Mesembryanthemum noctiflorum flower

A Mesembryanthemum noctiflorum flower is about 3 cm in diameter. The stamens don’t cohere in a central cone. Some of the petals of the upper whorls do not reach full length.

The sweet-scented flowers only open late in the afternoon and remain so until morning. Expect moths to show an interest.

Flowering happens from before midwinter to spring.

The fruit is a capsule with four locules, usually hemispherical in its upper part. The valve margins tend to be raised, the capsule often not closing again fully once open. The fruits break off easily, their stalks persisting as thorns.

The seeds are rough-surfaced and dark brown (Van Rooyen and Van Rooyen, 2019; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Smith, et al, 1998; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist).