Pelargonium ovale subsp. ovale flowers

The flowers of Pelargonium ovale subsp. ovale are borne in clusters of up to seven on strong peduncles that branch into umbels. The flower colour varies in shades of pink with variable magenta line markings near the bases of the two upper petals. These upper petals are usually broad, rounded and even overlapping as in the photo; the lower three are small and narrow, oblong in shape and unmarked. The floral tube or hypanthium is 2 mm to 13 mm long. An open flower measures about 4 cm across. Flowering occurs all the year round, but peaks in spring and summer.

There are two more subspecies of P. ovale, although the subdivision of the species is not very clearly differentiated. The others are P. ovale subsp. veronicifolium that has two large rounded upper petals and minute lower ones and P. ovale subsp. hyalinum that has rounded, larger lower petals than the other two. Hyalinum is also closer to being radially symmetric and less marked on its upper petals (Manning, 2009; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984).