Galenia africana var. africana flowering

The creamy yellow or greenish yellow flowers of Galenia africana var. africana are tiny, less than 5 mm in diameter. Flower parts occur in fours (tetramerous). Many flowers occur in each spreading, somewhat flattened panicle growing at a stem tip. Each inflorescence may reach 10 cm in diameter. Flowering occurs in late spring and summer.

Branches of this plant soaked in lye obtained from Psilocaulon plants were used in olden times to scrub kitchen tables, obtaining a good yellow colour for the working surfaces (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Vahrmeijer, 1981).