Hoodia gordonii is found only in South Africa and is a cactus like plant. It is also called xhooba, khoba, Ghaap, and Hoodia cactus. It is sold in several forms; the most popular is the capsule. It is also sold as spray, liquid extract, and patch, or in the form of tea. The Hoodia gordonii plant is found in the semi-deserts of South Africa in clumps of green stems that stand upright. It is a succulent with pale purple flowers. When the flowers appear, the cactus plant is harvested. It takes about five years for the plant to produce these pale purple flowers. There are 20 different types of Hoodia but the variety known, as Hoodia gordonii is believed to have the natural appetite suppressant.