Delosperma cooperi 

Floral Morphology

The flowers of Delosperma are solitary or borne near the tips of the shoots.

They open only in bright sunlight and close at night or on dull days.

Each bloom is radially symmetrical, composed of a small calyx of five sepals surrounding a radiant halo of petaloid staminodes.

These colorful, strap-shaped filaments—often magenta, violet, orange, yellow, or white—are modified sterile stamens rather than true petals > an optimization in and of itself one might add.

At the center stands a tuft of fertile stamens encircling the inferior ovary.

When pollination succeeds, the ovary develops into a dry capsule that demonstrates one of the genus’s most remarkable traits: hygrochasy.

What is hygrochasy?

The opening of a fruit (or flower) in reaction to the presence of rain.

This means that the capsule carrying the seeds ONLY opens when it is moistened by the rain - closing again as it dries.

This mechanism ensures that seeds are dispersed precisely when conditions favor germination.

In-sane.

Ecology

Pollination is usually carried out by bees, flies, and butterflies attracted by the brilliant colors and reflective sheen of the flowers rather than by fragrance.

In their native habitats, Delospermas occupy niches between rocks and in thin soils where water drains rapidly.

Their compact roots and succulent leaves make them perfectly suited to such conditions, and these same adaptations have made them popular garden plants in regions with hot summers and cold winters.

Learn more about gardening with Delosperma:

• FR: Le Pourpier Vivace
  ENG: Delosperma: A Growing Guide for Ice Plant
  ENG: How To Grow and Care For Cold Hardy Ice Plant