Hermannia salviifolia var. salviifolia flowers wearing jerseys

These Hermannia salviifolia var. salviifolia stem-tip flowers on Hoy Koppie in Hermanus show only the tops of their five spreading corolla lobes. The hairy sepals cover the rest of the corollas. The round corolla mouths are small, the petals overlapping around them.

Landing space for pollinators isn’t a problem, although a big insect body combined with a short tongue or proboscis will provide a challenge. Although insect schooling isn’t a big affair, most of them will know before false attempts whether this is a likely dining destination for the famished of their ilk.

The wavy and hairy leaves occasionally present a view angled against the light that illustrates lateral vein curvature (Bean and Johns, 2005; iNaturalist; https://www.fernkloof.org.za).