Halothamnus somalensis is a thorny shrub 30–90 cm high, with olive-green branches, that partly turn black when drying.

The bottom of the fruit tube has very small linear grooves located near the periphery, lacking any prominent radial veins.

[1] It grows in open thorny savanna on sandy, clayey or rocky ground, from 0–1750 m above sea level.

The roots of Halothamnus somalensis are traditionally used as a medicine plant against parasitic worm diseases in animals or humans.

[4] In Somalia, the species is known as "gosomadowbeye"[5] ("gowsa-madobeyi", "goso-mudo-weyi", "gusomadobeye", "gosama do beya"[6]) This name derives from the Somalian words goso (= molar teeth) and madow (= black), referring to the fact, that the teeth and lips are stained black when the plant is eaten.