Erepsia lacera flower

The pink to magenta flowers of Erepsia lacera grow in small clusters or solitary at or near stem-tips. A multitude of dainty petals spread in many whorls around the flower centre. The petals tend to curve upwards near their tapering tips.

In the flower centre some short pink staminodes, i.e. sterile stamens consisting only of filaments, curve in over part of the cluster of stamens. In some Erepsia species this covering over the stamens is comprehensive. Flowering happens in the later parts of spring.

Like several Erepsia species these flowers don’t close at night as many mesembs do, warranting the Afrikaans common name of altydvygie (forever mesemb or all the time mesemb) (Smith, et al, 1998; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iSpot; www.plantzafrica.com).