Montinia caryophyllacea old fruit husks

The Montinia caryophyllacea female bush may retain dehisced husks of fruits from previous seasons conspicuously and for long.

The hard and dry, almost woody halves, the valves of the empty ellipsoid capsules gape erectly, attached at the base via short, sturdy pedicels. Some leftovers of the calyx lobes, discs and styles also tend to persist on top of the boat-shaped structures. Each fruit has only one locule.

One of the plants Afrikaans common names, bergklapper (mountain cracker), refers to the explosive opening of the fruit when ripe.

The seeds of M. caryophyllacea are flat and winged, their cotyledons broadly oblong. The seeds grow on central, free placentas in two rows, resembling roof tiles.

The photo was taken during July in Jonkershoek near Stellenbosch (Manning, 2007; Le Roux, et al, 2005; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist).