Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Chemistry and
use
Key to the species
HYPOXIS 263
that have capsules opening by a lid, have erect fruits and
stiff erect scapes; traits characteristic of ballistic dispersal
in that the seeds are held back on the mother plant until
a strong push (by wind or animals) throws them out. The
Hypoxis species with capsules opening by slits, have lax
peduncles releasing the seeds on the soil surface close to
the mother plant. Here the seeds require animals or water
flushes for further dispersal. It is interesting to note that
species with strong cuticular folding on the seed tend to
release the seeds on the ground. It should be examined
whether this particular seed coat structure might be of
interest to small herbivores.
Mucilage canals containing pectin compounds of
mucopolysaccharides penetrate the tubers of Hypoxis.
Steroid saponins (that is molecules resembling human
hormones in structure) are also present. Species of the
genus Hypoxis have recently been extremely popular
in southern Africa (‘African potatoes’), as they are
suspected to have an immunological effect, which
might be of interest in connection with the HIV/AIDS
epidemic. Reports tell that plants are collected in such
large quantities to be sold at local markets, that they may
go extinct in parts of South Africa and Zimbabwe. More
studies are certainly needed.
The species numbered 3 to 7 below, belong to an apomictic polyploid complex
and might be difficult to identify. Hypoxis abyssinica is widespread on the
Horn of Africa, the others are rather local and not sufficiently known.
1. Slender plants; leaves linear, narrower than 0.5 cm; seeds dull, brownish,
papillose, with cuticular folding on the papillae 2
- Slender to robust plants; leaves linear to lanceolate, broader than 0.5 cm;
seeds glossy, black, papillose or not, without cuticular folding on the papillae 3
2. Inflorescence with (1–) 3–5 flowers; lower pedicel longer than 1 cm; tepals
5–8 mm long; capsule turbinate, distinctly longer than broad when ripe,
opening with longitudinal slits 1. H. angustifolia
- Inflorescence with 1 (–2) flowers; all pedicels shorter than 0.5 cm; tepals
7–10 mm; capsules conical, length about equalling the diameter in the apical
part when ripe, opening with a lid 2. H. schimperi
3. Slender plants, leaf width up to 0.3–2 cm, tepal length up to 10 mm long 4