Cytinaceae FAMILY

Cytinus hypocistis

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Cytinus hypocistis is a fleshy, perennial plant, parasitic on the roots of Cistus species. With small, scale-like leaves that cannot photosynthesize, itt produces a compact cluster of very short, unbranched stems clothed in brilliant red scales topped with bright yellow flowers; it grows around 3 - 13cm tall[ 1548 Title Flora Iberica Publication Author Website http://www.floraiberica.es Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Published in book form, the treatments of the various species have also been released on-line in PDF format. Records entered here are all from the on-line PDFs. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is a popular snack food, especially in the Canary Islands.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeMediterranean - throughout the region, but absent in Egypt. Also in Macaronesia..

HabitatMaquis and garigue, parasitic on the roots of several species but especially Cistus species[ 89 Title Flowers of the Mediterranean. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Publisher Hogarth Press Year 1987 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1 Description A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses. ]. Amongst sedges and other thickets, associated with the various Cists species that it parasitizes; at elevations up to 2,000 metres[ 1581 Title Inventario Espanol de los Conocimientos Tradicionales relativos a la Biodiversidad. Segunda Fase Publication Author Editors: Manuel Pardo de Santayana et al Website http://publicacionesoficiales.boe.es/ Publisher Ministerio de Agricultura; Madrid Year 2018 ISBN 978-84-491-1472-4 Description An excellent guide to the traditional uses of plants in Spain. Produced in three volumes, it is available for download as a PDF from the Internet ].