Poellnitzia is a very unusual plant, some authors consider it a species of Astroloba (A. rubriflora), but it is rather distinct and is treated separately, as a monotypic genus. Poellnitzia rubriflora has a limited distribution range and is only known from the Worcester-Robertson Karoo of the Western Cape Province in South Africa. Superficially the plants are very similar to those of Astroloba but are very different in leaf texture and in floral morphology.