Tetragonia fruticosa flowers

First impression of these Tetragonia fruticosa flowers is the profusion of stamens, clustered in frames of four or five petal-like sepals. There are no petals on Tetragonia flowers.

The broad, thickly fleshy sepals, free to about the base, are claw-like, tapering to pointed tips. They spread around the yellow-beige stamens they both protect and parade. The sepal surfaces glisten from bladder cells upon their outer surfaces coloured lemon yellow, pale green, almost white or pink. At least one pale, fleshy style can be detected.

The picture was taken near Oudtshoorn in mid-August (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Manning, 2007).