Delosperma ashtonii flower

The whorl of narrow, near-white Delosperma ashtonii petals ascend in a bowl-shape around the stamens. The creamy anthers are densely together in the flower centre, their filaments below presumably shorter, straighter and less pretentious than the curving pink filamentous and antherless staminodes around the fertile stamen group.

These vivid pink strings might, however, also be regarded as inner petals, as do occur in some delospermas, although that appears the unlikely explanation here. Different Delosperma species have either shorter petals beside the normal ones, or staminodes beside fertile stamens, and maybe both extras in the same flower.

Whatever these are, they’re floral and attractive, an indirect asset in matters reproductive. Staminodes often play a visual, nectar-guiding role in the Aizoaceae family, enhancing pollinator attraction (Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist; https://www.researchgate.net; https://www.worldfloraonline.org).