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Useful Tropical Plants

Hypoxis rigidula

Baker

Hypoxidaceae

+ Synonyms

Hypoxis arnottii Baker

Hypoxis cordata Nel

Hypoxis elliptica Nel

Hypoxis laikipiensis Rendle

Hypoxis volkmanniae Dinter

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Hypoxis rigidula is an erect, robust, herbaceous perennial plant producing a cluster of 5 - 9 grass-like leaves from a corm-like tuber; it can grow up to 100cm tall, growing separately or in 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.
,
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 medicine and a tying material. It is often harvested on a large scale for medicinal use, being marketed under the name 'African Potato', a name more accurately applied to the species Hypoxis hemerocallidea[
1929
Title
African Potato (Hypoxis Spp): Diversity and Comparison of the Phytochemical Profiles and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of
Publication
Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science 4 (04); 2014: 079-083
Author
Zimudzi C.
Website
http://10.7324/JAPS.2014.40414
Publisher
 
Year
2014
ISBN
2231-3354
Description
 
].
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.
,
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

Eastern and southern Africa - Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, S. Africa

Habitat

Open grassland or woodland, fallows; laterite or black soil; at elevations from 800 - 2,300 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.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.80 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.
]. Plants are found in the wild in humus-rich, laterite or black soils with a circumneutral pH[
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

None known

Medicinal

The corm is used in the treatment of gall sickness[
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 roots are often harvested from the wild in large quantities and marketed under the name 'African Potato', a name more accurately applied to the traditional medicinal species Hypoxis hemerocallidea, which is used in the treatment of a range of conditions including cancer, HIV/AIDS, urinary tract diseases, reproductive system diseases, prostate hypertrophy, benign prostate hyperplasia, tuberculosis, syphilis and diabetes[
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
 
,
1929
Title
African Potato (Hypoxis Spp): Diversity and Comparison of the Phytochemical Profiles and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of
Publication
Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science 4 (04); 2014: 079-083
Author
Zimudzi C.
Website
http://10.7324/JAPS.2014.40414
Publisher
 
Year
2014
ISBN
2231-3354
Description
 
].
Research has shown that the root of this species has a similar, though not identical, phytochemical profile to Hypoxis hemerocallidea and is non-toxic. However, it is not known if the medicinal benefits are the same[
1929
Title
African Potato (Hypoxis Spp): Diversity and Comparison of the Phytochemical Profiles and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of
Publication
Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science 4 (04); 2014: 079-083
Author
Zimudzi C.
Website
http://10.7324/JAPS.2014.40414
Publisher
 
Year
2014
ISBN
2231-3354
Description
 
].

Other Uses

The leaves are used for tying firewood and making ropes[
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 are particularly useful for these purposes because of the presence of numerous long sclerenchymal fibres[
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
 
].

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. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Hypoxis+rigidula>

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