Green Dipcadi, Dainty green bells
Dipcadi viride

Family: Asparagaceae

What it is like

A small hairless plant with a white bulb. It can have runners with small bulbs. The leaves occur as 1-4 per shoot. They vary in size but are long and sword shaped. They clasp the stem at the base. The flowers occur as 10 small flowers in a loose arrangement around the stalk. The stalk can be 20-50 cm long. The individual flowers are small and thread like. The fruit are on long angular capsules. The seeds are flat, round, shiny and black.

They have also been put in the families Hyacinthaceae and Liliaceae.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in open woodland and wet grass savannah. In Nigeria it has been recorded at 2,300 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Australia, Botswana, East Africa, Eswatini, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

CAUTION: Some closely related Dipcadi are used as rat poison. The bulbs and leaves are used as a vegetable. The bulbs are baked in ashes.

Edible parts

Bulb, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Gifbolletjie, Ligonhua, Morotoana-phookoana, Skaamblommetjie, Slymuintjie, Thelelimoro

Synonyms

Dipcadi tacazzeanum (Hochst.) Hyacinthus viridis L.; Ornithogalum viride (L.) J. C. Manning & Goldblatt; and many others