Hyobanche sanguinea is a low-growing plant, yet very noticeable on account of its dense cluster of bright pink to red flowers, totally unaccompanied by other above-ground plant parts.

The calyx is five-lobed, while the three-lobed, tubular corolla is curved, hairy and hooded. The curved anthers are of unequal length, but it is the style that protrudes when the flowers are open from midwinter to midspring.

These whitish protuberances have given cause for the plant's Afrikaans common name of katnaels (cat nails), although they won't scratch (Bean and Johns, 2005; Stoneman, 1928).