Monsonia crassicaulis buds

Monsonia crassicaulis flower buds appear on blue-grey pedicels among the upper stem leaves, mostly in autumn or winter. The photo was taken in May.

The five sepal midribs are hairier than other visible parts, but not at all on the thread-like protrusions that form the sepal tips. The buds are more ellipsoid than ovoid and dull blue-grey, particularly near the sepal midribs.

Overproduction is the way to go if some buds end up being eaten by visitors.

The leaf margin lobing and toothing have a distinct pattern repeated with little change on most leaves in picture (Van Rooyen and Van Rooyen, 2019; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist).