Cytinus hypocistisi

Cytinus hypocistisi

Cytinus is a genus of parasitic flowering plants. Its species do not produce chlorophyll any more, but rely fully on its host plant. Cytinus only parasitizes Cistus and Halimium, two genera of plants in the Cistaceae family.

Several species are found in the Mediterranean Region, South Africa, with a possibly undescribed species from Madagascar.

Systematics

The genus Cytinus is sometimes included in the parasitic family Rafflesiaceae, but put into the family Cytinaceae by others^[2], together with the genus Bdallophyton with four species. Cytinaceae seems to be related with Malvales. Unlike other Rafflesiales, which only have one flower, Cytinaceae have multiple flowers arranged in an inflorescense. The diaphragm, a floral structure present in Rafflesia and Sapria, is missing.

Cytinus ruber is no longer considered a separate species, but is now a subspecies of C. hypocistis.

Uses

The young C. hypocistis is cooked as an Asparagus substitute, and an extract has been used in treating dysentery, throat tumors and as an astringent. C. ruber is also edible, and was used in folk medicine as an emmenagogue.

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Rafflesiaceae
Genus:	Cytinus L.