Brachystelma gerrardii flower nearly open

In this Brachystelma gerrardii flower the lobes are still nearly closed, their black inner surfaces just becoming visible. The outside surfaces of the corolla lobes have lost the green colour of the budding phase. The bulge at the flower base containing the ovary has already turned black here. Five long, narrow and hairy sepals point backwards away from the flower.

The plant grows a few erect branches and reaches a height of 35 cm (iSpot; JSTOR; www.redlist.sanbi.org).