Hoodia pilifera Seeds - Indigenous Endemic Medicinal Succulent Stapeliad

Hoodia pilifera Seeds

South African Endemic Succulent

Hoodia is a genus of 13 species in the flowering plant family Apocynaceae. They are stem succulents, described as cactiform because of their remarkable similarity to the unrelated cactus family. They can reach up to 1m high and have large flowers, often with tan colour and strong smell. They fall in the group of succulents, collectively known as Stapeliads. Many Hoodia species are protected plants, typical of the Namib Desert, ranging from Central Namibia to southern Angola, especially in plains and rocky areas. Common names include "Bushman's Hat" and "Queen of the Namib". Several species are grown as garden plants, and one species, Hoodia gordonii, is being used as an appetite suppressant. They grow well in pots and rockeries. The unusual flowers are flat and saucer-like in shape and red, purple to brown or mottled dark yellow in colour. Flowers form prolifically near the stem tips in summer. The short stems are many angled with white spikes appearing at short intervals on each angle. Stems are single or branch forming, they occur in variable shades of green. Medicinally it is widely used traditionally by the San people of southern Africa as an appetite suppressant, thirst quencher and as a cure for severe abdominal cramps, hemorrhoids, tuberculosis, indigestion, hypertension and diabetes. Hoodia pilifera is not only indigenous to South Africa but is also a South African endemic species. It can be found in the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape form Montagu to Uniondale, Matjiesfontein to Laingsburg and Gamka Poort, and Klaarstroom. It was the first species of the genus to be discovered by Thunberg and Masson near Oudtshoorn between 1772 and 1774. It was harvested extensively for its medicinal value and has become rare due to habitat degradation, overgrazing and harvesting.