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Scientific Name | Hydnora abyssinica A.Br. |
Higher Classification | Dicotyledons |
Family | HYDNORACEAE |
Synonyms | Hydnora abyssinica A.Braun, Hydnora abyssinica A.Braun var. quinquefida Engl., Hydnora aethiopica Decne., Hydnora bogosensis Becc., Hydnora cornii Vacc., Hydnora gigantea Chiov., Hydnora hanningtonii Rendle, Hydnora johannis Becc., Hydnora johannis Becc. var. johannis, Hydnora johannis Becc. var. quinquefida Engl., Hydnora michaelis Peter, Hydnora ruspolii Chiov., Hydnora solmsiana Dinter |
National Status |
Status and Criteria | Least Concern |
Assessment Date | 2008/01/15 |
Assessor(s) | V.L. Williams, D. Raimondo, N.R. Crouch, A.B. Cunningham, C.R. Scott-Shaw, M. Lötter & A.M. Ngwenya |
Distribution |
Endemism | Not endemic to South Africa |
Provincial distribution | Gauteng, Limpopo, Northern Cape |
Habitat and Ecology |
Major system | Terrestrial |
Threats |
| Called 'mavumbuka' in Zulu, the roots are harvested and sold extensively for traditional medicine in South Africa, especially in Johannesburg (Williams 2003), and other parts of Africa. The species is used interchangeably with Hydnora africana and Sarcophyte sanguinea and it can be difficult to tell which species is in the markets. The species sold in the Johannesburg markets was positively identified by L.J. Musselman (pers. comm. 2007) from pictures sent to him. Dold and Cocks (2003) reported on the use of H. africana in the Eastern Cape markets (see Hydnora africana assessment). |
Assessment History |
Taxon assessed |
Status and Criteria |
Citation/Red List version | | Hydnora abyssinica A.Br. | Least Concern | Raimondo et al. (2009) | |
Bibliography |
Dold, A.P. and Cocks, M. 2003. Fine fare, rare remedy. Veld & Flora 89(2):12-14.
Marshall, N. 1998. Searching for a cure: conservation of medicinal wildlife resources in East and Southern Africa. TRAFFIC International, Cambridge.
Musselman, L.J. 1997. Hydnoraceae. In: G.V. Pope (ed). Flora Zambesiaca 9 (Part 2):16-18. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Raimondo, D., von Staden, L., Foden, W., Victor, J.E., Helme, N.A., Turner, R.C., Kamundi, D.A. and Manyama, P.A. 2009. Red List of South African Plants. Strelitzia 25. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Visser, J.H. 1987. The strangest plant in the world. Veld & Flora 72(4):109-111.
Williams, V.L. 2003. Hawkers of health: an investigation of the Faraday Street traditional medicine market in Johannesburg. Report to Gauteng Directorate for Nature Conservation, DACEL.
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Citation |
| Williams, V.L., Raimondo, D., Crouch, N.R., Cunningham, A.B., Scott-Shaw, C.R., Lötter, M. & Ngwenya, A.M. 2008. Hydnora abyssinica A.Br. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version . Accessed on 2025/04/13 |
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