Aspalathus kougaensis old flower, young fruit

    Aspalathus kougaensis old flower, young fruit
    Author: Ivan Lätti
    Photographer: Thabo Maphisa

    Where old Aspalathus kougaensis flowers among the leaves on an upper stem have not quite become young fruit beginnings yet, these hairy affairs may appear confusing.

    This is the time when the tired corollas have not fully given up the ghost. Their yellow, hairless inners are fading and disappearing under sagging, hairy outers, the now despondent banners. The equally hairy keels are still present below.

    Style elongation has turned into the wiry rods ending in stigma knobs in picture, but invisible when the yellow flowers still made insects search for the delectable bits among the petals (Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; JSTOR; iNaturalist).

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