Aspalathus ciliaris floral stages

Aspalathus ciliaris buds are pale and curving beak-like, the closed banner folding over the rest of the developing flower.

The banner spreads its flanks and recurves lengthwise in open flowers, exposing its widely rounded, yellow inner surface.

When withering, it closes again lengthwise over the now browned other petals. Old petals may also turn red or orange on some plants (Curtis-Scott, et al, 2020; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; iNaturalist).