Cleome monophylla L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Cleveland Dam

Photo: Bart Wursten
Besna Kobila farm, Matobo.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Backpackers and Overlanders Lodge, Epworth, Harare

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Synonyms:	Cleome epilobioides Baker
Common names:	Spindle pod (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Erect annual herb, occurring in a wide variety of habitats. Stems and leaves with glandular hairs. Leaves simple, narrowly lanceolate. Inflorescences terminal with bracts similar to the leaves. Flowers mauve (rarely white) with purple markings on the petals. Fruit a narrowly linear capsule up to 10 cm, mostly slightly curved, covered in short hairs.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	monophylla: with one leaf (commonly used for species with simple leaves in mainly compound genera)
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Sep - Apr
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in Africa, India and Sri Lanka
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 86 - 87. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 123. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 14. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 9. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 41. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 259. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 32. Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 384 - 385. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 44. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 65. Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Pages 198 - 199. (Includes a picture). Wild, H. (1955). Common Rhodesian Weeds Government of Rhodesia, Salisbury Page 12. (Includes a picture). Wild, H. (1960). Capparaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Pages 196 - 197.

Other sources of information about Cleome monophylla:

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Flora of Botswana: Cleome monophylla
Flora of Malawi: Cleome monophylla
Flora of Mozambique: Cleome monophylla
Flora of Zambia: Cleome monophylla
Flora of Zimbabwe: Cleome monophylla

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cleome monophylla
African Plant Database: Cleome monophylla
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cleome monophylla
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cleome monophylla
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cleome monophylla
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cleome monophylla
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cleome monophylla
JSTOR Plant Science: Cleome monophylla
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cleome monophylla
Plants of the World Online: Cleome monophylla
Tropicos: Cleome monophylla
Wikipedia: Cleome monophylla