The Monopsis genus consists of 16 species, all of which are indigenous to South Africa where they can be found from Namaqualand to the southern Cape, east to KwaZulu-Natal and north to Limpopo.

Monopsis scabra, synonymously known as Dobrowskya scabra, Lobelia scabra or Monopsis scabra var. subhispida and commonly known as Wild Violet, is a South African endemic perennial found in the Eastern Cape province. It forms a small, straggling plant, approximately 15 cm tall with narrow bright green leaves along long stems. Numerous stems grow from the rootstock and in slightly more moist conditions it spreads into large, dense patches.