Pelargonium magenteum J.j.a.van Der Walt

A rounded, compact, much-branched, evergreen, slightly aromatic shrublet; up to 0.5 m or exceptionally 1 m high; roots swollen at intervals into tubers. Stem and branches smooth, herbaceous, covered in microscopic silky hairs with a few short-stalked glandular hairs in between, pale green at first and turning brown after one season. Leaves simple, membranous, sericeous-velutinous with long silky hairs and a few short-stalked glandular hairs in between, pale green; lamina orbicular, base cordate, apex rounded, margin shallowly dentate, veins abaxially raised and adaxially channelled, indumentum abaxially rather more shaggy than adaxially, 8-20 mm in diameter; petiole cylindrical, 5-20 mm long; stipules narrowly triangular, membranous, indumentum as on stem, 2-8 mm long and 1.5-2.0 mm wide. Inflorescence a terminal pseudo-umbel of 3-5 irregular flowers, borne on a 10-60 mm long unbranched peduncle; bracts subtending pseudo-umbel ovate, adaxially concave, apices acute, 3-8 mm long and 1.5-3.0 mm wide. Pedicel short: 2-3 mm long, hidden by bracts subtending pseudo-umbel, covered by sparse erect silky hairs with a few short-stalked glandular hairs in between. Hypanthium 2.3-5.0 cm long, indumentum as on pedicel. Sepals 5, free, ovate, adaxially concave, apices acute, with long erect hairs and a few short-stalked glandular hairs in between, green with hyaline margins, 6-10 mm long and 2.0-2.5 mm wide, posterior sepal up to 4 mm wide. Petals 5, free, unequal, intense magenta with still darker feather-like magenta markings near bases; posterior two cuneate with apices retuse, gradually recurved through 45°, 11-18 mm long and 5.0-9.5 mm wide; anterior three spathulate with apices retuse, recurved through more than 90°, 8-15 mm long and 3.5-7.0 mm wide. Stamens 10, basal 2 mm fused into staminal column; fertile stamens (6) 7, unequal: 4 long, (2)3 short; filaments flattened, pale pink and becoming darker towards apices; anthers 1,4 mm long and 0,4 mm wide, purple. Ovary superior, ovoid, densely covered with long, white, apically directed hairs, 2.5 mm long and 1.3 mm wide, pale green; style 2-3 mm long, bright pink; stigma 5-partite, each branch 2 mm long, bright pink; fruit a schizocarp consisting of 5 1-seeded mericarps, head of mericarp about 5 mm long, tail plumose and 2.3-4.0 cm long. The main flowering season is from August to October, with a peak in September. Flowers have been reported as early as April and there is even a record of a plant flowering in January.