Have you ever heard of African hydra? Also known as “jackal food” or “Jakkalskos”, it is one of the rarest, weirdest and smelliest plants you can find in the world.
Next We tell you about it, its characteristics and all the curiosities we have found about that flowering plant you don’t want to have in your garden.
Contents
How is the African hydrora
If you have never encountered the African Hydrina before, we present it to you here. As you can see, this is quite a rare plant. In reality, what you see is its flower, because the plant grows inside the earth and parasitizes the roots.
This plant is native to southern Africa and was found by chance by a biologist, Iaguk Vidalsaka. Currently, this plant is also found in Central and South America.
As for the flower, it comes out of the ground and you should know that it is fleshy and you don’t want to be near her because she smells like faeces. It is characterized by its three orange petals at the start.
The reason for the smell is that it seeks to attract natural pollinators. Specifically, look for dung beetles and other beetles that like the area. What about them? He catches them, but only for a time, because later he releases them.
It is because of it needs these pollinators for the flower to fully open. Otherwise, I couldn’t do it. The flower is entirely red and flesh. There is no doubt that she is very curious, but no one could resist her for long.
Now, as you know, After the flowers, come the fruits. However, these, like almost all of the plant, they are underground and they are also only produced in the dry season. It can reach 80 millimeters in diameter and inside there can be up to 20,000 seeds brown in color stored in the gelatinous pulp.
Unlike the flower, the fruit is used as food, not only for animals, but also for humans. It is said that in addition to being edible, it is quite fragrant and attracts many animals that seek it (monkeys, rhinos, jackals…). If you’re wondering, we can tell you that it tastes very, very sweet, mixed with starch.
How is the plant “inside”
As we have already told you, the African Hydnora is a plant of which we only see the flower, everything else is buried. However, we know what it looks like (if you see it, you won’t really think it has a flower or it’s a plant, but looks more like a mushroom).
On the one hand you have the plant body. This is grayish brown in color and has no leaves.. There is also no chlorophyll inside. Younger specimens are a brighter brown and as they become more mature the tones darken to dark gray and from there to black.
As for the roots, they are known to form around the host plant. The same goes for the stems, which are warty, fleshy and angular, and connect directly to the roots of the plant. Another point to know, these can be less than 10 millimeters long, which tells you that they are very close to the plants.
how is the flower
Some additional information you should know about the African Hydrangea flower is that this, when it emerges to the surface it will have 3-4 “fleshy petals”. At first these are joined, but over time they break vertically to allow space to expose the bait, which will attract the beetles.
The flower can be about 100-150mm tall.
Also It has stamens, only these are in the perianth tubei.e. they are not very visible (especially since this tube is about 10-20 mm wide).
How do beetles pollinate flowers?
Wondering how they pollinate it? It’s a bit of a “rough” process, but that’s what they do. First, they open these petals so that the bait is exposed. This is composed of decaying white bodies (generated by the same plant). When insects smell it and approach, the flowers themselves capture them through stiff hairs that prevent them from escaping.
This way, when they have finished feeding on the bait, insects are dragged to the tube of the flower and along the way they collect pollen from this until they fall on the stigma and there they pollinate the flower.
This is when it fully opens and although it doesn’t look like a “normal” flower, it has to be said that it is.
Uses of Hydrora Africana
Source: curiosities.com
Even if you don’t think so, the truth is that African hydra has multiple uses. Besides the fact that the fruit can be eaten and is therefore used for food purposes, it should also be known that the part of the plant (the plant parts) can be used for:
- Sunbathe.
- Coal.
- Medication. Specifically, to treat diarrhea.
Although not common, these uses, especially in Africa, are quite common.
Can you have Hydnora africana as a plant?
Due to the fact that it is rare, you may be wondering if anyone might have it in the garden of their home. But we already tell you that it is not usual for this to happen. First, because of the bad smell it would give off; and secondly because we are talking about a parasitic plant, which means that it needs a host to “feed on”, which means sacrificing a plant.
One of the species to which it “clings” most often are Euphorbias, in such a way that it grows alongside it and feeds on it.
Now you know a lot more about Hydnora africana and although it is not a commercial plant or easy to find, there are seeds. Still, we don’t think you want to have it in your garden because, other than its rarity, everything else will surely put you off. Did you know this plant?