Common Name:

General Information

Hydnora esculenta is an unmistakable plant - a totally parasitic, perennial that is without any chlorophyll or leaves at all. With its vegetative parts looking more like a fungus, it is one of the strangest plants in the world. Its vegetative plant body is highly reduced and consists of only roots and flowers - it belongs to the only family of angiosperms with no leaves or scales of any sort. Parasitic on the roots of host trees, especially Acacia spp., it has an underground stem, or pseudo-rhizome, that grows into the host's roots and so extracts food. The plant is only seen when the tips of the flowers push out of the ground - even the fruit develops below the soil surface[].
The edible fruit is gathered from the wild and is much esteemed locally[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Madagascar.

Habitat

Forests and thickets[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the subarid lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations below 500 metres[].

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. A pleasant flavour[]. A juicy, white pulp with a sour taste[]. About the size of a pomegranate[].

Medicinal

The plant is rich in tannins and has been used as an astringent medicine to treat diarrhoea[].

Other Uses

The plant is a source of tannins[].

Propagation

Seed -

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