Odontophorus marlothii shortly after the flower

Photographed in August, the second month of the generally expected flowering season of all five the Odontophorus species of Namaqualand and the Richtersveld, it was still too late to catch the bright yellow petals of the Odontophorus marlothii flower.

The flower centre is mostly yellow, sometimes white. The short-stalked, strongly scented flowers have a few whorls of straight, spreading, narrow petals. The stamens grow in an erect bunch with no staminodes present. Some of the few fleshy sepals have membranous margins. Flowers open by noon and close by dusk.

The fruit capsules have about ten locules, pinkish red and fleshy on top before they dry (Frandsen, 2017; Smith, et al, 1998; Herre, 1971; iNaturalist).