Common Name:

General Information

Hypoxis gregoriana is a perennial plant producing a cluster of grass-like leaves from a corm-like tuber; it can grow up to 60cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
The plant is locally common and is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2009)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Tropical east Africa - Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania

Habitat

Open glades, swampy grassland, wooded grassland, semi-deciduous bushland, woodland, open forest, edge of montane forest, secondary mountain forest, pasture; at elevations from 1,000 - 3,650 metres, but mainly between 1,500 - 2,000 metres[]

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	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[].
Species in this genus generally require a light, freely draining soil and a position in full sun or light shade[]. This species is found in a range of soils including black cotton soil, black volcanic soil, dark chocolate loam of volcanic origin, red sandy loam, grey very sandy clay, whitish loamy soil, sandy soil of quartzite, hard gravel soil, among rocks[].
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[].
The plant often begins growing after a fire and comes into flower when the leaves are fully developed[].

Edible Uses

Roots - cooked as a vegetable[]. Juicy[]. Children eat the small tubers attached to the roots[]. The tubers can also be dried for later use[]. The yellow to deep orange tuber sometimes has a camphor-like smell[]. The elongated to globose tuber is 85 - 100mm long and 10 - 34mm wide[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe[].
Division.

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