Osteospermum monstrosum ray colour transition

The dark markings low on the ray florets of this Osteospermum monstrosum flowerhead begin in a transitional band, a red and yellow region that could be called a grey area, where minute red dots initially suffuse the yellow. The dots soon multiply and converge into longitudinal lines interfered with by the surface folds. The beginnings of the transition are redder than the dark to nearly black ray bases.

There are clearly several and interesting variations in the appearance of this plant’s ray florets.

The progress of the disc florets is unclear in the photo (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).