Habenaria epipactidea

Family: Orchidaceae

What it is like

An orchid. It grows in the soil. It is 30-55 cm tall. It has an underground tuber 6 cm long by 3 cm wide. This produces an upright stem. The tuber has a dark woolly covering. There are 8-15 leaves that closely overlap the stem. The largest leaf is the lowest and is 5-12 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. The flowers are on a cylinder shaped spike and they have a sweet scent. The spike is 6-16 cm long and 2-5 cm wide. The flowers are close together and there can be 7 or many. The fruit is a narrowly oval capsule. It has slits that release the very small seeds.

It is becoming rare due to over harvesting. Plants should be cultivated and not only harvested from the wild.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in grassland in damp or rocky gullies. In Tanzania it grows between 1,100-1,800 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The tubers are dug and peeled and cooked. They can be pounded and baked into mealy cakes.

The tubers are popular. They are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Tuber, root

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from tubers.

Tubers are harvested at the end of the rainy season. In Tanzania this is May to July. They can be stored in a cool place for several weeks.

Its other names

Local names

Chichala, Kikande chanima, Kikanda jike, Kikande maka, Kimachura

Synonyms

Bonatea foliosa (Sw.) Lindl.; Habenaria foliosa (Sw.) Rchb.f. [Illegitimate]; Habenaria hircina Rchb.f.; Habenaria perfoliata Kraenzl.; Habenaria polyphylla Kraenzl.; Habenaria polyphylla Boivin ex Cordem.; Habenaria rautanenii Kraenzl.; Habenaria schinzii Rolfe; Habenaria trachychila Kraenzl.; Habenella epipactidea (Rchb.f.) Szlach. & Kras-Lap.; Orchis foliosa Sw.; Platantheroides epipactidea (Rchb.) Szlach.; Platycoryne rautanenii (Kraenzl.) Szlach. & Olszewski; Platycorynoides epipactidea (Rchb.f.) Szlach.; Platycorynoides hircina (Rchb.f.) Szlach.; Platycorynoides rautanenii (Kraenzl.) Szlach.;