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 ruschii commonly known as Queen of the Namib and African Hats is a native of Namibia where it can be found in the Tiras Mountains. Hoodia ruschii can reach a height of 50 cm. The green stems are irregularly angled. The flowers reach 4cm in diameter and are reddish-brown in colour. The corolla is yellow around the corona and is papillate. It enjoys full sun or light shade and little water. This species is threatened due to overharvesting as it grows close to Hoodia gordonii and can easily be misidentified.