Polygala myrtifolia var. myrtifolia, the blou-ertjieboom

The flower of this Polygala myrtifolia var. myrtifolia bush growing on Hoy Koppie in Hermanus is surprisingly blue, although almost entirely along the marginal parts. It reinforces the Afrikaans common name of blou-ertjieboom (blue pea tree).

Vein lines on the lateral sepals are distinct upon the dull white background. Their peripheral branching into random looking tributaries resemble upcountry rivulets on a map.

The ubiquitous Polygala trademark, the tip crest on the lower, keeled petal is split into fleshy threads of varying length. The pale green leaves vary in shape and undulations, their margins entire but the midribs not consistently straight (Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).