About Cyphia digitata (Thunb.) Willd.
Cyphia digitata (Thunb.) Willd. is a twining climbing plant that grows from an underground tuber. Stem leaves are either sessile or nearly sessile, and have a digitate shape, meaning they are divided into 3 to 7 lobes. The leaf segments are linear to lanceolate, and often have slightly toothed edges. Leaves higher up on stems transition into leaf-like bracts that have 3 to 5 lobes. At the base of stems, growing against the ground, broader leaves sometimes occur. Its flowers are bilabiate, with the corolla tube completely split into two sections: three petals curve upward, and two curve downward. For the Cyphia genus, this species has relatively long stamens, measuring 5 to 9 millimeters. Flower color is white, or a pale purple-cream. The inner surfaces of the petals usually have some purple spots. It is closely related to other southern Cape species, including Cyphia volubilis and Cyphia sylvatica, and is often confused with them.
