Pleiospilos bolusii capsule spilling seeds

The large golden yellow, occasionally white or fading to white petals of Pleiospilos bolusii flowers spread in a couple of whorls around the yellow anthers. The stamens grow on the disc of the nectary glands positioned along the margin of the calyx. There are no staminodes in Pleiospilos flowers. The conical ovary is inferior.

The flowers grow solitary or in small clusters from the leaf-pair joints, becoming 5 cm in diameter. Flowering happens in mid-autumn.

The fruit capsule in picture has 12 locules; Pleiospilos species in general have from nine to fifteen. The valves are reflexed when wet, picking the right time to open for seed dispersal.

In the photo some of the valves have already broken off, seeds escaping from the disintegrating locules. Pleiospilos seeds are dark brown and ovoid (Frandsen, 2017; Smith, et al, 1998; Gledhill, 1981; Herre, 1971).