Massonia bifolia fruits

When the deciduous Massonia bifolia is done flowering, the conspicuously three-winged, green fruits dominate in the compact spike, quite short in picture.

The glut of acutely pointed bracts at the top of the inflorescence tells of more flowers (or fruits) initiated in early growth, never developed. Still, a good crop of small, shiny, black seeds is likely to ripen in the fruits present. The locules of each fruit will dehisce, that is open spontaneously (and separately) when the fruits are ripe.

Although all flowers have turned into fruits on this plant, some stamens seem to linger among the fruits and bracts; not among the upper bracts that are usually sterile (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist).