Fruits are sometimes produced with few or no seeds, but they are hard and undesirable. They develop opposite or near opposite the leaves instead of in the leaf axils as in most plants. However, the stigma ultimately projects beyond the anthers, where pollinating insects are more likely to contact it. It is visited by pollinating insects largely, if not exclusively, for pollen. Whether this is associated with pollination or some other factor is not clear.
Dotted areas indicate variation in length of style and in positions of stamens.
Inset shows pores of anther tubes enlarged. He stated that with hand pollination a few seeds were produced at the apex of the fruit, but most of the ovules remained undeveloped. This indicated that the plant is not self-fruitful, that wind is not a factor in fruit set but that insects are required to transfer the pollen to the stigma in appropriate amounts and at the right time. The relative time period of pollen transfer for most effective fertilization of a flower has not been determined. Such plants must be insect pollinated and might be used in the production of hybrid plants.