Othonna perfoliata coloured bristles

The bristles on Othonna perfoliata fruits may be purplish and faintly shiny, maybe more so during the early stages. Roughly grouped or radiating individually, they enclose the central seed in each fruit or cypsela thoroughly.

It would be hard for a bird or other herbivore to swallow a seed here (Manning, 2007; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org).