Hoodia is a succulent -not a cactus- which grows in various areas of Africa.

It belong to the Magnoliopsida class, Gentianales order and Apocynaceae family.

Other common names for hoodia are: (South Africa) Ghaap, Bitter Ghaap, (Namibia)Hoodia, goa.-I, khoba.b, khowa.b, goai-I, khoba, khoba.bs, khobab, khowab, goab, otjinove, nawa and kharab.

Hoodia Gordonii were used traditionally by the San people as an appetite suppressant, thirst quencher and as a cure for various illness and diseases.

The Hoodia Gordonii plant grows in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa and although it looks like a cactus it is categorized as a succulent. Hoodia Gordonii is its latin botanical name. The cactus grows wild in the harsh conditions of the 100,000 square miles Kalahari desert of Southern Africa.

The Hoodia plant can grow up to six feet tall.

It has large, beautiful flowers, but the flowers usually have a rather bad smell, since they are pollinated by flies rather than bees.

Taxonomy of Hoodia

To know more about the Hoodia gordonii plant , we include some basic information compiled from CITES´ INFORMATION DOCUMENT ON TRADE IN HOODIA GORDONII AND OTHER HOODIA SPECIES

1. Taxonomy

1.1. Class: Magnoliopsida

1.2. Order: Gentianales

1.3. Family: Apocynaceae

1.4. Genus:Hoodia Sweet ex Decne.

1.5. Scientific synonyms: Gonostemon Haw.; Trichocaulon N.E.Br.

1.6. Common names: (South Africa) Ghaap, Bitter Ghaap, (Namibia) Hoodia, goa.-I, khoba.b, khowa.b, goai-I, khoba, khoba.bs, khobab, khowab, goab, otjinove, nawa and kharab.

1.7. Trade names and pharmaceutical names: P57 (active ingredient)

Source: CITES