What is the name of the plant in the picture?

Hydnora is a poorly known genus of parasitic plants from Africa and southern Arabia. An extreme reduction in morphological features, including the complete lack of leaves, has led to its reputation as “the strangest plant in the world.” Although it is among the most basal parasitic plant known to science, little work has been carried out on the genus and it remains virtually unknown in cultivation.

The extreme reduction in morphological features of Hydnora—which is one of the few plants to lack all trace of leaves—has long obscured its evolutionary origins. DNA sequence data have revealed that it is in fact placed with the family 'Aristolochiaceae' in the order 'Piperales'. It is the most basal parasitic plants known to science.

Hydnora has a narrow host range, and is parasitic upon the roots of host plants in the spurge. Host specificity can act as a catalyst for speciation in parasitic plants, in which cryptic species can be overlooked because of their reduced morphological features.

Of the few studies carried out on Hydnora, most have focused on reproductive biology. The pollination syndrome of Hydnora is classified as brood-site mimicry with imprisonment.

Their unpredictable and elusive flowering, together with their remote distributions, suggest more species await discovery. Local communities may be instrumental in identifying new Hydnora species, making it a good “target” species for ethnobotanical research.