Otholobium bracteolatum flowers

The blue, white and violet flowers of Otholobium bracteolatum grow in dense, somewhat rounded stem-tip spikes immediately above the leaves. The soft green sepals are hairy, glandular and unequal with long, narrow lobes. The flowers have short pedicels and are subtended by single bracts recognised in the specific name, bracteolatum.

The two-lobed banner petal is often blue or violet, darker than the wings that exceed the keel in length. A flower may be up to 1 cm long. Flowering happens from late spring to after midautumn, profusely during the dry summer.

A variety of insects contribute to pollination, mainly honeybees but also carpenter bees, African grass blue butterflies and others (Privett, 2022; Privett and Lutzeyer, 2010; Manning, 2007; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist; https://pza.sanbi.org).