Manulea tomentosa

Manulea tomentosa is a soft perennial of about 60 cm to 80 cm in height. The Afrikaans colloquial name of vingertjies (little fingers), relates to the shape of the corolla lobes or petals of the flowers of some Manulea species.

The herb is variable in appearance, usually branching much, mainly at the base. Leaf surfaces are rough, the margins toothed. The stems and leaves are often hairy as the specific name indicates. Tomentum is a Latin word meaning stuffing for a cushion, the botanical term, tomentose, indicating a covering with matted, woolly hairs.

The species distribution is in the far southwest of the Western Cape, mostly near the coast, from the Cape Peninsula to Stellenbosch and Bredasdorp.

The habitat is coastal sand flats and lower fynbos slopes. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2007; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984).