Description:

• Shrubs up to 400 mm high, with smooth, woody branches and fibrous roots
• Leaves opposite, not united, ± terete with a widened rounded apex, up to ± 35 mm long, 15 mm in diameter; epidermal cells with crystals in outer walls, stomata not sunken, wax cover ± smooth or with fine threads
• Flowers solitary or occasionally with 2 lateral ones in addition, shortly pedicellate or subsessile, 60-70 mm in diameter; opening at noon
• Sepals 4, unequal, 2 foliaceous, 2 with broad membranous margins
• Petals many in ± 2 series, free, obtuse, bright magenta, sometimes with obscure stripe
• Stamens 1-seriate; filaments papillate, magenta; staminodes 0
• Nectary a crenulate ring
• Ovary convex on top; placentas parietal; stigmas 8, short, subulate
• Fruit a 8-locular capsule, of Lampranthus type but with narrow valve wings; fairly large and woody; expanding keels diverging; covering membranes present, small, not covering entire locule; closing bodies small (unusual in a Lampranthus type capsule)
• Seeds pear-shaped, brown to blackish brown

• Flowering in mid-winter

• Distinguishing characters:
  • Erect perennials with woody branches
  • Flowers magenta
  • Fruit 8-locular, with small closing bodies

Nomenclature:

• Enarganthe N.E.Br.
  • Brown: 71, 151 (1930)
  • Herre: 148 (1971)
  • Smith et al.: 320 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Species 1: Enarganthe octonaria (L.Bolus) N.E.Br., Richtersveld, between the Augrabies Mountain and Brakfontein in the Northern Cape