Conicosia pugioniformis towards the end of flowering

In this picture of Conicosia pugioniformis the large, solitary flowers on their long erect, yellowish stalks have finished flowering. The fruit capsules are forming with some long green sepals, fleshy and oblong, spreading above the fading corolla. The corolla may have had up to 250 petals in several rows. The flower has an unpleasant scent.

There may be up to 25 locules per fruit capsule, as well as two seed pockets on the outer wall of each seed chamber. The capsules lack expanding keels. The valves open when it is dry, releasing smooth, round seeds.

This plant has become an invader in California in the USA (Smith, et al, 1998; Wikipedia).