Image - Wikimedia / Mahieddine Boumendjel
In the world we can find plants of all kinds: trees, palms, bulbous trees, and a great etcetera, but the truth is that we rarely stop to think that there are some that are parasitic, such as Cytinus hypocystis.
It is a species that, to survive, needs to take advantage of the roots of others to get food (that is, water and the nutrients that are dissolved in it). Know her.
Where are you from?
El Cytinus hypocystis, known by the common name of chupamieles, is a parasitic plant native to the Balearic and Canary archipelagos, as well as Crete, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. In the Iberian Peninsula we can also find it in the Los Alcornocales Natural Park in Andalusia, and in O Grove (Pontevedra, Galicia).
It lives in shady areas, often associated with the Mediterranean cork oak. Its flowers are very beautiful, which is why it can pass as one more plant, but it will be striking that these seem to sprout from the ground itself, since it will not always have visible leaves.
What are their characteristics?
The sucker is a plant that produces sheets that are 15 to 30 by 4 to 10mm, oblong or ovate, with serrated margin. The floriferous stems from 3 to 16cm in height, which can appear solitary or in the hands of up to 10-13 arising from the same root. These are erect and measure about 10mm in diameter at the base, and 20mm at the apex.
Its flowers are grouped in inflorescences of 3 to 20 units, and are red or scarlet red.. The fruit is yellow, 5 to 10mm in diameter, and inside it contains numerous ellipsoid seeds of 0,1 to 0,2mm.
What uses does it have?
Image - Wikimedia / Luis nunes albert
Well, it is parasitic… but it has some very interesting uses for humans 🙂. In fact, it is known that has astringent, antidiarrheal and emmenagogue properties. In addition, it is used in traditional medicine to treat throat tumors and dysentery.
Did you know the Cytinus hypocystis?