Phylica axillaris slightly pink flower

The near white or sometimes pale to medium pink flowers of Phylica axillaris grow short-pedicelled and woolly from leaf axils near stem-tips.

The five triangular sepal lobes are conspicuous, the calyx forming the bell-shaped floral cup. Petals are inconspicuous, probably absent. A flower is less than 5 mm wide, its short, funnel-shaped calyx tube about 1 mm long.

The five stamens position their anthers at the height of and in the gaps between the sepals. The style in the flower centre is surrounded at its base by a green nectar-producing disc.

Flowering happens all year round but mostly from late winter to after spring, sometimes into summer. This photo was taken in May (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; Gledhill, 1981; iNaturalist).