Malephora lutea flower inspectors

The long, thin petals of Malephora lutea are clearly displayed in this August flower. Linear with a hint of being oblanceolate, their tips are rounded and unequal in length.

Among the stamens in the centre are some interested visitors. It is the nectar glands at their base that attract; the pollen deposits from the anthers incidental to the unsuspecting insects, the offloads at the next flower vital for the plant’s seed production (Smith, et al, 1998).