Hoodia flava is a succulent native to the Cape Province in South Africa and to Namibia.[1] It has a unique pattern of distribution, growing inside bushes or on gravelly slopes and hills.[2] It is commonly known as ghaap or yellow-flowered ghaap in the Afrikaans language.[3]
| Hoodia flava | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Hoodia |
| Species: | H. flava |
| Binomial name | |
| Hoodia flava (N.E.Br.) Plowes | |
Leafless and branchless, H. flava grows as cylindrical green stems up to 6 inches in height and 2 inches in diameter, with 20-30 longitudinal ribs of mammillae, each one featuring a thin, brown spine on its crest.[3] Yellow flowers appear in winter on the youngest parts of the plants near the top.
This plant should be watered during its growing season and then sparsely otherwise.[3]
Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Hoodia flava |
|
| Trichocaulon flavum |
|