There are some cauliflower-like clusters of globular growths among the female flowers of this Arctopus echinatus plant, appearing like male flowers. The dioecious species should have separate plants for male flowers.

Maybe this female plant ventured on an unusual deviation or compromise proving a conventional rule. Or a henpecked male plant is struggling to make its presence felt, far too closely intertwined with its female partner for respectable arm’s length coexistence as commonly exhibited by the species.

As a human cannot choose its relatives, a plant cannot choose the spot where it grows (Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).