Pelargonium sericifolium flowers

The inflorescence of Pelargonium sericifolium is rarely branched, flowers growing solitary or in a brace in their pseudo-umbel. The flowers grow on erect, hairy, long umbel peduncles or stalks of 2 cm to 4,5 cm. The pedicel, the individual flower stalk that begins where the peduncle of the pseudo-umbel ends, is 1 mm to 3 mm long. The sepals are narrowly ovate, up to 9 mm long.

Flower colour is pinkish purple, sometimes with dark markings especially on the anterior (lower) three petals. The petals may also show some white at the base. Petal size is from 15 mm to 28 mm by 10 mm to 16 mm in the posterior pair, the anterior three being smaller and reflexed, i.e. bent down.

A flower has seven fertile stamens of three lengths, maybe adapted thus to capitalise on variable insect (pollinator) sizes or movement habits. Some flowers in picture show their short, white, spreading style branches. Initially a normal flower has a five-branched style, but out there in the real world a style may lose a branch or two, part of the unforeseeable vicissitudes of life.

When the rain has been good, flowers cover the plant in spectacular full bloom at winter’s end and spring (Williamson, 2010; Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist; www2.arnes.si; www.pelargonium.si).