Cliffortia ruscifolia var. ruscifolia gall

This fluffy white stem-tip growth on a Cliffortia ruscifolia var. ruscifolia plant is neither flower nor fruit. It is a gall, an alien growth upon the plant caused by a foreign living entity. Many leaves, reduced in size, have overproduced hairs from the impact of possibly a bacterium or fungus infecting the plant.

The isosceles triangles formed by the pale leaf margins on the stems show the renowned steekbos defence for discouraging destroyers from approaching or nibbling.

The red flowers can be expected in August when the photo was taken or slightly later (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Manning, 2007; Le Roux, et al, 2005; Bean and Johns, 2005; Andrew, 2017; iNaturalist; www.phillipskop.co.za).