Montinia caryophyllacea has several common names: wild clove bush or in Afrikaans peperbos (pepper bush) or bergklapper (mountain cracker). The first Afrikaans name is derived from the taste of the leaves, the second from the dehiscent seed husks. The plant is the only one in its genus.

The growth habit of this shrub is upright to 1,5 m tall. The small, four-petalled white flowers are unisexual, with the sexes growing on separate bushes. The female flower has a long green cylindrical calyx tube with a green triangular stigma. Female flowers grow singly or in pairs, while the male flowers occur in clusters. The blooming season is autumn to spring. The leaves are bluish green or grey green, leathery, elliptical and deciduous. Depending on rainfall they may be sparsely distributed on the plant and quite small on mature plants. Maybe specimens from different parts of the habitat need to be compared in a study? The erect dry seed pods break open in halves to release the seeds and remain conspicuously on the plant.

The habitat is drier sandstone and granite slopes that vary considerably across the large distribution area, viz. the south-western regions of southern Africa, from Angola to the Eastern Cape.  The specimen in picture was found in the mountain north of Greyton in September. This plant does not seem to have cultural uses (www.fernkloof.com; Manning, 2007; http://titanarum.uconn.edu).

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Thabo Maphisa