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    Dietes grandiflora writhing flower

    Dietes grandiflora writhing flower
    Author: Ivan Lätti
    Photographer: Francelle van Zyl

    The three big tepals of this Dietes grandiflora flower do S-shape contortions, hiding parts of their deep yellow nectar guides from the camera, probably not from the pollinators. The smaller, white, inner tepals alternate with the big ones. They have their tips flapped down out of sight, but the brown markings at the base are spidery conspicuous in view. 

    The split tips of the three blue style branches over the nectar guides appear like children doing gymnastics without care about synchronising their movements.

    Check details of these flowers on different plants! There’s surprising variation (Manning, 2009; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist).

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