Chinese Academy of Sciences
The genus Hydnora, one of the basal angiosperms, is indigenous to Africa, Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula. It consists of eight species: seven in Africa and one in the Arabian Peninsula. Notably, Hydnora abyssinica A.Br. (Fig. 1) and Hydnora africana Thunb. are widely distributed compared to other species. Despite the Hydnora species being practiced in ancient folkloric medicine, their traditional uses and pharmacological value are poorly documented.
Researchers from the Eastern African Plant Flora and Taxonomy Research Group of the Wuhan Botanical Garden summarized the up-to-date ethnobotanical uses, chemistry, pharmacology, and distribution of the Hydnora species, and pointed out possible research gaps.