Melianthus major near a seasonal watercourse

Riparian bush and damp thickets of low-lying areas in the Western Cape and southern Cape may include stands of Melianthus major, the kruidjie-roer-my-nie. More water and deeper soil bring bigger shrubbery.

That is why strollers often steer towards higher contours where the going is easier, only to dip into the dense vegetation when they need water or want to cross. Wading through M. major will cause strong foetid odours to cling to the passerby for a while, teaching to choose differently when needing to hold on to something next time (Manning, 2009).

(There are more images of this plant in the Album on Shrubs.)