Monsonia angustifolia E. Mey. ex A. Rich.

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Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near upper dam, Hillside Dams, Bulawayo

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near upper dam, Hillside Dams, Bulawayo

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near upper dam, Hillside Dams, Bulawayo

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near upper dam, Hillside Dams, Bulawayo

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
By the lodges, Lake Kyle Recreational Park

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
By the lodges, Lake Kyle Recreational Park

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
By the lodges, Lake Kyle Recreational Park

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
By the lodges, Lake Kyle Recreational Park

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
By the lodges, Lake Kyle Recreational Park

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
By the lodges, Lake Kyle Recreational Park

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along Zvishavane - Mbalabala road

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along Fort Usher road, Matobo

Monsonia angustifolia

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along Fort Usher road, Matobo

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Monsonia biflora DC var. angustifolia Burtt Davy
Common names:
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Decumbent or suberect annual herb, branching from a slightly woody base. Stems up to 50 cm long but usually shorter, pubescent and covered in very short gland-tipped hairs mixed with longer ones. Leaves narrowly oblong or elliptic, up to c. 3.5 × 1 cm, with indumentum as the stems; margin irregularly toothed; petiole 0.5-2 cm. Flowers in 1-3-flowered pseudumbel, leaf-opposed or sometimes in the axil of 2 apparently opposite leaves, mauve to blue or rarely white or yellowish; petals 9-14 mm long, often shallowly lobed at the apex. Fruit, including the erect rostrum, 5-9 cm long.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: angustifolia: narrow-leaved
Habitat:
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in Africa from Nigeria to Somalia and south to South Africa. Also in Madagascar.
FZ divisions: N,SW
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 26.

Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 75.

Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 204 - 205. (Includes a picture).

Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 176. (Includes a picture).

Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 312. (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 53.

Mueller, T. (1963). Geraniaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(1) Page 140.

Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 139.

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 67.

Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 400 - 401. (Includes a picture).

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 76.

Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 214.

Troupin, G. (1983). Geraniaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume II Page 182. (Includes a picture).

Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Pages 216 - 217. (Includes a picture).

Venter, H.J.T. (1979). A Monograph of Monsonia L. (Geraniaceae) Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen 79-9 Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands Pages 10 - 18. (Includes a picture).


Other sources of information about Monsonia angustifolia:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Monsonia angustifolia
Flora of Caprivi: Monsonia angustifolia
Flora of Mozambique: Monsonia angustifolia
Flora of Rwanda: Monsonia angustifolia
Flora of Zambia: Monsonia angustifolia
Flora of Zimbabwe: Monsonia angustifolia

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Monsonia angustifolia
African Plant Database: Monsonia angustifolia
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Monsonia angustifolia
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Monsonia angustifolia
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Monsonia angustifolia
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Monsonia angustifolia
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Monsonia angustifolia
JSTOR Plant Science: Monsonia angustifolia
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Monsonia angustifolia
Plants of the World Online: Monsonia angustifolia
Tropicos: Monsonia angustifolia
Wikipedia: Monsonia angustifolia


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-25

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2025). Flora of Botswana: Species information: Monsonia angustifolia.
https://www.botswanaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=132700, retrieved 26 August 2025

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