Pelargonium tetragonum

Pelargonium tetragonum, the square-stemmed pelargonium is a xerophytic plant, i.e. adapted to growing in dry circumstances. It is one of the Pelargonium species notable for not producing aromatic oils.   

The flowers are usually four-petalled, the upper two have dark maroon to purple lines from the base. The flowers occur in pairs on the stalks. Flowering time is spring to early summer.

The species distribution is in the Western and Eastern Cape from Worcester to Grahamstown, parallel to but away from the coast.

The habitat is inland arid areas among karoid thicket and thicket. The plants grow in clay soils, adapted to both summer and winter rainfall conditions. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; www.plantzafrica.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).