Monsonia

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids II
Ordo: Geraniales

Familia: Geraniaceae
Genus: Monsonia
Sectiones: M. sect. Monsonia – M. sect. Plumosae – M. sect. Sarcocaulon
Species: M. angustifolia – M. attenuata – M. brevirostrata – M. burkeana – M. deserticola – M. drudeana – M. emarginata – M. galpinii – M. glauca – M. grandifolia – M. heliotropoides – M. ignorata – M. lanuginosa – M. longipes – M. luederitziana – M. natalensis – M. nivea – M. parvifolia – M. praemorsa – M. senegalensis – M. speciosa – M. transvaalensis – M. trilobata – M. umbellata
Name

Monsonia L. Mant. Pl. 1: 14, 105. 1767.

Type species: Monsonia speciosa L. 1: 14, 105. 1767.

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Olopetalum Klotzsch

Note: Inclusion of Sarcocaulon could render Monsonia polyphyletic (Sun et al. 2016).
References

Linnaeus., C. 1767–1771. Mantissa Plantarum Altera. Generum editionis VI. & specierum editionis II. [143]–587 pp. Holmiae: Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Biblioteca Digital. Reference page. : 1: 14, 105.

Additional references

Aldasoro, J.J., Navarro, C., Vargas, P. & Aedo, C. 2001. Anatomy, Morphology, and Cladistic Analysis of Monsonia L. (Geraniaceae). Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 59(1): 75–100 [1].
Kers, L.E. 1968. Contributions towards a revision of Monsonia. Bot Notiser 44-50.
Sun, M., Naeem, R., Su, J.X., Cao, Z.Y., Burleigh, J.G., Soltis, P.S., Soltis, D.E. & Chen, Z.D. 2016. Phylogeny of the Rosidae: A dense taxon sampling analysis. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 54(4): 363–391. DOI: 10.1111/jse.12211 Open access Reference page.
Touloumenidou, T., Bakker, F.T. & Albers, F. 2007. The phylogeny of Monsonia L. (Geraniaceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 264 (1-2): 1–14.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Monsonia in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Aug 13. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Monsonia. Published online. Accessed: Aug 13 2021.
Tropicos.org 2021. Monsonia. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Aug 13.
Hassler, M. 2021. Monsonia. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2021. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Aug 13. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2021. World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. . Monsonia. Accessed: 13 Aug 2021.

Vernacular names

Monsonia is a genus of plants in the family Geraniaceae. It is named after Lady Anne Monson, 1714–76, known for her botanical knowledge and plant collecting in the Cape.

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
Species

As of July 2020, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families accepts 27 species:[1]

Monsonia angustifolia E.Mey. ex A.Rich.
Monsonia attenuata Harv.
Monsonia biflora DC.
Monsonia brevirostrata R.Knuth
Monsonia burkeana Planch. ex Harv.
Monsonia deserticola Dinter ex R.Knuth
Monsonia drudeana Schinz
Monsonia emarginata (L.f.) L'Hér.
Monsonia galpinii Schltr. ex R.Knuth
Monsonia glauca R.Knuth
Monsonia grandifolia R.Knuth
Monsonia heliotropioides (Cav.) Boiss.
Monsonia ignea Schinz
Monsonia ignorata Merxm. & A.Schreib.
Monsonia lanuginosa R.Knuth
Monsonia lavrani (Halda) C.C.Walker
Monsonia longipes R.Knuth
Monsonia luederitziana Focke & Schinz
Monsonia natalensis R.Knuth
Monsonia nivea (Decne.) Webb
Monsonia parvifolia Schinz
Monsonia praemorsa E.Mey. ex R.Knuth
Monsonia senegalensis Guill. & Perr.
Monsonia speciosa L.
Monsonia transvaalensis R.Knuth
Monsonia trilobata Kers
Monsonia umbellata Harv.

Distribution

Distributed in Africa, Western Asia and East India, approximately 40 species, approximately 21 in South Africa.[2][3]

References

WCSP 2017, [1].
A Field Guide to Wild Flowers Kwazulu-Natal and the Eastern Region by Elsa Pooley, Natal Flora Publications Trust, first edition 1998, ISBN 0-620-21500-3
wild Flowers of Niorthern South Africa by Gerrit Germishuizen, Fernwood Press 1997, ISBN 1-874950-29-6