The pale brown bark of Moquiniella rubra is fairly smooth, much lighter coloured than the stems of the thorn tree, Vachellia karroo serving as its host. The pinnate thorn tree leaves contrast against the simple, sessile Moquiniella leaves in picture.

There are curious zigzags of the style of a M. rubra flower from about its midpoint to the stigma, visible in the photo (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000).