The flowers of Cleomaceae are somewhat to strongly bilateral symmetric. There are mostly four, sometimes two or six, free or merged sepals, that may be shed quickly or remain, are overlapping in the bud or are already separate. The corolla consists of mostly four, sometimes two or six petals that have distinctive claws and limbs, free or with merged limbs. The stamens may be placed on the level of insertion of the perianth or on a stalk, raising the bases of the stamens above the perianth. This occurs for instance in "Gynandropsis gynandra". There are four simple stamens or branched in four groups of up to 12 stamens each that have a common base, and are free from the petals. When there are groups of stamens, the anthers mature from the middle outwards. The base of the stamens may or may not be fused with the female parts in the centre of the flower. The filaments may be of equal length or strongly differ, and all may carry anthers, but infertile staminodes may also occur. The anther releases the pollen through slits stretching along its length. The ovary is positioned above the perianth and the androecium (a so-called superior ovary), consists of two fully merged carpels, and contains one cavity that may be divided in two by a partition (or replum). Between ten and fifty ovules (future seeds) are set along the margins of each of the carpels. As the fruit ripens, a stalk (or gynophore) develops. The dry fruit opens with two valves. When the fruit has a replum, it has the same basic morphology as the Brassicaceae (called silicula or siliqua), and this sets it apart from the Capparaceae, that have a capsule.