[1] It is a monotypic genus, whose single truffle-like species, Kalaharituber pfeilii, is found in the Kalahari Desert, which spans the larger part of Botswana, the east of Namibia and the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.

[2][3][4] The fungus was first described scientifically in 1895 by German mycologist Paul Christoph Hennings as Terfezia pfeilii.

[7] Kalaharituber pfeilii is found the Kalahari Desert, as well as in other arid regions of South Africa, Angola, Botswana and Namibia.

These include Sorghum bicolor, Eragrostis spp., Grewia flava,[3][4] several species of acacia,[7] and Cynodon dactylon.

[2] According to a case study by the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the fruiting body is eaten by the Khoisan and other indigenous peoples of the Kalahari.