Manulea rubra

Manulea rubra is a perennial reaching heights around 70 cm. The leaves are smooth or hairless, crowded at the base. It is similar to M. tomentosa but for hairiness on the latter plant. The leaf-shape is oblong to lanceolate, the margins entire or toothed.

The flowers have red-brown petals that are longitudinally rolled. The flowers grow in cymes on erect stems. Flowering happens from late autumn to spring.

The distribution is mainly coastal in the Western Cape from south of Velddrif to the southern Cape, excluding the Cape Peninsula. The habitat is sandy flats. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2007; Manning and Goldblatt, 1996; http://redlist.sanbi.org).