[5] The genus contains a single species, Bowiea volubilis, named after the nineteenth-century British plant collector at Kew, James Bowie.

In South Africa, it occurs in the Eastern Cape Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and Limpopo.

gariepensis is found in southern Namibia and in the western part of the Northern Cape Province in South Africa, primarily in the eastern portion of the rocky Gariep Desert.

[3] The plants have many overlapping succulent scales, which form a tight, pale green, spherical bulb that grows to 8 in (20 cm) above the soil, sending up a twining fresh-green branched stem up to fifteen feet (4.5 meters) in length, resembling green spaghetti,[9] with few linear deciduous leaves.

There are few stomata on the outer surface of the storage leaves, and their volume consists of a large-celled ground tissue, storing water.

[3]The annual, photosynthetic, climbing flower stem is twisted or spreading, highly branched, with needle-like branches up to 7 cm long, slightly fleshy, blue to blue-green in the subspecies gariepensis, reaching up to 1.2 m in length, and green in the subspecies volubilis, up to 10 m long (usually 3–4 m,[3] and typically up to 2 m in container-grown plants).

[2] The ovary is sessile,[2] semi-inferior,[12] three-chambered, broad-conical, light green, sticky in the upper part,[3] containing about 5 ovules in each chamber.

[3] Three-chambered, erect capsules, measuring 9–25 mm in size,[2] spherical and flattened with notched valves (subsp.

volubilis),[3] papery,[12] splitting longitudinally, with remnants of perianth segments at the base,[12] containing black, shiny, angular, oblong[3] and flattened seeds up to 10 mm in length.

[2] Species of the genus Drimia, classified in the section Schizobasis (formerly classified as a separate genus), which have upright (non-climbing), non-fleshy flower stems and short-lived flowers with an upper ovary, slightly fused at the base perianth segments, which fall off before fruiting.

volubilis occurs at low to medium altitudes, usually along mountain ranges, in densely vegetated river valleys, under clumps of bushes, and on boulders.

It tolerates both wet and dry conditions, mainly growing in areas with summer rainfall, with annual precipitation ranging from 200 to 800 mm.

[3] The flowers of these plants, with a scent considered unpleasant, are pollinated by flies from the families Tachinidae and Muscidae, as well as Vespidae.

[21] In the Reveal system from 2007, the genus was classified in the subtribe Bowieinae within the tribe Bowieae in the family Hyacinthaceae.

[29] When combined with other plants, it is also used as an antiparasitic for infants, for hepatitis, pelvic pain in women, and jaundice in children.

In traditional medicine in the Western Cape Province, the bulbs are applied topically for skin rashes, acne, cuts, burns, and insect bites.

[29] The cardiac glycosides present in these plants have cardiotonic, laxative, irritant, emetic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.

[14] Symptoms of overdose include vomiting, hypersalivation, arrhythmia, and spasms, which can lead to death within minutes or hours (depending on the dosage).

Autopsies of individuals who died from poisoning by this plant showed irritation of the digestive system, congestion of the liver and other internal organs, and cardiac arrest during the diastolic phase.

[30] Due to its unusual appearance, Bowiea is cultivated as an ornamental plant, especially as a houseplant[5] (referred to as "extraordinary"[32] and "a true curiosity").

It is believed that it makes warriors brave and invincible, protects travelers, and enables the release of love.