Moquiniella rubra

Moquiniella rubra is a woody, aerial or stem hemiparasite, a plant which obtains or may obtain part of its food by parasitism. It has green leaves as well, also photosynthesises. M. rubra reaches 1 m in diameter from one growth point in a tree. The plant was previously known as Loranthus elegans and is commonly known as lighted candles mistletoe or in Afrikaans as vuurhoutjies (matchsticks) or vuurhoutjievoëlent (matchstick birdlime). The genus is monotypic, meaning that it consists of only the one species.

The species distribution is widespread in the Western Cape, the western parts of the Eastern Cape and in the coastal west of the Northern Cape through Namaqualand and the Richtersveld. It also grows in Namibia. The photo was taken near Oudtshoorn.

The plant grows on branches of several tree species, in picture invading much of the crown of a Vachellia karroo tree near Oudtshoorn. It is often seen on the kunibush (Searsia undulata), the spekboom and guarri, where these trees occur in the parasite's distribution range.  The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Euston-Brown and Kruger, 2023; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).