Bauhinia galpinii flower profile

The brick-red Bauhinia galpinii flower shows little difference superficially between petal stalks and stamen filaments. They are similar in length, colour and angle of presentation. B. galpinii is the only red-flowered Bauhinia in southern Africa. The flower is about 7 cm in diameter.

The petals end in rounded, wavy blades facing inward. This is where the stamens in picture present their grey oblong anthers, also facing inward.

Flowers in general consist of four components positioned in concentric whorls: The calyx comprising the sepals forms the outer ring, followed by the petals. Inside them are the two rings of the sexual floral components, firstly the stamens and innermost the pistil or ovary, style and stigma.

Bauhinia ovaries are stalked, positioned inside the calyx tube (Manning, 2009; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1993).