Hydnora africana is an achlorophyllous plant in the subfamily Hydnoroideae, native to southern Africa that is parasitic on the roots of members of the family Euphorbiaceae.

[5] Molecular data has suggested that Hydnoroideae is a "basal angiosperm" solidifying its place among the more primitive flowering plants.

[3] Hydnoraceae are the only angiosperms known to have no leaves or scales and are considered obligate parasites, completely dependent on their hosts to survive.

The anther groups are arranged into a triangle so that a gap forms between their pits and the beetles will proceed to fall down onto the stigma of the parasitic plant.

[10] Hydnora africana produces a fruit that grows underground, taking up to two years to ripen fully.

This smell is generated from the osmophores, which is a white spongy area on the inner surface of the tepals that eventually change colour to grey.

[12] Seeds from H. africana were brought back to the United States from Africa and planted in pots of Euphorbia.

[6] The rotting odour serves to attract dung beetles and other insects that then become trapped within the flower walls due to the stiff bristles.

"...if pollinators disappear and might limit seed dispersal…In addition, they are being removed at a rapid rate for agricultural land expansion and overexploitation for medicinal use…".

"Our results show that the precipitation of the wettest month..was the most important variable contributing to the distribution of the two Hydnora species.