These opening Lebeckia pauciflora buds are much about the calyx, little about the corolla yet. The slender, pointed and equal calyx lobes have only recently parted to allow the growing yellow corolla to push past its tips, arching forward in its own pointed tip.

The velvety grey calyx has the shortest of hairs down to the short stalk where a few small bracts are similarly covered and coloured. The stem of the raceme is pale green and slightly ridged (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist).