Musselman, L.J. (1993) Hydnoraceae, Flora of Somalia 1: 33-31
Roots pink to flesh-red when fresh, with sticky exudate, extremely bitter and astringent, covered (except for the tip) with irregularly distributed warty outgrowths less than 0.5 cm long from which haustoria are produced. Buds scattered along the roots, usually in clusters of 2-4. Flowers bisexual, (3-)4(-5)-merous, 5-25 cm long, the length depending on the depth of the root, with a foetid small. Perianth lobes 6-8 cm long, patenet and resting on the soil or not reflexed and flower opening by a separation of the hood-shaped lobes; anthers 2.5-3cm long, 2-2.5 cm wide; pollen very sticky.Fruit globose, 10-15 cm in diameter, entirely subterrranean, often splitting irregularly after maturation, outer layer scaly, inner layer mealy, white, very sweet, like the placentas. Seeds brown, very hard, oblong to globose, 1-1.8 mm long.
Parasitic on roots of acacia and perhaps other leguminous trees. Hydnora johannis grows at 100-1170 m. It is widespread in tropical Africa.