Lobostemon fruticosus flowers

The narrowly elliptic leaves of Lobostemon fruticosus, dark green and hairy on a slightly reddish upper stem contrast above pale grey and bare lower stems. The leaves are stalkless. The soft upper leaves on this species that sprouts after fire are browsed by stock and game.

Why the upper flowers on this stem tip are withered while some lower ones are still in bloom is not known; the sequence is usually the other way round.

The white line down the petal centre and the pinkish colouring in the centre of the corolla are not distinctive features of L. fruticosus; much similarity occurs among some members of this genus.

Interesting variations displayed by this plant in different parts of its distribution include size of the shrub, flowering times and colours. The photo was taken in October in the south of the Little Karoo (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2009; iSpot).