About Hoodia gordonii Sweet, 1830
Hoodia gordonii is a clump-forming perennial succulent. It grows to approximately 1 metre in height, and a single clump can contain up to 50 grey-green stems that are ribbed and spined. Its flowers reach up to 7.5 centimetres in diameter, and have a five-lobed corolla. Once open, the flowers appear circular because their lobes curl back behind the flower structure. Flower colour ranges from pale straw-yellow to pink to dark reddish-purple. The flowers produce a scent similar to rotting meat, which attracts flies that act as the plant's pollinators. The fruit of Hoodia gordonii is a two-horned capsule that splits open when fully mature to release its seeds. The seeds have a fluffy pappus, and are dispersed by wind.
