Galpinia transvaalica inflorescences

The inflorescences of Galpinia transvaalica are many-flowered, offering much to their pollinators. They attract many insects, particularly bees, ants, beetles and flies.

The inflorescence resembles that of the exotic Lagerstroemia indica, the pride-of-India, a popular garden plant that produces any of several pastel coloured flowers beyond white ones. Flowering of G. transvaalica happens from late spring to autumn, although the flowering period of one plant is brief.

The fruit is a nearly spherical capsule, hard, reddish brown in colour, up to 4 mm in diameter. The fruit is partly enveloped by the persistent calyx. The capsule will split when ripe to release many winged seeds (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Pooley, 1993).