Nivenia binata flowers

    Nivenia binata flowers

    The flowers of Nivenia binata grow in nearly flat-topped, fairly dense, corymb-shaped inflorescences on much-branched peduncles.

    The deep blue corollas are enclosed at the base by crinkled, red-brown bracts; the outer ones obtusely tipped, the inner ones membranous. The six oblong tepals are slightly concave with pointed to rounded tips that are mucro-ended. The tepals spread into a shallow bowl above a basal tube of over 1 cm long.

    The dark anthers are positioned over the flower centre slightly lower than the stigma, the tip of the blue style.

    Flowering mainly happens from late winter to after midspring (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; JSTOR; iNaturalist).