Pelargonium luridum pink flowers, green buds

This pink-flowering Pelargonium luridum was seen in Lesotho. The long, spindle-shaped (fusiform) petals appear as if they need ironing, the veins sunken on the upper surfaces. The small, creamy white style branches curve back over the superior green ovaries based in the flower centres.

The long, green pedicels radiate from the tip of the inflorescence peduncle. The species also bears the common name of stalk-flowered pelargonium. Most pelargoniums would bear that name with similar discomfort.

The ragged bracts that earlier enveloped all the then still smaller and stalkless buds, now of no further use in floral proceedings, spread aimlessly around the pedicel bases (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist).