Satyrium macrophyllum

Lindl.

Pink-head orchid

OrchidaceaeRootsPotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Roots

The tubers are peeled, washed, and cooked like potatoes, or peeled, pounded into flour, fermented, and baked into cakes. The tubers and cakes are sold in local markets.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a tropical plant. In South Africa, it grows in grassland and woodland between 1,000-1,940 m above sea level. In Tanzania it grows between 1,200-2,900 m above sea level.

Africa, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe,

Countries: Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Comoros, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

A herb. It is an orchid that grows in the soil. It grows 15-80 cm high. There are 6-10 leaves. The lowest ones form a sheath. The higher leaves are 24 cm long by 8 cm wide. The flowering stalks are 22 cm long. There are many flowers. The flowers are pink. The tubers are 2.5 cm long by 1 cm wide. They are oval.

How to Grow

Plants can be grown from tubers.

Propagation: Seed - Division of tubers.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Satyrium macrophyllum is a species of orchid occurring from Kenya to South Africa.

Production

Tubers are dug up during and soon after the rainy season. Tubers can be stored for several months if kept cool and dry.

Other Information

Tubers and cakes are sold in local markets.

Notes

Over collecting has meant that the plant is at risk.

Names & Synonyms

Chikande, Kikande, Nyamachebele, Nyamasebele, Uklamkleshe, Unoklamu

Satyrium buchananii RolfeSatyrium cheirophorum RolfeSatyrium murrumbalaense De Wild.Satyrium speciosum Summerh.

References (4)

Long, C., 2005, Swaziland's Flora - siSwati names and Uses http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/
Ruffo, C. K., Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B., 2002, Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania. RELMA p 588
Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 84
Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179