Description:

• Freely branched, compact shrublets up to 200 mm high, with a short and a long leaf pair per season; branches constricted at nodes into short, often bead- or button-like segments covered by parchment-like remnants of old leaf pairs
• Leaves opposite, glistening, soft, papillate, of 2 kinds: first pair small or rudimentary, forming a fleshy, almost completely closed sheath through which second pair emerges; second pair consisting of 2 long, cylindrical leaves somewhat flattened on upper side and fused only at base; when long leaves eventually shrivel this base develops into a persistent sheath covering bead-like stem segments and protecting next leaf pair
• Flowers terminal, solitary, on elongated pedicel, papillate, ± 40 mm in diameter; bibracteate; opening midday, closing late afternoon; highly scented
• Sepals 5, unequal, papulose or papillate
• Petals in 3 or 4 series, white, yellow or pale violet-red
• Stamens with or without hairs
• Nectary a crenulate ring
• Ovary shallow; flat on top with 5(-7) prominent sutural ridges; placentas basal or parietal; stigmas 5(-7), stout, ovate to subulate
• Fruit a 5(-7)-locular capsule, of Mitrophyllum type, with prominent sutural ridges; valves widely spreading or reflexed; expanding keels ± widely diverging, broad at base, with inner ridges raised and with narrow, marginal wings; locules shallow, with or without covering membranes; closing devices 0
• Seeds many in each locule, acutely ovoid, smooth
• x = 9 (polyploidy)

• Flowering autumn to winter

• Distinguishing characters:
  • Small shrublets with succulent constricted stems and persistent leaf bases, resembling a string of large beads

Nomenclature:

• Monilaria (Schwantes) Schwantes
  • Schwantes: 69 (1929)
  • Herre: 216 (1971)
  • Ihlenfeldt & Jörgensen: 49 (1973)
  • Smith et al.: 242 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Species 5, Namaqualand, in the Western and Northern Cape