Description:

• Herbs, undershrubs or shrubs
• Leaves flat or rarely terete, entire, rarely with rudimentary teeth
• Inflorescence axillary, reduced scorpioid cymes or flowers solitary; bracts and bracteoles usually small, rarely bracteoles 0
• Calyx ± regular, usually with stalked, glandular hairs; lobes 4 or 5; tube shorter than lobes
• Corolla 2-lipped, hairy; upper lip entire, truncate or emarginate, rugula distinct; lower lip 3-lobed with middle lobe pinnately ribbed; aestivation ascending; tube broadly cylindric, shorter than lobes; limb irregular
• Androecium: fertile stamens 2, arising in mouth of corolla tube, ± included; filaments linear; anthers 2-thecous; thecae superposed, tailed or muticous; staminodes 0
• Pollen prolate, 3-colporate, with pseudocolpi; surface reticulate
• Disc deeply cupular, with V-shaped slit, with 2 awns
• Gynoecium: ovary ± ellipsoid, with 1(2) ovules in each locule; style terete, running in rugula, included; style branches 2, equal, very short, broader than long
• Capsule subglobose, 2-seeded or 1-seeded by abortion, stipitate, with inelastic placental bases
• Seeds compressed, orbicular; surface smooth, sometimes speckled
• x = 11 (1 report)

Nomenclature:

• Monechma Hochst.
  • Hochstetter: 374 (1841)
  • Munday: 47 (1995)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 40, mainly Africa, also India
• Southern Africa: Species 19, widespread, but not in Lesotho