Babiana patula
N. E. Br.
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(c) Gawie Malan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Gawie Malan
Summary
Source: WikipediaBabiana patula is a perennial flowering plant and geophyte belonging to the genus Babiana and is part of the fynbos. The species is endemic to the Western Cape and occurs from Tulbagh to Albertinia. The plant has a range of 20 000 km2 and has lost 60% of its habitat to development, crop cultivation and invasive plants over 80 years.
Description
A small creeping herb. It grows 2-8 cm long. The leaves are sword shaped and hairy. The flowers are blue to purple with yellow lines.
This description is brief — help expand it
Edible Uses
The corm or bulb is eaten as a snack.
Traditional Uses
The bulb or corm is eaten as a snack.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a Mediterranean climate plant.
Where It Grows
Africa, South Africa*, Southern Africa,
References (3)
- De Vynk, J. C., et al, 2016, Indigenous edible plant use by contemporary Khoe-San descendants of South Africa's Cape South Coast. South African Journal of Botany. 102 (2016) 60-69
- 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
