Pelargonium magenteum buds and flowers

The yet to open Pelargonium magenteum buds droop, club-shaped and curving from the shared peduncle of their umbel. Pale green and very hairy, they contrast against the smooth petal surfaces of the open flowers.

The small, hairy bracts at the base of the bud pedicels are still green, those subtending the open flower pedicels are brown.

The old flower in picture, nearly rid of its petals, shows the greater durability of the hairy sepals, as well as the developing, stork-bill fruit protrusion for which the Pelargonium genus is named (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning and Goldblatt, 1997; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984).