Manulea silenoides flowers

The flowers of Manulea silenoides are crowded in head-like racemes at the tips of one or more long, almost leafless branches.

The tubular corolla is five-lobed, each lobe notched into a Y-shape, pale mauve in colour. Some of the lobes in picture are notched a second time. There is a dull yellow-brown, star-shaped patch in the flower centre around the mouth, ringed narrowly with white. Some lobed, purple calyces that have already lost their corollas are visible below the open flowers in the photo.

Some anthers are visible in the mouth in picture, not exserted. The flowers are said to have a passion fruit scent. Flowering happens late in winter and early in spring.

M. silenoides resembles some Zaluzianskya species including Zaluzianskya violacea, but has a two-lipped and three-lobed calyx like manuleas in general. Zaluzianskya flowers grow in spikes, also two-lipped but five-ribbed with pleats and a bract close by or over the calyx. Manulea bracts are positioned at the base of the pedicel (Manning, 2009; Le Roux, et al, 2005; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist).