Botanical name |
Striga elegans |
Other names |
Witchweed; rooiblom (Afrikaans); kopseerblom (Afrikaans) |
Family |
Orobanchaceae, previously Scrophulariaceae |
Dimensions |
A small annual herb, a parasitic plant that grows on the roots of a large variety of grass species hosts; it typically grows to about 12 to 15 cm in height |
Description of stem |
Thin, erect, green stem, sometimes branched to a limited extent |
Description of leaves |
Linear or lanceolate, opposite or nearly so, about 1 cm in length; erect, course and hairy |
Description of flowers |
Terminal clusters of scarlet tubular flowers, about 1,5 cm in length, appear during summer to autumn; the flower tube is characteristically bent; the petals arranged with a somewhat smaller two or three-lobed upper section and a larger three lower lower section, the central lower lobe or lip being slightly longer; the calyx is prominently veined |
Desciption of seed/fruit |
Five-sided capsules; the seeds are fine, brown, dust-like |
Description of roots |
Attaches itself to the roots of a grass plant that functions as host |
Variation |
A pink flowered variety is known in the Magaliesberg and Suikerbosrand areas |
Propagation and cultivation |
Can't be done as yet? Would anybody want to? In nature the seeds germinate in close proximity to a suitable grass plant's roots (not more than a few mm), for the attachment to the root system to occur |
Tolerances |
|
Uses |
Indigenous populations have been known to attempt warding off evil by applying the powdered plant to the skin; also used as protection against lightning |
Ecological rarity |
Common |
Pests and diseases |
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Other |
Other striga species, like S. asiatica, hermonthica and gesnerioides affect agricultural crops, but this one does not; the 28 striga species are indigenous to Africa and some to Asia |
Location |
Open grassland |
Distribution (SA provinces) |
Free State; Gauteng; Mpumalanga; North West; Limpopo |
Country |
South Africa; Lesotho; Swaziland; Botswana; Mozambique; Zimbabwe; Tanzania; Malawi; Angola; Zambia; Kenya; DRC |
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Some info from Wikipedia and www.cdfa.ca.gov |