Bulbine frutescens flowering orange

The inflorescence of this orange flowering Bulbine frutescens is a compact raceme with one row of open flowers below several rows of buds. The upper buds are small, becoming green and grade into the bigger ones lower down. Near opening, the buds turn orange on the outsides of their elongating tepals. In the open flowers the orange tepal insides are on display, strongly flexed back.

The stamens angle out and upwards from the flower centre around the rod-like styles. The yellow fluff on their filaments is thick and conspicuous. B. frutescens plants that flower white or orange still have yellow filament fluff as on the plants that bear yellow tepals.

Some developing fruits dangle on curved down pedicels below the open flowers in picture, the next stage after flowering (Pooley, et al, 2025; Euston-Brown and Kruger, 2023; Curtis-Scott, et al, 2020; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; iNaturalist).