining the species (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).