Caudiciforms are an unscientific collection, across divisions, orders and families. A common denominator is the perennial swollen caudex/bulb/stem/rhizome or similar, on the plant.

I have found members of so many families across the entire Kingdom of Plantae.  Everything from giant trees to tiny herbs. For most of the species, the caudex is a water-reservoir for a dry period. Some of them has a hollow caudex, in which ants live. In return for this home, they protect it from other insects, and bring home nutrition.

Some of the plants lose their branches and vines, when they dry out, leaving only the caudex and the bigger roots. This reduces evaporation. Others will (in nature) grow larger and larger, and only set flowers after many years.

Some of my plants are dioecious, which means; there are different male- and female plants. Others are monoecious; both male- and female flowers on the same plant. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessary mean they can self-pollinate. Luckily, it is possible to make cuttings of many of them. But, the cuttings don't necessarily form a caudex.

Some caudexes lay deep down in the ground, protected from extreme weather conditions and animals. Some of these won't stand to be exposed, and don't seems so interesting to me. Others are partly exposed, and finally those which are fully exposed. That can be a result of habitat: bare rocks with small cracks, leaving no room for a caudex. Much more about that on this page.

Some of the caudiciforms are used as a crop around the world, for instance the yam. Others are highly poisonous, as a natural result of living in hostile environments, where every leaf is valuable for both animals and plants.
I have chosen not to include annuals, which would have added a lot of crops.

Kedrostis africana
 

Stephania venosa


Dioscorea mexicana