Monsonia speciosa

Monsonia speciosa, the umbrella, butterfly flower or sambreeltjie in Afrikaans, is a hardy perennial of the Geraniaceae family. It grows in the south-west of the Western Cape from the Peninsula to Saldanha and inland to Clanwilliam on damp sandy and stony ground. The tufted plant may sprawl with annual stems sprouting from the woody rootstock. The roots are shallow and semi-fibrous, non-succulent. The leaves are digitately compound and hairless.

The sambreeltjie produces large, radially symmetric white, pink or cream flowers from late winter through spring. The lower surface of the corolla is deep pink. Petal tips are irregularly toothed. There are 15 stamens with conspicuous orange anthers just above the widely open corolla.

This plant is threatened by human activity in its distribution area (Manning, 2009; www.plantzafrica.com).