Babiana fragrans
(Jacq.) Steud.
Baboon root, Baboon flower
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Summary
Source: WikipediaBabiana fragrans is a perennial flowering plant and geophyte belonging to the genus Babiana. The species is endemic to the Western Cape. The species was named after Henry Georges Fourcade. It occurs from the Cape Peninsula to Malmesbury and Ceres and has a range of 6800 km². The plant has lost much of its habitat (65%) in the low-lying areas between Stellenbosch, Paarl and Cape Town and in the Ceres Valley to development, agricultural activities and invasive species. The threats continue.
Description
A small herb that keeps growing from year to year. It has a corm. It grows 20 cm high and spreads 15 cm wide. The stem is erect. The leaves are stiff and sword shaped. They are hairy and ribbed. The flowers are funnel shaped and have 6 petals. They can be lilac to red.
Edible Uses
The corm, bulb, and roots are eaten, traditionally prepared by boiling.
Traditional Uses
The roots are eaten after boiling.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a temperate to subtropical plant. It grows in light to medium well drained soils. It does best in an open sunny position. It is frost tender and sensitive to drought.
Where It Grows
Africa, Australia, South Africa*, Southern Africa, Tasmania,
Cultivation
Plants are grown by division.
Notes
There are about 60-80 Babiana species. Most are in South Africa.
Synonyms
References (10)
- Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 51 (As Babiana plicata)
- Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 123 (As Babiana plicata)
- Bot. Mag. 16: ad t. 576. 1802 (As Babiana plicata)
- Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 158 (As Babiana plicata)
- Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 89 (As Babiana plicata)
Show all 10 references Hide references
- Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 37 (As Babiana plicata)
- Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 58 (As Babiana plicata)
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/ (As Babiana plicata)
- Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 66
- Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179
