Hoodia currorii
Plant Family
Apocynacae (Formerly Asclepiadaceae), Subfamily Asclepiadoideae
Accepted Binomial Name
Hoodia currorii (Hook) Decene
Synonymous Binomial Names (Kew 2019b)
Ceropegia currorii (Hook.) Bruyns
Scyanthus burkei Hook.
Scyanthus currorii Hook
Common (Vernacular) Names
Ghaap
Subspecies
Hoodia currorii currori. This subspecies has synonyms:
Hoodia macrantha Dinter
Hoodia gibbosa Nel
Hoodia montana Nel
Hoodia currorii var. minor R.A. Dyer
Hoodia currorii lugardii N.E. Br.
Refer to Bruyns (2006a) and Kew (2019b) for detailed information on the taxonomy of this species and subspecies.
Plant Characteristics
Note: Hoodia currorii is often confused with Hoodia gordonii (NBRI 2019). It has a similar appearance and overlapping range. A method for identification and differentiaion between species of Hoodia and Opuntia has been developed (Josh, Techen and Khan 2009).
Endemicity. This species is native to the Cape Province of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. In Namibia H. currorii subsp. currorii is widespread in the arid western parts of the country, from Walvis Bay northwards up to the Kunene River, and also common along the road from Karibib to Swakopmund (NBRI 2019).
Subspecies currori is restricted to the very arid parts of the coastal Namib desert and also eastward up to 250 km from the coast in dry short forest and dry Acacia scrub vegetation (Grubben and Denton 2004).
Subspecies lugardii is found further east than any other Hoodia species. It grows on calcareous soil, often around the base of Acacia tortilis or Colophospermum mopane. (Grubben and Denton 2004).
Growth Habit. A many-stemmed, thorny shrub, 0.1-1.0 meters tall and 0.15-1.00 broad. Its stems are pale grey to brown-green and erect to ascending (Bruyns 2006a).
Flowers. The flowers are usually borne in inflorescences of 1-4 flowers starting near the apex of the stem. These open in succession. They are large, 940-180 mm in diameter, five-lobed and have hair-like bristles inside the tube. As shown below the flower color is variable, typically flesh colored or in various shades of red, pink, maroon and rarely yellow. They have a fetid, excrement like odor.
 Hoodia macrantha with Light Brown Stellate Flower |
 Hoodia macrantha with Red Stellate Flower |
 Hoodia macrantha with Beige Flower |
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 Hoodia macrantha with Dark Red Flower
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 Hoodia macrantha Flower |
 Hoodia macrantha with Pink Flower |
The flowers of distressed plants may exhibit abnormal color and form. This apparently healthy specimen had root rot and died about a month after the photo was taken.
 Hoodia macrantha Abnormal Multicolor Flower |
The flowers emit a strong odor on hot days and attract flies.
 Fly Pollination of Hoodia macrantha |
Fruit and Seeds. As typical of the genus. The fruiting body consists of two horn-like, slender, erect follicles. In some varieties of this species the immature follicles may be red or purple. On ripening the follicles (pods) turn green and split apart releasing the seeds. As they are released a tuft of filament-like pappi ( a coma) opens and the seeds are disbursed by air currents.
 Hoodia macrantha with Purple Immature Follicle |
 Hoodia macrantha Cultivar HM-NC1 F1 with Immature Follicle |
 Hoodia macrantha Cultivar HM-NC1 F1 with Maturing Follicle |
The seeds may occasionally fall out of the follicle without opening.
 Hoodia macrantha Packed Seeds from Follicle |
Conservation Status
Increased awareness and market value of H. gordonii for use in appetite suppressants may have increased mortality associated with unsustainable harvesting of wild plants and this practice could possibly threaten other species of Hoodia. Commercial trade for this purpose is increasing. In addition to increased harvesting, hoodia is also threatened by habitat degradation from agriculture and development (FWS 2019c). In Namibia overharvesting of Hoodia currorii is of concern (NBRI undated).
CITES Listing: This and all other species of Hoodia, are listed on Appendix II of CITES. Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival (CITES 2019a). This listing includes all parts and derivatives except those bearing a label:
“Produced from Hoodia spp. material obtained through controlled harvesting and production under the terms of an agreement with the relevant CITES Management Authority of [Botswana under agreement No. BW/xxxxxx] [Namibia under agreement No. NA/xxxxxx] [South Africa under agreement No. ZA/xxxxxx].” (CITES 2019b).
Hybrids of Hoodia species with other species are subject to these requirements (Shippmann 2016). Hoodia seeds are also regulated by CITES (Harcum 2019), contrary to the information posted on the FWS website (USFWS 2019).
IUCN Listing: Hoodia currorii has been evaluated and categorized as a species of least concern (LC) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN 2019b). It does not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (before 2001) conservation dependent.
U.S. Endangered Species Act Listing Status: This taxon not listed (FWS 2018).
