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Useful Tropical Plants

Hypoxis filiformis

Baker

Hypoxidaceae

+ Synonyms

Hypoxis biflora De Wild.

Hypoxis caespitosa Baker

Hypoxis malosana Baker

Hypoxis muenznerii Nel

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Hypoxis filiformis is a slender perennial plant producing a cluster of 3 - 10 grass-like leaves from a corm-like tuber; it can grow around 40cm tall. The plant can spread at the roots to form clumps[
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.
,
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 is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
The plant is fairly widespread and is locally very abundant. It is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2009)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

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.
,
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
 

Range

Tropical Africa from Angola, DR Congo and Uganda, south to S. Africa

Habitat

Natural grassland, especially after burning, disturbed grassland, Protea woodland, peat bogs, swampy grassland, grassy glades, pastures, near cultivations; at elevations from 1,050 - 3,100 metres[
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.
,
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 *  *
HabitCorm
Height0.40 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

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 on a wide range of soils including limestone, clay, sandy soil, black volcanic soil, soil with lots of mica and feldspar[
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.
].
Development of inflorescences may be simultanous with or preceding leaf growth, the plants often flowering after fire[
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
 
].

Edible Uses

The corm is eaten as a vegetable[
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
 
]. It has a smell like soap[
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 cylindrical to subglobose corm is around 10 - 45mm long and 5 - 40mm wide[
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.
]. (as Hypoxis malosana).

Medicinal

None known

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+filiformis>

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