Many cultivars widely grown as Petrocosmea barbata have recently been shown to be P. glabristoma. The two species are sufficiently similar to require some expertise to distinguish them.
P. glabristoma has some floral variation, especially in the degree of lavender shading in the flower. Flowers vary in size, and can be either pale lavender or white. In all cases there are two prominent yellow splotches in the center of the flower that merge in the throat.
Additional photos can be seen in a slideshow by clicking one of the links below:
- A cultivar, P. glabristoma ‘Marion King’, which has large pale lavender flowers, and is offered commercially by Dibley’s Nurseries in Wales under the name P. barbata
- Lavender-flowered plants growing in nature in China
- White and lavender flowers on plants growing together in nature in China
- A plant exhibited in the 2020 virtual show of the Gesneriad Society
