Delosperma saxicola floral stages

Flowers representing three Delosperma saxicola floral stages have grown here from the same stem-tip.

The oldest one is from last year, a fruit capsule already broken, brown and dry. Positioned in the centre as last years flower, it sits lower than the new season’s pair flanking it and pushed higher by their thick, fleshy pedicels that become about 5 mm long.

The recently faded flower has almost lost the last vestiges of petals, as well as all of its stamens and styles from the flat, greenish white fruit top. The ring of five succulent sepals with pointed tips around it still guard the fruit like a castle wall.

The young flower nearing its peak has slightly greener sepals with pale petals still erect, as the photo was taken shortly after the sun touched them in the morning (Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; http://pza.sanbi.org).