Hoodia is a genus of succulent plants in the family Apocynaceae that is widely used traditionally by the San people of southern Africa as an appetite suppressant, thirst quencher and medicinally as a cure for severe abdominal cramps, haemorrhoids, tuberculosis, indigestion, hypertension and diabetes.

Hoodia dregei commonly known as Wolweghaap is not only indigenous to South Africa but is also a South African endemic species. It is naturally found growing in the Northern Cape with a distribution that range from Merweville, Beaufort West and Prince Albert. This area is known as Nama Karoo. It is usually found growing on stony slopes of hills or stony flat areas. Though its population is stable in its natural environment it is under threat from over collecting. It is a rare species known from only five locations. It is potentially threatened by collection as it could be mistaken for Hoodia gordonii.