Cytinus hypocistis
(L.) L.
Cytinaceae
Asarum hypocistis L.
Hypocistis hypocistis (L.) Linding.
Hypocistis lutea Fourr.
Thyrsine hypocistis (L.) Walp.
Common Name:
General Information
Cytinus hypocistis is a fleshy, perennial plant, parasitic on the roots of Cistus species. With small, scale-like leaves that cannot photosynthesize, itt produces a compact cluster of very short, unbranched stems clothed in brilliant red scales topped with bright yellow flowers; it grows around 3 - 13cm tall[
1548- Title
- Flora Iberica
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.floraiberica.es
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published in book form, the treatments of the various species have also been released on-line in PDF format. Records entered here are all from the on-line PDFs.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is a popular snack food, especially in the Canary Islands.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
1548- Title
- Flora Iberica
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.floraiberica.es
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published in book form, the treatments of the various species have also been released on-line in PDF format. Records entered here are all from the on-line PDFs.
Range
Mediterranean - throughout the region, but absent in Egypt. Also in Macaronesia..
Habitat
Maquis and garigue, parasitic on the roots of several species but especially Cistus species[
89- Title
- Flowers of the Mediterranean.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polunin. O. and Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- Hogarth Press
- Year
- 1987
- ISBN
- 0-7012-0784-1
- Description
- A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses.
].
Amongst sedges and other thickets, associated with the various Cists species that it parasitizes; at elevations up to 2,000 metres[
1581- Title
- Inventario Espanol de los Conocimientos Tradicionales relativos a la Biodiversidad. Segunda Fase
- Publication
-
- Author
- Editors: Manuel Pardo de Santayana et al
- Website
- http://publicacionesoficiales.boe.es/
- Publisher
- Ministerio de Agricultura; Madrid
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 978-84-491-1472-4
- Description
- An excellent guide to the traditional uses of plants in Spain. Produced in three volumes, it is available for download as a PDF from the Internet
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.06 m |
| Pollinators | Ants |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A parasitic plant, growing on the roots of various Cistus species, especially white-flowered forms. It produces no chlorophyll[
89- Title
- Flowers of the Mediterranean.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polunin. O. and Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- Hogarth Press
- Year
- 1987
- ISBN
- 0-7012-0784-1
- Description
- A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses.
].
The abundance of this species in the field is closely linked to spring rains, so that in dry years it practically does not flower while in rainy years it is abundant and easy to see[
1581- Title
- Inventario Espanol de los Conocimientos Tradicionales relativos a la Biodiversidad. Segunda Fase
- Publication
-
- Author
- Editors: Manuel Pardo de Santayana et al
- Website
- http://publicacionesoficiales.boe.es/
- Publisher
- Ministerio de Agricultura; Madrid
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 978-84-491-1472-4
- Description
- An excellent guide to the traditional uses of plants in Spain. Produced in three volumes, it is available for download as a PDF from the Internet
].
Edible Uses
Young plant - cooked. An asparagus substitute[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
].
The flowers contain a sweet nectar. The inflorescences are commonly used as sweets, especially by children and by shepherds who collect them while taking care of the animals. The flowers are collected when they are 'grenades' and the base of each flower is swollen, filled with a pasty liquid. The complete inflorescences are harvested and the flowers are removed one by one, squeezing them so that the sugary liquid that is sucked as a candy comes out of its base. On the island of La Gomera, a distinction is made between the bitter ones, in which a yellowish streak appears in the liquid, and the sweet ones, with the liquid completely white. It is also indicated that for them to be very sweet, they must have received enough insolation. It is a proper use of children
Medicinal
The plant is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and as a remedy for stomach ailments[
1581- Title
- Inventario Espanol de los Conocimientos Tradicionales relativos a la Biodiversidad. Segunda Fase
- Publication
-
- Author
- Editors: Manuel Pardo de Santayana et al
- Website
- http://publicacionesoficiales.boe.es/
- Publisher
- Ministerio de Agricultura; Madrid
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 978-84-491-1472-4
- Description
- An excellent guide to the traditional uses of plants in Spain. Produced in three volumes, it is available for download as a PDF from the Internet
].
The sweet liquid obtained from the flowers is diuretic[
1581- Title
- Inventario Espanol de los Conocimientos Tradicionales relativos a la Biodiversidad. Segunda Fase
- Publication
-
- Author
- Editors: Manuel Pardo de Santayana et al
- Website
- http://publicacionesoficiales.boe.es/
- Publisher
- Ministerio de Agricultura; Madrid
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 978-84-491-1472-4
- Description
- An excellent guide to the traditional uses of plants in Spain. Produced in three volumes, it is available for download as a PDF from the Internet
].
Both methanol and water extracts of the whole plant have been shown to be active against Plasmodium falciparum (a protozoan parasite that can cause malaria) strains. The antimalarial activity of these extracts might be attributed mainly to the presence of several hydrolyzable tannins, a group of compounds previously reported to have antimalarial activity[
1159- Title
- Evaluation of the antimalarial and antileishmanial activity of plants from the Greek island of Crete
- Publication
- Journal of Natural Medicines (2007) 61:38-45
- Author
- Fokialakis N.; Kalpoutzakis E.; Tekwani B.L. et al
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A survey of 65 species of plants for their anti parasitic activity,
]
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
