Common Name:

General Information

Cistanche phelypaea is a perennial, parasitic plant with an erect, unbranched, fleshy stem that is 3 - 5cm thick and swollen at the base; it can grow from 2 - 100cm tall. Roots are absent, the plant attaching itself to its host via small tubers[, ]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Mediterranean (only from Portugal to Italy in Europe), extending south into the Sahara in Africa and through the Arabian Peninsula

Habitat

Parasitic, growing on plants in maritime and sandy inland areas[]. The main host plants are Tamarix gallica, Calligonum comosum and Pulicaria species[]

Properties

Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Cistanche phelypea is a plant of arid climates where the mean annual rainfall can be less than 100mm[].
Requires a sunny position, preferring a well-drained sandy-loamy soil. The plant is mainly found in large wadi beds in the wild and can tolerate moderate amounts of salt in the soil[].
A full parasite, the plant is totally dependant upon its host for food and does not produce its own chlorophyll[].
The plant is dormant in dry weather, appearring only after rain with flowering occurring soon afterwards. This can happen at any time of year in the high mountains of the central Sahara, in other parts of the plant's range it is more usually seasonal (Spring in northern Africa)[]

Edible Uses

Stem - cooked[]. The lower part of the stem can be either boiled in water or cooked in ashes. It is mixed with cereals to make a sort of porridge or a flat bread[].

Medicinal

The swollen base of the stem is antiseptic, diuretic, stomachic[ It is used as a dried powder, taken by mouth[]. It is used in the treatment of conditions such as diarrhoea, diabetes, intestinal troubles, and infections (abscesses)[].
Applied topically, the powdered root is made into a paste and used as a poultice on abscesses[]. The dry powder is applied to wounds as a haemostat[]
The thick lower part of the stem is collected soon after rain and is dried for later use[].

The lower parts of the young shoots are cut in slices and dried to make poultices[].
A preparation made from the dried lower part of the broomrape, combined with honey and the leaves of the olive tree is used as a cream for treating haemorrhoids[].

The stem is eaten as a food and is said to have aphrodisiac properties[].

The plant is known to contain starch and aromatic constituents[]..

Other Uses

The plant is used as a source of tannins for dyeing[].

Propagation

Seed -