Caralluma foetida
Plant Family
Apocynaceae
Accepted Binomial Name
Caralluma foetida E.A.Bruce
Synonymous Binomial Names
Desmidorchis foetida (E.A.Bruce) Plowes 1995
Subspecies
No subspecies have been described.
Common (Vernacular) Names
Carrion flower
Plant Characteristics
Endemicity. The species occurs from Karamoja in N. Uganda and adjacent areas in Kenya to as far east as Archers Post (Noltee 2020) in Acacia bushland or wooded grassland at elevations 700–1700 m (Goyder et al. 2012).
Growth Habit. The stems are leafless, grey-green, 2-3.5 cm thick, four-sided and up to 20 cm tall, forming clumps to 1.5 m in diameter. When not in flower, this species is difficult to distinguish from related species like C. retrospiciens and C. speciose (Noltee 2020) and C. tombuctuensis (Hennings 1946).
Flowers. Inflorescences are 30–40-flowered, up to 4 cm diameter (Goyder et al. 2012). The flowers are brown and emit a strong, fetid odor that attracts flies. A series of photos of the flowers and plants growing in the wild is available on the Enjoy Succulents Blog (Noltee 2020).
Fruits. The fruit consists of two erect mericarps, erect, parallel to spreading, ± 12 cm long, 0.8 cm wide (Goyder et al. 2012).
 Caralluma foetida |
Conservation Status
No information on the conservation status of this species was found.
CITES Listing: Caralluma foedida does not appear on any of the CITES appendices (CITES 2020).
IUCN Listing: Caralluma foedida is not listed on the Red List and has apparently not been assessed (IUCN 2020).
FWS Listing: Caralluma foedida was not found on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS) database of Threatened and Endangered Specis (FWS 2020).
Uses
Landscaping Use. This species may have applications as an ornamental or novelty plant, and in xeriscaping. It has a neat, interesting form, is slow growing, and highly drought tolerant.
Medicinal Uses. No specific uses of this species were found in the literature. However, Caralluma is one of the most widely used genera of medicinal plants in some areas of the world. Other species of Caralluma have been used as traditional medicines for treatment of rheumatism, diabetes, leprosy, paralysis, and inflammation, and they have antimalarial, antitrypanosomal, anti-ulcer, antioxidant, antinociceptive, and antiproliferative activities (Dull et al. 2012). In their 2014 review, Adnan et al. established a relationship between these uses and the fragmented scientific literature on pharmacology, phytochemistry and toxicology of the genus. They found efficacy of several in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer activity (Adnan et al. 2014).
The bioactivities of Caralluma spp. may be attributed to the presence of compounds such as pregnane glycosides, flavonoid glycoside, flavones, magastigmane glycosides, pregnane steroids, steroidal glycosides, saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, aromatic and nonaromatic volatile compounds, and β-sitosterol. The pregnane glycosides are one of the major constituents and indicate the appetite-suppressant property of the genus (Dull et al. 2012).
Data from clinical trials indicates that C. fimbriata extracts appear to suppress appetite and reduce obesity (Kuriyan et al. 2007; Astell et al. 2013; Griggs, Su and Mathai 2015).
Extracts of C. fimbriata are used in nutraceuticals to combat obesity and have received Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status. These findings suggested that it may be possible to develop anti-obesity and appetite-suppressant products from other species of Caralluma (Dull et al. 2012).
Our Research. Our research has focused on identifying Caralluma species that could be grown as an organic crop in artificial cultivation in our facilities. Attempts to grow C. fimbriata and several other species of Caralluma failed. With the exception of C. foetida, all were highly susceptible to root rot caused by Phythium spp. and perhaps other fungal pathogens in this disease complex. These diseases are very difficult to prevent and control and can spread rapidly in moist greenhouse conditions. While C. foetida was affected by root rot, infections tended to be restricted to single plants or stems on a plant, and the percentage of rooted cuttings in propagation that were lost to rot was tolerable.
We have concluded limited research on C. foetida for potential product development and have chromatographic data comparing the compounds present in C. foetida and C. fimbrata grown under identical conditions in Hawaii. This may be made available to other researchers. Please contact us if you have an interest in the data.
Cultivation
Some plants of this species are grown by plant collectors and as an ornamental but no records of cultivation as a crop were found. We are growing a small number of plants of this species for our research and development activities.
Propagation Methods
Seeds. Plants can be grown from seeds but they are not available in commerce.
Cuttings: Caraluma foetida can be grown from cuttings. After allowing the cutting wounds to dry thoroughly and form a callus they should be planted in fast draining media consisting of commercial cactus mix with about 50% added sand or perlite. The cuttings will root slowly and tend to rot if grown in wet media.
 Caralluma foetida, Rooted Cutting |
Pests and Diseases
Insect Pests. We have not observed mealybugs or other insect pests on this species.
Slugs and Snails. These pests are abundant in our area but do not feed on this species.
Diseases. Caralluma foetida is subject to soft rot if grown under cool moist conditions but is much more resistant to than other Caralluma species grown under similar conditions. It appears to be resistant to anthracnose.
Invasiveness Potential
CABI Invasive Species Compendium. This species was not found on the compendium (CABI 2020).
Global Invasive Species Database. This species was not found on the database (GISD 2020).
Hawai‘i-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA). The HPWRA has not assessed the invasiveness risk potential for this species (HPWRA 2020).
Plants and Seeds for Sale
Availability
Seeds. We do not offer seeds of this species for sale.
Nursery Stock. Limited quantities of certified and non-certified rooted cuttings are available from our online store.
Improved Cultivars. No improved cultivars of this species are known.
References
Adnan M, Jan S, Mussarat S, Tariq A, Begum S, Afroz A, Shinwari ZK. 2014. A review on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of plant genus Caralluma R. Br. J Pharm Pharmacol. 66(10):1351-68. doi: 10.1111/jphp.12265. Epub 2014 Apr 30. PMID: 24780055.
Astell KJ, Mathai ML, McAinch AJ, Stathis CG, Su XQ. A pilot study investigating the effect of Caralluma fimbriata extract on the risk factors of metabolic syndrome in overweight and obese subjects: a randomised controlled clinical trial. Complement Ther Med. 2013 Jun;21(3):180-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2013.01.004. Epub 2013 Feb 23. PMID: 23642949.
CABI (CAB International). 2020. Invasive Species Compendium. https://www.cabi.org/isc [accessed 16 February 2020].
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Appendices I, II, and III valid from 4 October 2017. https://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php [accessed 16 February 2020].
Goyder D, Harris T, Masinde S, Meve U, Venter J. 2012. Apocynaceae (part 2), Flora of Tropical East Africa. Cited in Kew 2020.
Dutt HC, Singh S, Avula B, Khan IA, Bedi YS. 2012. Pharmacological review of Caralluma R.Br. with special reference to appetite suppression and anti-obesity. J Med Food. 15(2):108-19. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2010.1555. Epub 2011 Dec 22. PMID: 22191633.
FWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). 2020. Endangered Species Home. Search Endangered Species Database. https://www.fws.gov/endangered/ [accessed 16 February 2020].
GISD (Global Invasive Species Database). 2020. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/search.php [accessed 16 February 2020].
Griggs JL, Su XQ, Mathai ML. 2015. Caralluma Fimbriata Supplementation Improves the Appetite Behavior of Children and Adolescents with Prader-Willi Syndrome. N Am J Med Sci. 7(11):509-16. DOI: 10.4103/1947-2714.170611. PMID: 26713299; PMCID: PMC4683806
Hawai‘i-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA). HPWRA Assessments. Last Updated 2/14/2020. https://50571601-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/weedriskassessment/assessments/All_HPWRA.pdf?attachauth=ANoY7coLp1IOh2kTnLgXtkNaIYXxtPPS-_2CwIBs9JA7S1lP7aCOt5X_ZUKdrIMpAVuVhYO02C00mjpGtHqbDGuPjIMLt5fNQ1Rh6jqAC-9iUo5rY1u_6-oQdJN2o3pV46Snh_9m54-K60zJjjjDBFOYJHLJt4MP_M5upM02gcopSWLTPE7GctNkxhG-MZ89NJ7VAcDXTcfvzeRYou6Py-yOz1ySTvGdcE2IHjKlxfweyCxuT_qZXis%3D&attredirects=1 [Accessed 14 February 2020].
Hennings RO. 1946. Field Notes on Stapelieae Collected in the Laikipia-Samburu District of Kenya. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/content/part/EANHS/XIX_No.%203___4__87___88__107_1946_Hennings.pdf [accessed 15 February 2020].
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). 2020. Version 2019-3. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [accessed 16 February 2020].
Kew 2020. Desmidorchis foetida (E.A.Bruce) Plowes. Plants of the World Online. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:986778-1 [accessed 14 February 2020].
Kuriyan R, Raj T, Srinivas SK, Vaz M, Rajendran R, Kurpad AV. 2007. Effect of Caralluma fimbriata extract on appetite, food intake and anthropometry in adult Indian men and women. Appetite. 48(3):338-44. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2006.09.013. Epub 2006 Nov 13. PMID: 17097761.
Noltee F. 2020. Caralluma foetida. Enjoy Succulents Blog. https://enjoysucculents.com/2015/11/22/caralluma-foetida/ [accessed 14 February 2020].
Page last updated February 16, 2020
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