Cleretum papulosum flower

The solitary flowers of Cleretum papulosum grow at stem-tips on pedicels of varying length. Flowers have one whorl of narrow, spreading to ascending petals, oblanceolate to oblong in shape.

The canary yellow to pale lemon-yellow petals have notched tips. There are relatively few stamens present, growing in a ring on the perimeter of the ovary. The branched stigma visible in the centre is small and pale. The wide-open space around the style provides ample space for the small black insects in picture (and their friends of other species still to come) to land and walk around comfortably in the open flower. Flower diameter varies from 1 cm to 4 cm. Flowering happens from midwinter to midspring.

The flowers open in sunlight or do not open at all! When flowers don’t open, it does not necessarily mean that they are unproductive. Some flowers are cleistogamous, meaning that they may remain closed until they die, self-pollinating automatically and propagating effectively.

Such “lazy” or self-indulgent flowers occur in several families, including the mesembs, peas, peanuts, pansies and violas. Plants that produce lazy (or super-private) flowers also still produce “normal” flowers as well that open and follow the common route of seed production... just to make sure that they don’t disappear from the scene. For such laziness or antisocial behaviour is not often to be trusted with the future of a species. Society is, after al, maintained by interaction.

The word cleistogamy is derived from the Greek kleistos meaning closed and gamos meaning marriage (or -gamous meaning having gametes or reproductive organs), indicating a closed marriage. This is the opposite of what happens in open flowers resorting to chasmogamy or open marriage, not self-pollination.

Marriage here means unceremonious consummation without delay followed by maximal reproduction for as long as possible. Nature designs "child rearing" systems through evolution for all species, each in its unique way. These systems range from safety in large numbers produced followed by zero support to caring systems of various sorts and complexity. Wherever they work, the species survives.

Monogamy, rings and certificates in Homo sapiens is a complex version of the same, fitting for a brain-dominant species. It as been working rather too well since the time of the Industrial Revolution that introduced mass production of all that people need. Human numbers have consequently become excessive for earth, its resources and the wellbeing of other species (Williamson, 2010; Manning, 2009; Smith, et al, 1998; iNaturalist; Wikipedia; https://enjoysucculents.com).