Hydnora

Hydnora is a group of parasitic plants described as a genus in 1775. It is native to Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula.
Taxonomy.
The following species are listed within the genus "Hydnora":
Etymology.
The genus name "Hydnora" derives from the ancient Greek , 'truffle', because of the somatic structure of this root parasite.
Genomics.
One of the smallest plastid genomes among flowering plants has been found in the genus "Hydnora". As compared to the chloroplast genome of its closest photosynthetic relatives, the plastome of "Hydnora visseri" shows extreme reduction in both size (ca. 27 kilo base pairs) and gene content (24 genes appear to be functional).
Ethnobotany.
Other "Hydnora" species are known to be available in Southern African herbal markets in Mozambique and South Africa. In South Africa the Imbola yesiXhosa are reported to use a thin paste of the powdered "Hydnora" rhizome as a treatment for acne and other skin conditions. In Uganda, the "Hydnora" spp. are reported to be used as food (fruits) and medicine (rhizomes) for diarrhea, hypertension, and diabetes, though these claims have not been confirmed.