Kniphofia fluviatilis subtle colour variation

The dull pink or faintly brown Kniphofia fluviatilis buds appear flattened at their tips before they open into pale perianth cylinders. The open flowers are shielded from above by the buds. Perianth stripes and small pointed mouth lobes do not convince in rendering them florally dominant over the deeper coloured buds. Pollinators won't agree. The older inflorescence in the front has redder buds than the curiously brown racemes behind that started later.

It appears as if the older stamens have lost their anthers rather than retracted them here, remaining exserted with the styles.

The cylindrical flower stems are brownish and very smooth (Manning, 2009; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist).