Lessertia frutescens young green pods

The pods of Lessertia frutescens may also be green during the early stage, as in this photo taken in the Biedouw Valley in September. Inflated with dents in the brightest yellow-green the plant can muster, the pods are hairless. Whitening or pinkish additions arrive later with translucence added to the initially membranous surfaces. When ripe and dry the pods become pale brown or cream and papery.

The wing petals of a L. frutescens flower are tiny, hidden within the calyx during flowering, while the banner and keel steal the show. The flower is from 2,5 cm to 3,5 cm long. Later on, once the pods have formed and the calyx slightly lifted as here, the tiny greenish tips of the wing petals may become visible from under the calyx.

The back ends of the flowers in the photo fit snugly into the calyx cups, while the pod back ends appear too small for the same cups.

This plant has fairly flat dull green to dark green leaflets with whitish margins and rounded tips (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).