Hypoxidaceae FAMILY Near Threatened

Hypoxis schimperi

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Hypoxis schimperi is a slender, herbaceous perennial plant producing a cluster of grass-like leaves from a corm-like tuber; it can grow up to 45cm tall[ 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. Hypoxis schimperi is widely distributed in Africa, but its range is island-like. This species never occurs in large quantities, and has not been collected by botanists since 1986. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' 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 ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeEastern and tropical southern Africa - Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola and Zimbabwe

HabitatSwampy grassland, wet dambo, stream banks, Philippia thickets on basement complex, pasture, growing on black or sandy soils; at elevations from 990 - 3,170 metres but mainly from 1,500 - 2,000 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 ].