About Montinia caryophyllacea Thunb.
Montinia caryophyllacea Thunb. is an upright, greyish dioecious shrublet, meaning it produces male and female flowers on separate individual plants. It grows up to 1.5 meters (4 feet 11 inches) tall. Its leaves are leathery, elliptical in shape, and sometimes grow in tufts. Leaves are 15 to 70 millimeters (1 to 3 inches) long, pale green, smooth, and covered with a dull waxy coating. This species blooms between May and October, bearing small waxy white flowers that have 4 petals. Male plants produce these flowers in loose clusters, while female plants bear only 1 or 2 flowers each. After flowering, the plant forms an ovoid seed capsule (its fruit) that is often dry and brown, with a distinct shuttle shape. The fruit measures 15 to 20 millimeters (1 inch) long. When mature, the outer husk splits into two halves to release the seeds, which are small flattened discs with membranous wings.
