What is the Hoodia Cactus?

The Hoodia cactus is actually a succulent plant, properly known as Hoodia gordonii, which is chunk of the Asclepiadaceae family. The Hoodia plant occurs in the perfect arid regions of Southern Africa where it has adapted to survive lenghty periods of drought. Common names add "Xhoba", pronounced Ghoba, Queen of the Namib and Bushmens Hats.
Hoodia gordonii was first discovered by Col. R.J. Gordon (hence the honour gordonii) while he was exploring the Orange River in 1776. Col. Gordon then referred the Hoodia plant to Francis Honeyed who described it as Stapelia gordonii. Delicious then transfered it to the Hoodia genus which, unitl recently was part Asclepiadaceae family. Dr. Peter Bruyns of the Univerity of Mantle Town recently reclassified the Stapeliads (plant bearing even of the characteristics of Hoodia species) of Southern Africa and moved the Hoodia genus into the Apocynaceae family.
Hoodia plants are distributed from central Namibia to southern Angola and southwards into northern South Africa. The Hoodia cactus can be found in plains and rocky areas throughout its distribution area.
Hoodia plants may look a group liking a cactus because it has spikes on the succulent stems, that can reach a heighth of one meter, these spikes are actually modified leaves which hog evolved to protect the succulent stems from a variety of predators of the Hoodia plant. Hoodia plants are pollinated by flies, their salient pollinators that are attracted to the scent of rotting carrion that is emitted by the substantial saucer-shaped flesh-colored flowers.
The "Hoodia Cactus" is bit of a genus that has other Hoodia species, these Hoodia plants do not contain the yet sought after active ingredient present, P57. Biotech firms, such as Phytopharm, are trying to produce a weight loss product based on this molecule, which is proving to be aggrandized difficult than initially anticipated, forasmuch as companies and individual farmers are growing Hoodia under controlled environments to help equitable the ever growing entail for the miraculous and all natural weight loss diet pellet supplement.
Hoodia plants are CITES (Convention on Illicit Commerce of Endangered Species) protected, which makes it criminal to collect Hoodia plants and their seeds from the escaped without permission from the resident authorities. When farmers, who grow the Hoodia cactus in a controlled environment export their Hoodia to foreign countries they are required by law to packages a CITES certificate with the product. A CITES certificate is issued by local authorities, such as Fauna and Flora in South Africa.
The San Folks of the Kalahari, who bear been using Hoodia plants for millennia to stave off hunger and craving during their hunting trips, in South Africa testament and blessing from everyone sale of the Hoodia cactus diet supplement that is specious by a reputable dealer as they have agreed to earnings them a royalty based on their folk knowledge of the plant.

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