Odd parasitic plant with fleshy flowers identified as new species

A reappraisal of hydnora plants has identified 1 caller taxon based connected preserved specimens and reinstated 2 others, bringing the full fig to 10

Life 18 January 2023

By Madeleine Cuff

Dried flowers of Hydnora bolinii

Sebastian Hatt

A new-to-science taxon of a foul-smelling parasitic works known arsenic hydnora has been identified from preserved specimens.

Hydnora don’t look similar emblematic plants, lacking leaves due to the fact that they don’t execute photosynthesis to enactment alive. Instead, they leach their nutrients from the roots of big plants, often acacia trees oregon euphorbia succulents.

They are autochthonal to Africa and the Arabian peninsula, and their warty stems mostly stay hidden underground. However, erstwhile a twelvemonth aft dense rains, fleshy flowers resembling thick-skinned papaya burst out. Once afloat opened, the flowers nutrient an odour of faeces to pull pollinating dung beetles.

Hydnora besides nutrient a effect that grows underground and resembles a potato. This is precise astringent and is sometimes utilized for tanning and preserving sportfishing nets.

Hydnora africana flowers increasing successful South Africa

Sebastian Hatt

Previously, lone 8 taxon of hydnora – which was archetypal described successful 1775 – were known to science. Now, aft reviewing the technological lit and preserved specimens, Sebastian Hatt astatine the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, successful London and his colleagues accidental determination are astatine slightest 10 chiseled species. These see the caller taxon Hydnora bolinii, recovered successful Ethiopia and Somalia, which differs from different taxon successful the signifier of its fleshy petals. The survey besides redefines Hydnora hanningtonii and Hydnora solmsiana arsenic chiseled species.

But the squad says overmuch much probe is needed to decently recognize this bonzer plant, including wherefore it targets circumstantial big plants and however endangered antithetic taxon mightiness be.

Reference: bioRxiv, DOI: 10.1101/2022.10.13.512068

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• plants
• botany
• parasites