Lachenalia pallida flower colour changes

This Lachenalia pallida plant displays a well-developed inflorescence with colour changes up the raceme as the perianths mature. Some brown-purplish tipped buds at the top of the raceme may not develop and open, the plants resources insufficient.

The purplish colouring is gradually lost as flowers open and the inner tepal tips recurve in the urn-shape. Outer tepals are shorter with green tips, clasping the tube formed by the inner ones. Lowermost flowers lose their white corolla colour, becoming pale yellow with the stamens far exserted, tipped with globose, yellow anthers.

The cylindrical scape is much paler in colour than the two outwardly curving leaves. The upturned leaf margins form a pronounced channel and taper to the leaf-tip. Small, warty protuberances are noticeable along the leaf surfaces (Manning, 2007).