Montinia caryophyllacea last of male flowers

The male flowers of the dioecious Montinia caryophyllacea are short, lacking the large ovary at the base. The four rounded white petals spread. Female flowers are slightly bigger than the male ones, up to 8 mm in diameter versus the 5 mm of the male ones.

Once the petals and stamens are lost, the shallow yellow-green bowl of the calyx persists on its longish stalk. The pointed calyx lobes are noteworthy.

Against sunlight the whitish leaf midribs show up clearly near the bases of the smooth blades (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Mannheimer and Curtis, (Eds.), 2009; Le Roux, et al, 2005; Coates Palgrave, 2002; iNaturalist).