Witchweed

Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke

Description:

Sparsely branching stems and scale-like leaves purple brown about 20cm high, flowers lilac. No green leaves as this is a root parasite

Habitat:

Tree/bush savanna

Notes:

this pretty parasitic plant is probably parasitising various legumes in the herbaceous vegetation. When in the open such as along the roadside it is very obvious but within the well grown herbaceous vegetation (good rains recently have produce lush growth) it is not so easy to notice (photo 4)

Species ID Suggestions

3 Comments

acapdreyer 10 years ago

In Namibia, these plants start of as greenish/white and then turn green (sometimes with some red). After the rainy season they die back and turn almost completely black (like your herbarium specimens).

C.Sydes 10 years ago

Thanks for the references, do these plants just start out green and change permenantly or do they resurrect after good rain. I've seen the herbarium specimens - jet black throughout.

acapdreyer 10 years ago

I agree that this is Striga gesnerioides. Initially the plant does have green leaves and stems. It dries to black (like many other plants in this family).

See http://www.kyffhauser.co.za/Plants1/Stri... and http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesda... for images of this plant with green leaves and stems.