Diversity and Conservation through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa—A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Abstract

Africa has the largest diversity of the genus Hypoxis, accounting for 61% of the current globally accepted taxa within the genus, including some endemic species. Using Hypoxis hemerocallidea as a case study, this review addresses the conservation concerns arising from the unsustainable, wild harvesting of a number of Hypoxis species. Hypoxis hemerocallidea is one of the wild-harvested, economically important, indigenous medicinal plants of southern Africa, with potential in natural product and drug development. There are several products made from the species, including capsules, tinctures, tonics and creams that are available in the market. The use of H. hemerocallidea as a “cure-all” medicine puts an important harvesting pressure on the species. Unsustainable harvesting causes a continuing decline of its populations and it is therefore of high priority for conservation, including a strong case to cultivate the species. Reviewing the current knowledge and gaps on cultivation of H. hemerocallidea, we suggest the creation of a platform for linking all the stakeholders in the industry.

Buried but unsafe – defoliation depletes the underground storage organ (USO) of the mesic grassland geophyte,Hypoxis hemerocallidea

“…& Avé-Lall. is a long-lived perennial herbaceous geophyte widespread in mesic grassland, savanna and thicket in south-eastern, eastern, central, and northern South Africa as well as Lesotho, eSwatini, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique (Williams et al, 2019; Mofokeng et al, 2020). Hairy, sickle-shaped leaves (110-600 mm in height, 10-15 mm wide) grow in three ranks, emerging from terminal buds on an underground corm (25-70 mm diameter; up to 500 g in weight) along with long stems bearing yellow-shaped flowers (6-16 per stem) that open and close daily (Pooley, 1998; Mofokeng et al, 2018).…”

Benzoylcyclopropane Derivatives from Hypoxis hemerocallidea Corms

“…(synonym H. rooperi T. Moore) (Hypoxidaceae), commonly known as African potato (English) and inkomfe (Zulu), has been used for decades by natives and traditionalists to treat a variety of ailments in southern Africa [1][2][3]. This medicinal plant is a traditional food crop consumed and cultivated in the North West province of South Africa [4,5]. Due to high market demand, this commercially/economically important plant is one of the top 10 most frequently traded species in southern Africa [1].…”

“…Due to high market demand, this commercially/economically important plant is one of the top 10 most frequently traded species in southern Africa [1]. It is the only Hypoxis species among the 51 plant species listed in the African Herbal Pharmacopoeia [4]. The corms of H. hemerocallidea are used as a tonic, diuretic, and laxative, and to treat prostate gland disorder, infertility, burns, wounds, urinary infections, tuberculosis, and rheumatoid arthritis [2][3][4][5][6][7].…”

“…It is the only Hypoxis species among the 51 plant species listed in the African Herbal Pharmacopoeia [4]. The corms of H. hemerocallidea are used as a tonic, diuretic, and laxative, and to treat prostate gland disorder, infertility, burns, wounds, urinary infections, tuberculosis, and rheumatoid arthritis [2][3][4][5][6][7]. In recent years, this plant has become a prevalent ingredient of numerous commercial products and dietary supplements with various remedial claims [3,4].About 20 norlignans/diarylpentanoids as main constituents [8-10], along with sterols and their glycosides [11,12], have been previously reported from H. hemerocallidea.…”

Biodiversity of Vegetation and Flora in Tropical Africa

“…Aspects of species diversity and conservation are addressed, among others, by Brée et al [9], who analyzed the process of species diversification in African rainforests for two restricted clades of Annonaceae, an important family in African forests. The subject of conservation through cultivation of widely used wild species was examined by Mofokeng et al [10] with a case study on Hypoxis hemerocallidea. With an innovative perspective, a phylogenomic study of the Acanthaceae genus Monechma, which occurs in savanna and succulent biomes, is also included.…”