Diversity and Conservation through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa—A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Mofokeng, Motiki M.; Araya, Hintsa T.; Amoo, Stephen O.; Sehlola, David; du Plooy, Christian P.; Bairu, Michael W.; Venter, Sonja; Mashela, Phatu W.

doi:10.3390/d12040122

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Diversity and Conservation through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa—A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

by

Motiki M. Mofokeng

^1,2,*

,

Hintsa T. Araya

^1,2

,

Stephen O. Amoo

²

,

David Sehlola

²,

Christian P. du Plooy

²,

Michael W. Bairu

²,

Sonja Venter

² and

Phatu W. Mashela

¹

Green Biotechnologies Research Centre of Excellence, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0722, South Africa

²

Agricultural Research Council, Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Private Bag X293, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Diversity 2020, 12(4), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/d12040122

Submission received: 31 December 2019 / Revised: 19 March 2020 / Accepted: 20 March 2020 / Published: 25 March 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity of Vegetation and Flora in Tropical Africa)

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Abstract

Africa has the largest diversity of the genus Hypoxis, accounting for 61% of the current globally accepted taxa within the genus, including some endemic species. Using Hypoxis hemerocallidea as a case study, this review addresses the conservation concerns arising from the unsustainable, wild harvesting of a number of Hypoxis species. Hypoxis hemerocallidea is one of the wild-harvested, economically important, indigenous medicinal plants of southern Africa, with potential in natural product and drug development. There are several products made from the species, including capsules, tinctures, tonics and creams that are available in the market. The use of H. hemerocallidea as a “cure-all” medicine puts an important harvesting pressure on the species. Unsustainable harvesting causes a continuing decline of its populations and it is therefore of high priority for conservation, including a strong case to cultivate the species. Reviewing the current knowledge and gaps on cultivation of H. hemerocallidea, we suggest the creation of a platform for linking all the stakeholders in the industry.

Keywords: African potato; conservation; commercialization; cultivation; Hypoxidaceae; medicinal plant; unsustainable harvesting; wild harvesting

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MDPI and ACS Style

Mofokeng, M.M.; Araya, H.T.; Amoo, S.O.; Sehlola, D.; du Plooy, C.P.; Bairu, M.W.; Venter, S.; Mashela, P.W. Diversity and Conservation through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa—A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea. Diversity 2020, 12, 122. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12040122

AMA Style

Mofokeng MM, Araya HT, Amoo SO, Sehlola D, du Plooy CP, Bairu MW, Venter S, Mashela PW. Diversity and Conservation through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa—A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea. Diversity. 2020; 12(4):122. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12040122

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mofokeng, Motiki M., Hintsa T. Araya, Stephen O. Amoo, David Sehlola, Christian P. du Plooy, Michael W. Bairu, Sonja Venter, and Phatu W. Mashela. 2020. "Diversity and Conservation through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa—A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea" Diversity 12, no. 4: 122. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12040122

APA Style

Mofokeng, M. M., Araya, H. T., Amoo, S. O., Sehlola, D., du Plooy, C. P., Bairu, M. W., Venter, S., & Mashela, P. W. (2020). Diversity and Conservation through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa—A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea. Diversity, 12(4), 122. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12040122

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Diversity and Conservation through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa—A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

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