''Monsonia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of plants in the family

Geraniaceae Geraniaceae is a family of flowering plants placed in the order Geraniales. The family name is derived from the genus '' Geranium''. The family includes both the genus '' Geranium'' (the cranesbills, or true geraniums) and the garden plants call ...

. It is named after

Lady Anne Monson Lady Anne Monson (née Vane; 25 June 172618 February 1776), also known as Lady Anne Hope-Vere, was an English botanist and collector of plants and insects. The plant genus '' Monsonia'' was named after her by Carolus Linnaeus. Life She was the ...

, 1714–76, known for her botanical knowledge and plant collecting in the

Cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...

Description

''Monsonia'' consists of herbs or undershrubs often with simple stem from woody rootstock or deep tap root; leaves toothed or divided; flowers regular, petals 5, separate, tip broad, blunt or slightly notched, stamens in 5 groups with 3 stamens in each, one longer than others, ovary 5 lobed; fruit beaked.

Taxonomy

, the ''World Checklist of Selected Plant Families'' accepts 27 species:

Distribution

Distributed in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

Western Asia West Asia (also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia) is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenian ...

and

East India East India is a region consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The states of Bihar and West Bengal lie on the Indo-Gangetic plain. Jharkhan ...

, approximately 40 species, approximately 21 in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

.wild Flowers of Niorthern South Africa by Gerrit Germishuizen, Fernwood Press 1997,

Gallery

File:Monsonia emarginata.jpg, '' Monsonia emarginata'' File:Monsonia attenuata, Walter Sisulu NBT, b.jpg, ''Monsonia attenuata'' File:Monsonia umbellata IMG 8248.JPG, ''Monsonia umbellata'' File:Seed monsonia praemorsa.jpg, ''Monsonia praemorsa'' seeds. File:Monsonia angustifolia seeds, by Omar Hoftun.jpg, Monsonia angustifolia seeds.

References

Geraniales genera Geraniaceae {{Geraniaceae-stub