USES
Appetite Suppressant. The thickness, heavy weight and reduced thorns of its stems compared with those of Hoodia gordonii make it an attractive alternative for cultivation and production of plant material for nutraceuticals.
Ornamental Use. Hoodia currorii is more commonly seen in cultivation than other species (Anderson 2008). The flowers of this species are large, variable in shape and in a wide range of brilliant colors, which may explain its wide use as an ornamental and in xeriscaping.
Traditional Food and Medicinal Uses. The young young pods are liked for their sweetness. The stems, preferably harvested after swelling from recent rains, are removed from the plant and rubbed on a stone to remove the spines, cut into strips and consumed. Sometimes they taken home and soaked in water before use. They have a persistent sweet taste and quench hunger and thirst for an extended period of time. A tasty preserve can be made from them. It is also said that after eating the plant a lingering aftertaste remains that gives tobacco smoke a particularly pleasant taste (Grubben and Denton 2004).
Cultivation
This species is cultivated as an ornamental plant in Africa (Anderson 2008). No records indicating that it has been cultivated as a crop were found.
We have grown small numbers of H. currorii at our facilities in Frederick, Maryland and Hawaii for research purposes. At our facility in Hawaii the growth rate of specimens of this species in containers is highly variable. All plants grown outdoors have a higher probability of loss from soft rot, and virtually all of the plants will be attacked by fungal diseases including athracnose, canker and bud rot. Fungicides must be applied frequently. They may prevent new infections but do not control established infections. These diseases are transmitted and progress faster during rainy weather. Plants grown indoors are rarely affected even though the humidity levels are the same as outdoors. We have concluded that this species can only be grown in greenhouses that prevent rain contact with the plants.
Propagation Methods
Seeds. This species is easily propagated from seeds.
Cuttings: Hoodia currorii can be propagated from cuttings (Anderson 2008) and we have had a high success rate in rooting these cuttings than most other species of Hoodia. However, but we do not recommend the practice for propagation as it is much more difficult than production of true cactus (plants in the family cactaceae) from cuttings. Hoodia cuttings are highly subject to rot and we have been unable to get some species and varieties to root. Sometimes a callus forms over the cutting wound and this must be excised to allow root growth. Typically, the majority of cuttings fail to survive and root. Plants grown from cuttings have fewer roots, less vigor, and unstable form, often with few stems from the base and top heavy branching from the main stem.
Improved Cultivars
Naming Used. The name Hoodia macrantha was widely used for Hoodia currorii and is now synonymous with Hoodia currorii subspecies currorii. We obtained many plants for our research identified by suppliers as Hoodia macrantha, H. currorii and H. currorii subsp. currorii in the early years of our research. Because this nomenclature is confused and the accuracy of identification by suppliers was uncertain we retained the names assigned by them to the plants that we worked with.
In the years after we acquired the original plants identified as H. currorii and H. currorii currorii all were lost to diseases before seeds were produced. A small percentage of the plants initially identified as H. macrantha by suppliers survived and we have produced some new cultivars from them. We have continued to identify these as H. macrantha (genotype code prefix HM) in our data bases and online store. If the parent plants of these lineages were correctly identified, their progeny would now be referred to as H. currorii subsp. currrorii.
Plants often referred to as H. macrantha occur in Namibia on the eastern edges of the desert. These are known for their large and spectacular flowers that can reach up to 180mm across (Bruyns 2006a).
Hoodia macrantha Cultivar HM-NC1
 Hoodia macrantha Cultivar HM-NC1 F1 Flower |
 Hoodia macrantha Cultivar HM-NC1 F1 Flower Close Up |
Hoodia macrantha Cultivar HM-NC2
 Hoodia macrantha Cultivar HM-NC2 F1 |
Hoodia macrantha Cultivar HM-NC3
 Hoodia macrantha Cultivar HM-NC3 Flower Center |
Pests and Diseases
Our experience with this species indicates that it has the same profile of pests and diseases as other species of Hoodia. Severe infestations of mealy bugs are common on indoor plants.
Refer to the sections of this website on diseases and pests of Hoodia species (currently under development)
Invasiveness Potential
There are no references indicating that this species is invasive:
Global Invasive Species Database. This species was not found on the database (ISSG 2019).
Hawai‘i-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA). We requested the HPWRA program to assess the invasiveness potential of Hoodia currorii since there were no records of prior introductions in Hawaii. HPWRA completed the assessment on April 29, 2015 and assigned it an assessment score of -2, indicating low risk (HPWRA 2019b). The assessment data is available (Chimera 2015a). It has been designated as a Pono Plant, a good choice for planting in Hawai‘i.
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Plants and Seeds for Sale
Improved Cultivars
We offer plants and seeds of improved varieties of this species (cultivars) that we have developed from our online store. The species name listed for these cultivars is that associated with the seed-bearing plant from which the seeds or plants were grown. Because all of our plants are open pollinated in most cases we cannot definitively determine of the pollinator and all of our cultivars may have hybridized with other species.
