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 pilifera is not only indigenous to South Africa but is also a South African endemic species. It can be found in the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape form Montagu to Uniondale, Matjiesfontein to Laingsburg and Gamka Poort, and Klaarstroom. It was the first species of the genus to be discovered by Thunberg and Masson near Oudtshoorn between 1772 and 1774. It was harvested extensively for its medicinal value and has become rare due to habitat degradation, overgrazing and harvesting.