Disa zombica
N. E. Br.
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(c) andreaudzungwa, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Chingagweblessings, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chingagweblessings
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) andreaudzungwa, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaDisa zombica is a species of orchid (family Orchidaceae), native to eastern and southern Tropical Africa. Its roots are edible and are made into a delicacy called chinaka in Malawi.
Description
An orchid. It has sterile and fertile shoots. The fertile shoots are 60 cm long and the flowering shoots are 9-16 cm long. There are 10-25 flowers. The bracts overlap the flowers. The petals are red to purple.
Edible Uses
The tubers and roots are edible portions of the plant.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in mountain grassland between 1,300-2,350 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Africa, Burundi, East Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Synonyms
Also Known As
Suheng'enyule
References (3)
- Hamisy, W. C., 2007, Development of Conservation Strategies for the Wild Edible Orchid in Tanzania. National Plant Genetic Resources Centre. Arusha, Tanzania. p 12
- Kasulo, V. et al, 2009, A review of edible orchids in Malawi. Journal of Horticulture and Forestry. Vol 1(7) pp. 133-139
- Reis, S. V. and Lipp, F. L., 1982, New Plant Sources for Drugs and Foods from the New York Botanical Garden herbarium. Harvard. p 32
