Region: South Africa, Northwestern Cape, southern Namibia.
Habitat: semi-arid; 20 to 35 °C during the day; soil is extremely dry and lacking in nutrients; scattered patches of grass and shrubs.
Ecology: parasitic on the roots of Euphorbia dregeana.
BotanyHerb; perennial; holoparasitic, grows on the roots of Euphorbia dregeana; lacking chlorophyll; underground.
Root: underground rhizome; root-cap-like structure on the primary growth tip; covered with thick corky periderm.
Stems: lacking stems, buds, haustoria.
Leaves: lacking
Flower: dark brown, bright pink to red on the inside when alive; buds are fleshy, triangular, white-yellowish; tubular with three, fleshy, fused perianth lobes, forming a cap; 3 openings for each lobe; androecium consists of an antheral ring, leading down a tube, to a cushion-like stigma; sub-antheral chamber varies from 2 to 10 cm, open in an immature flower; pollen develops on ridges along the outside; the antheral ring closes when mature, creating pollen platforms within; an osmophore, a scent producing structure, in the folds of each lobe which is heart shaped and white; rarely seen above ground, can be found by the cracks in the soil above it; ovary is located below the sub-antheral chamber.
Fruits: have a tough, dark brown pericarp, which is anywhere from 1 to 10 mm thick; white fleshy interior; with threaded strands of minute brown seeds; from 225 to 275 g heavy; 3 to 10 cm in diameter; taste and smell faintly of coconut, with a texture like a mealy apple; technically a berry, may split at maturity.