Lobostemon glaucophyllus buds at a stem-tip

The cluster of buds at a Lobostemon glaucophyllus stem-tip are protectively shielded by stem-tip leaves curving in near their pointed tips. The general glaucous or blue-green leaf colour is here replaced by a yellow-green and some translucence, suffused with pink at the upper leaf-tips that do not quite reach the deeper shades of purple present on the buds.

The cylindrical bud is deeply grooved between the fleshy sepals that curve their tips in neatly, concealing the beginnings of the corolla fully at this stage (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Manning and Goldblatt, 1996; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist).