The higher the elevation the later a population comes into bloom. The pattern of flower buds opening on an inflorescence is acropetal. The rate at which buds open and the longevity of the expanded perianth are dependent on ambient temperatures. At sunset the tepals of most species contract, partly or sometimes completely enclosing the exserted anthers and stigmas. The anthers of all species dehisce longitudinally within two to four hours after the tepals unfold.
Pollen remains in the open thecae until contacted by insects or washed out by rain.
The three stylar lobes do not normally expand to expose the receptive stigmas until the day after the anthers have dehisced. This suggests that all the species studied are weakly protandrous. In most species of subgenus Lapeirousia the perianth tube is cylindric. In L. divaricata and L. spinosa , however, the tube is funnel-shaped Figure 2H . In L. divaricata , L. spinosa and L. tenuis the tube is less than 16 mm long.