Restrictions on Use of Cultivars. Sales and samples of plants, cuttings and seeds of this species and its cultivars are subject to our Hawaiian Hoodia™ License Agreement. All patent rights are reserved by Sustainable Bioresources, LLC. The transfer of Improved Cultivars as defined in the agreement from the buyer to other parties, and all commercial propagation or other commercial uses of these cultivars is prohibited.
We welcome inquiries about potential arrangements for commercial licensing and/or distributorships of our Hawaiian Hoodia™ products.
Please Contact Us for additional information.
Organic Status
All of the live plants and cuttings of our Improved Cultivars of this species offered for sale were produced following the organic farming standards of the Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) program.
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Availability and Ordering Information
Nursery Stock. Live plants of this species are available for purchase from our online store.
Photos taken in December 2019 of typical plants of this species to be offered for sale then are shown below. These seedlings were approximately one year old when the photos were taken and were in 5” pots. They are Certified Nursery Plants (CNP), grown in the Hawaii Department of Agriculture certified nursery areas of our facility. In 2022 we will also be offering mature plants of harvestable size.
 Seedlings of Hoodia macrantha Cultivars |
Seeds. Initially we are offering seeds from this species primarily as mixtures of seeds from multiple seed lots from our online store. Each lot consists of seeds from one follicle (two horns), produced from one pollination event and should have similar genetics. Seeds from specific seed lots will also available and there are usually from 100 – 400 seeds in each lot. Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing these or more information.
Cuttings. Currently, we do not offer cuttings of this species.
Shipping Information
Domestic Shipments. Hoodia plants and cuttings from our certified nursery, and seeds can be shipped to all states and territories of the U.S except California. We are no longer shipping plants or cuttings to California.
International Shipments. All shipments of Hoodia plants, cuttings, seeds and materials derived from Hoodia plants to destinations outside the U.S. must comply with the requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). These shipments will be made under the provisions of our CITES Master File number 44411D, Original Permit/Certificate number 19US52992D/9 and single use permits issued to us by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We must obtain a single use permit for each shipment, regardless of its size. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Inspections, import permits and issuance of Phytosanitary Certificates may also be necessary, and documentation requirements vary by country. Advance payment of fees may be required for permits, certificates, inspections and related services. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Sale for additional information. International customers are advised to contact us for before placing orders for any of our Hoodia products as the requirements and logistics for shipments from Hawai`i are currently unsettled.
References
Bruyns PV. 2006a. Chapter 4. Hoodia. In: Stapeliads of Southern Africa and Madagascar, Vol. I Hatfield, South Africa: Umdaus Press., 92-129.
Chimera, C. 2015a. Assessment for Taxon: Hoodia currorii. https://plantpono.org/wp-content/uploads/Hoodia-currorii.pdf [Accessed 29 October 2019].
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). 2019a. Appendices I, II, and III valid from 4 October 2017. https://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php [accessed 28 October 2019].
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). 2019b. Appendices I, II, and III valid from 4 October 2017. Annotation #9. https://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php [accessed 28 October 2019].
FWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). 2019. Endangered Species Home. Search Endangered Species Database. https://www.fws.gov/endangered/ [accessed 27 October 2019].
GISD.(Global Invasive Species Database) 2018. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/search.php [accessed ## Month 2018].
Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA). #### Year Accessed. Genus species. https://sites.google.com/site/weedriskassessment/home [accessed 29 October 2019].
Harcum H. 2019. E-mail communication, July 3, 2019 from Heather Harcum, Permits Biologist, International Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia.
HPWRA (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment). 2019. Hawai‘i Pacific Weed Risk Assessment Site. https://sites.google.com/site/weedriskassessment/home [accessed 29 October 2019].
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). 2019b. Pages in category “IUCN Red List least concern species”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:IUCN_Red_List_least_concern_species [Accessed 17 November 2019].
ISSG (Invasive Species Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission) 2019. Global Invasive Species Database. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/ [accessed 25 October 2019].
Joshi V, Techen N, Khan, I. 2009. Identification and differentiation between Hoodia gordonii (Masson) Sweet ex Decne., Opuntia ficus indica (L.) P. Miller, and related Hoodia species using microscopy and PCR. Journal of Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants. 15:253-264. DOI: 10.1080/10496470903378953.
Kew (Kew Royal Botanic Gardens). 2019b. Planta of the World Online. Hoodia currorii (Hook.) Decne. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:98337-1#children [Accessed 16 November 2019].
NBRI (National Botanical Research Institute). Undated. Hoodia in Nambia. http://www.nbri.org.na/sites/default/files/Hoodia_booklet.pdf [Accessed 29 October 2019].
Schippmann U. 2016. Plant Annotations in the CITES Appendices – Implementation Manual – Version 1.0. Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN) Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Konstantinstrasse 110, 53179 Bonn, Germany. https://cites.org/sites/default/files/ndf_material/Schippmann_Manual_of_Annotations_V1_2016.pdf [accessed 21 July 2019].+
This page was last updated on January 30, 2022.