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Useful Tropical Plants

Hypoxis angustifolia

Lam.

Hypoxidaceae


Hypoxis angustifolia is a very variable species, especially in shapes of style and stigma. The name has been used in the past to refer to all Hypoxis species in central Africa with narrow leaves less than 7mm wide - further research has led botanists to recognize these plants as consisting of several distinct species[
1924
Title
The Genus Hypoxis (Hypoxidaceae) in Central Africa
Publication
Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 88: 302-350. 2001
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Publisher
 
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

+ Synonyms

Hypoxis biflora Baker

Hypoxis luzuloides Robyns & Tournay

Hypoxis woodii Baker

Common Name: Slender Star Lily

No Image.

General Information

Hypoxis angustifolia is an erect, herbaceous perennial plant, growing from a corm-like tuber and producing a cluster of grass-like leaves; it can grow up to 45cm tall, spreading at the roots to form a clump[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
,
308
Title
Flora Zambesiaca
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
,
610
Title
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Publication
 
Author
Beentje H.J.
Website
http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=396814
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
2002
ISBN
 
Description
Available on-line, a modern flora of East Africa.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. The tubers were at one time an important food source in Soqotra[
1923
Title
The genus Hypoxis L. (Hypoxidaceae) in the East Tropical Africa: variability, distribution and conservation status
Publication
Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 14: 1-129, 2009
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Website
http://10.2478/v10119-009-0011-5
Publisher
 
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. The plant has attractive flowers and is worthy of cultivation as an ornamental[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Hypoxis angustifolia is a common species with a wide range and is found in a wide variety of habitats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2009)[
1923
Title
The genus Hypoxis L. (Hypoxidaceae) in the East Tropical Africa: variability, distribution and conservation status
Publication
Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 14: 1-129, 2009
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Website
http://10.2478/v10119-009-0011-5
Publisher
 
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

308
Title
Flora Zambesiaca
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
,
610
Title
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Publication
 
Author
Beentje H.J.
Website
http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=396814
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
2002
ISBN
 
Description
Available on-line, a modern flora of East Africa.
,
1924
Title
The Genus Hypoxis (Hypoxidaceae) in Central Africa
Publication
Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 88: 302-350. 2001
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Publisher
 
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa - widespread from Senegal to Somalia, south to Angola, Zimbabwe, S. Africa and Madagascar; SW. Arabian Peninsula - Yemen

Habitat

Grassland, primary and secondary, often seasonally wet, swampy in flood plains, glades, scattered tree grassland, miombo forest, forest margins, rocky outcrops, pastures, road sides, mountain trails; at elevations from sea level to 3,000 metres[
1923
Title
The genus Hypoxis L. (Hypoxidaceae) in the East Tropical Africa: variability, distribution and conservation status
Publication
Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 14: 1-129, 2009
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Website
http://10.2478/v10119-009-0011-5
Publisher
 
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.30 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Hypoxis species are generally not very cold tolerant plants and most species are badly damaged or killed by even light frosts. They will usually grow well in a Mediterranean type of climate with little or no frost[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Species in this genus generally require a light, freely draining soil and a position in full sun or light shade[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. This species is found in the wild in a wide range of soils including shallow, mineral soils on rocky granitic, lava, coral or calcareous outcrops; on sandy, white, yellow, reddish, dark soils; on gray, rich light brown humic loam; red ferralitic soil; heavy clay; volcanic soil; black cotton soil and on termitaria[
1923
Title
The genus Hypoxis L. (Hypoxidaceae) in the East Tropical Africa: variability, distribution and conservation status
Publication
Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 14: 1-129, 2009
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Website
http://10.2478/v10119-009-0011-5
Publisher
 
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
Hypoxis species greatly resent root disturbance, plants should be placed in their permanent positions as soon as possible and left undisturbed for as long as possible[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

Roots - cooked as a vegetable[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
,
1923
Title
The genus Hypoxis L. (Hypoxidaceae) in the East Tropical Africa: variability, distribution and conservation status
Publication
Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 14: 1-129, 2009
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Website
http://10.2478/v10119-009-0011-5
Publisher
 
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. They can also be dried for later use[
1923
Title
The genus Hypoxis L. (Hypoxidaceae) in the East Tropical Africa: variability, distribution and conservation status
Publication
Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 14: 1-129, 2009
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Website
http://10.2478/v10119-009-0011-5
Publisher
 
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. When dried they have a flavour somewhat like roast chestnuts[
1923
Title
The genus Hypoxis L. (Hypoxidaceae) in the East Tropical Africa: variability, distribution and conservation status
Publication
Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 14: 1-129, 2009
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Website
http://10.2478/v10119-009-0011-5
Publisher
 
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. The globose to ovoid tuber is up to 36mm long and 22mm wide[
1923
Title
The genus Hypoxis L. (Hypoxidaceae) in the East Tropical Africa: variability, distribution and conservation status
Publication
Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 14: 1-129, 2009
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Website
http://10.2478/v10119-009-0011-5
Publisher
 
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Medicinal

The pulp from the tuber is used as a treatment for skin ulcers, pustules and infected wounds[
1923
Title
The genus Hypoxis L. (Hypoxidaceae) in the East Tropical Africa: variability, distribution and conservation status
Publication
Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 14: 1-129, 2009
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Website
http://10.2478/v10119-009-0011-5
Publisher
 
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
 
,
1924
Title
The Genus Hypoxis (Hypoxidaceae) in Central Africa
Publication
Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 88: 302-350. 2001
Author
Wiland-Szymańska J.
Publisher
 
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The tuber is used in the treatment of skin ulcers, HIV/AIDS, wounds, sickle cell diseases and ringworms[
1925
Title
Diversity and Conservation Through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa - A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea
Publication
Diversity 2020, 12, 122;
Author
Mofokeng M.M. et al
Website
http://10.3390/d12040122
Publisher
 
Year
2020
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The raw tuber is crushed and applied to the infected area as a treatmet for ringworm[
1930
Title
Diversity of Hypoxis species used in ethnomedicine in Tanzania
Publication
South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 336-341
Author
Pereus D. et al
Website
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2018.03.004
Publisher
 
Year
2019
ISBN
0254-6299
Description
 
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Division.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Hypoxis+angustifolia>

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