Phylica rigidifolia old flowers

The small white flowers of Phylica rigidifolia are velvety, covered in soft, whitish hairs. They grow in dense clusters made up of multiple, short spikes at stem-tips.

The calyx is small, cup-shaped and five-lobed. There don’t appear to be any petals. There is an indistinct floret in the cluster centre, the surrounding ones are closed already, the fruiting still to follow.

Flowering happens from late autumn to after mid-spring, peaking in late winter. The photo was taken in September when bloomtime was about over on the plant (Le Roux, et al, 2005; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist).