PTERODISCUS SACCATUS

This member of the Pedaliaceae family was given this name by Spencer Le Marchant Moore in 1899. It is found in north-western Somalia and eastern Ethiopia, growing in a well drained soil with some water and some to lots of sun. The caudex can grow to seven centimetres in diameter, the entire plant to fifteen centimetres in height. The flowers are purplish to mauve, throat sometimes yellow. The fruit is very distinctive and unique within the genus: Elliptic in lateral view, 1.8–2.5 times 1.2–1.7 centimetres, only slightly laterally compressed and around one centimetre thick, tardily dehiscent, strongly sclerified, beak triangular, wings around three millimetres wide, usually curled and appressed to the body; up to ten obovate seeds in each cell. The tubers are said to be oblong to turnip-shaped subterranean and edible!

The genera name from Latin ptero; 'winged' and Latin discus; 'disc'. The species name for the sac-like protrusion at the base of the corolla tuber (a reduced spur).