The Hoodia gordonii plant is said to look like a cucumber but with spikes. It is a wild plant in the succulent family that is found in the wild Kalahari Desert of South Africa. The plant is said to have a bitter taste but the Bushmen of South Africa have consumed the plant for thousands of years to stave off hunger and thirst on long hunting trips. Hoodia has a bitter taste and the flowers have a terrible smell that reminds you of rotten meat! The plant was brought to the attention of the media throughout England and the United States in 2004. A few well-known news shows broadcasts reported on the effectiveness of the Hoodia plant in controlling appetite. This sparked worldwide attention for the South African Bushmen and widely thought of as the miracle cure for obesity.