Justicia adhatodoides fruit, sepals and bracts

Fruits of the pistol bush that crack open with loud noises look incapable here of causing such excitement, judging from their velvety green, innocuous-looking, club-shaped tops.

The pointed sepals can be seen adhering to the fruits still, while long pendulous bracts, oblanceolate and up to 2 cm long, dangle below the fruits, attached just below the calyx.

Several flattish, wrinkled seeds are released from each ripe fruit (Coates Palgrave, 2002; iNaturalist; www.plantzafrica.com).