Hypoxis decumbens aka Coqu

Hypoxis decumbens belongs to the family Hypoxidaceae. It is evergreen and lives for more than two years. Its native range spans much of tropical America. It runs from southern Mexico through Central America to Panama. The plant also grows in the Caribbean and South America. Its range there includes Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. It also takes in French Guiana and eastern Brazil. The range reaches northern Argentina too. The RHS lists it as not native to Britain or Ireland.

The plant forms a clump of narrow, grass-like leaves. They grow from a tuber, which looks like a corm. Its reported height is about 0.3–1.3 feet [0.1–0.4 metres]. A separate database entry gives about 0.8 feet [0.25 metres]. These figures show a small plant that stays low. The sources give no separate height for plants in gardens. Nor do they state how wide a full-grown clump gets. The plant keeps its leaves through the seasons. It does not shed them all at one time of year.

In the wild, it grows mostly in damp, open grassland. It also grows on dry, rocky slopes and in pine woods. Records reach about 11,500 feet [3,500 metres] above sea level. These sites show that it grows in more than one setting. They do not give a tested plan for watering garden plants. The growing notes cover the genus, not this species alone. They do not show its exact light or soil needs. Nor do they show how much frost it can take. The evidence gives no hardiness zone for this species.

Useful Tropical Plants says insects pollinate the flowers. The account does not state their colour or shape. It gives no bloom season or facts about the fruit. It lists seed and division as ways to grow new plants. It says to sow seed soon after it ripens. The account lists it as a wild plant. Local people harvest it for use as medicine. It gives no role for it in gardens or landscapes. The notes name no pests or diseases for this species.

In folk medicine, people use the leaves, flowers, and roots. They use the leaves to ease spasms. They use the flowers to help bring on menstrual flow. They use a boiled root mixture for diarrhoea. These are records of folk uses, not proof of safe treatment. The database lists no known food uses or other uses. It also lists no known hazards. This does not prove it is safe for people or pets.