Description:

• Shrublets up to ± 300 mm high; branches with short internodes, up to 15 mm in diameter, covered by persistent, dry leaves
• Leaves opposite, ± terete to subcylindric, up to ± 60 mm long, 10 mm in diameter, united at base into sheath, surface smooth; stomata not sunken
• Flowers solitary, terminal, pedicellate, bibracteate, up to 60 mm in diameter; open from morning till evening
• Sepals 4(-6), unequal
• Petals 4-seriate, outer ones narrowly spatulate, inner ones becoming shorter towards centre of flower, purple
• Stamens crowded; filaments purple, epapillate
• Nectary a finely crenulate pink ring
• Ovary flat or convex on top; stigmas (8()12((16), subulate, purple
• Fruit a (8()12((16)-locular capsule, of Lampranthus type, woody and rounded; valve wings present, narrow; covering membranes radially thickened; expanding keels parallel, diverging at tips; closing bodies 0
• Seeds echinate with very long papillae along back

• Flowering in winter

• Distinguishing characters:
  • Compact perennials
  • Leaves cylindrical, fused at the bases
  • Flowers magenta with spoon-shaped outer petals
  • Seeds echinate

Nomenclature:

• Namaquanthus L.Bolus
  • Bolus: 257 (1954)
  • Herre: 222 (1971)
  • Smith et al.: 334 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Species 1: Namaquanthus vanheerdii L.Bolus, restricted to a small area northwest of Springbok in Namaqualand, Northern Cape