Gorteria diffusa subsp. diffusa flowerheads

The discs of these Gorteria diffusa subsp. diffusa daisies are just a touch yellower than their orange rays.

The hairy bracts covering the young buds are purplish brown with pointed tips encircling the centre. The pale globose and less hirsute bud in the upper left is from another daisy species. A pale purple, branching stem displays its scant, whitish stubble.

The leaves in the bottom right are from another plant. When Namaqualand spring flowering is lush, allocations of personal space for individual plants often becomes meagre. Body parts from plants of own or other species may sprawl across, even completely cover the timid grower.

This happens without apology or concern for floral rights, probably because wrongs in nature are so few when people aren’t interfering (Le Roux, et al, 2005).