The inflated, flat-topped buds preceding Tridentea pachyrrhiza flowers are pale reddish purple to light yellowish brown. The seams where the corolla lobes are still joined or starting to separate are dark, divulging something of the inside corolla colour to be shown later. The parallel veins, longitudinally up the lobe surfaces-to-be are slightly paler.

The four buds in picture grow on thick, fleshy stalks. They divulge their opening sequence in bud size. The biggest bud appears wider than the plant's stem length.

The whole plant operates pretty near to and, of course, in the sand (White and Sloane, 1937; Frandsen, 2017; Williamson, 2010; iNaturalist).