Hoodia gordonii front, profile and infancy

Juxtaposed full frontal and profile views of the saucer-shaped Hoodia gordonii flower corolla are easy to come by in one picture when the multi-stemmed plant is in extravagant blooming mode.

The shaded lower surface of the corolla is covered in prominent, nearly parallel veins, the sunny upper surface veins are sunken, showing how they radiate. Pale purplish pink is ample below, greyish beige wins on top. A short, marginal rim encircles the corolla about uniformly, curved down along the perimeter of the shallow dish.

A small bud can be recognised near the stem-tip next to the open flowers, the promise for a day yet to come. The stalk of a flower from days gone by is also there, a short distance from the stem-tip. There is no mentionable new growth at this stem-tip, judging from the dryness of the uppermost spines (White and Sloane, 1937; Shearing and Van Heerden, 2008; Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist).