Abstract:
Hydnora species (Hydnora spp.), holoparasitic flowering plants belong to the family Aristolochiaceae, growing on the roots of some species of the families Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae and Burseraceae in arid and semiarid regions of Africa, Madagascar and Arabian Peninsula. The objective of this article was to review and evaluate the past and current status of knowledge of some botanical aspects regarding Hydnora spp. and to identifying gaps in this knowledge. Available literature on this plant was carefully reviewed in details. The results of this reviewing showed that several studies have been carried and out and made some significant advances in the understanding of the taxonomy, identification, description, distribution and host range of the Hydnora species as well as biology, physiology, anatomy and ecology in addition to the management. Moreover, Hydnora plants have an economic importance, as it can be used as human food and animal feed, as well as medical, health and pharmaceutical uses in addition to energy production and the preservation of biological diversity. On the other hand, the plants are parasitic on the trees of Acacia and Euphorbia, which are known for their economic importance. In conclusion, much remains to be learned about the botany of this strangest plant. More studies are also necessary to evaluate the economic importance of Hydnora plants.
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