Diosma hirsuta gland-dotted fruit

The Diosma hirsuta green fruit in picture has its five carpels or seed-growing chambers clearly differentiated. The pale body is dotted green with glands, not green measles.

Each carpel is horned at the top, grooved on the inside and possible bearing a gland. The horn is about 2 mm long. Old flower petals may be visible, persisting at the fruit base.

A younger fruit, more horns than fruit, can be seen on another stem-tip in picture, close to an old flower. At this stage the narrow, green carpels arranged in a ring are still nearly cylindrical, each with a visible bulge in the gap at its top, possibly a gland.

The cream, red-brown and grey stem parts in picture represent different ages and something of the rate of stem transformation (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist).