Monilaria

Freely branched, compact shrublets up to 200 mm high, with a short and a long leaf pair per season; branches constricted at nodes into short, often bead- or button-like segments covered by parchment-like remnants of old leaf pairs. Leaves opposite, glistening, soft, papillate, of 2 kinds: first pair small or rudimentary, forming a fleshy, almost completely closed sheath through which second pair emerges; second pair consisting of 2 long, cylindrical leaves somewhat flattened on upper side and fused only at base; when long leaves eventually shrivel this base develops into a persistent sheath covering bead-like stem segments and protecting next leaf pair. Flowers terminal, solitary, on elongated pedicel, papillate, +/- 40 mm in diameter; bibracteate; opening midday, closing late afternoon; highly scented. Sepals 5, unequal, papulose or papillate. Petals in 3 or 4 series, white, yellow or pale violet-red. Stamens with or without hairs. Nectary a crenulate ring. Ovary shallow; flat on top with 5(-7) prominent sutural ridges; placentas basal or parietal; stigmas 5(-7), stout, ovate to subulate. Fruit a 5(-7)-locular capsule, of Mitrophyllum type, with prominent sutural ridges; valves widely spreading or reflexed; expanding keels +/- widely diverging, broad at base, with inner ridges raised and with narrow, marginal wings; locules shallow, with or without covering membranes; closing devices 0. Seeds many in each locule, acutely ovoid, smooth. x = 9 ( polyploidy). F lowering autumn to winter. D istinguishing characters: small shrublets with succulent constricted stems and persistent leaf bases, resembling a string of large beads.