See text Balanophora is a genus of parasitic flowering plants in the family Balanophoraceae distributed from tropical Africa and Madagascar, through South and Southeast Asia, Japan, Queensland and the islands of the western Pacific.

[4] For example, in Taiwan and China, Balanophora is known as she-gu (snake-fungus) and in Thailand as hoh-ra-tao-su-nak.

In both cases, the plant is used to treat a variety of ailments and has various ritual purposes.

The tubers of Balanophora are rich in a wax-like substance which is used in Java as a fuel for torches.

[9] As of January 2025[update], Plants of the World Online accepts the following 25 species:[1] Balanophora yuwanensis, "often considered the same species as B. yakushimensis", is thought to provide the endangered dark-furred Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) of the Ryukyu Archipelago with vegetative tissues as a reward for seed dispersal.