Pelargonium triste stigma branches straight

The young Pelargonium triste flower seen here has five short, straight branches on its purple stigma in the flower centre. This stigma isn’t fully developed yet. It is still positioned at the same height as the two dull orange-yellow, fluffy looking anthers touching it.

At this stage the action is still all in the male floral parts: as viable pollen is uploaded here by visitors imbibing nectar, the immature stigma remains impervious to its own pollen.

There are more white filaments present, in the flower; Pelargonium flowers don’t bother to grow anthers on all their stamens. Enough is as good as a feast.

There is graceful curvature in the petals, the three lower ones curving back more than the upper pair, their blue-purple bands painted with more vigour. A hairy sepal, dull green going into reddish, shows its bluntly pointed tip below the petals.