Hydnora triceps

Drege & E. Mey.

Aristolochiaceae Edible: Fruit, Roots 4 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-sa

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Hydnora triceps is a holoparasitic flowering plant native to Africa that grows on the roots of Euphorbia dregeana. Completely lacking in chlorophyll, it depends on its host for water and nutrients. The plant structure is composed of only specialized stems, buds, and haustoria, lacking any leaf-like structures entirely. It spends its life underground and only emerges to flower.

Description

A root parasite. It mostly grows underground. It does not have green chlorophyll. There is one flower. This is 15 cm long and is fleshy. It has 3 lobes.

Edible Uses

The fruit and roots are edible.

Distribution

It is a subtropical plant. It grows on Euphorbia dregeana in sandy soils.

Where It Grows

Africa, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa,

Notes

Also put in the family Hydnoraceae.

Synonyms

Aphyteia triceps Steud.

References (2)

Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 65
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