M. Thulin (1993) Zygophyllaceae, Flora of Somalia 1: 179-186
Plants shrubs or subshrubs, up to 1.5 m tall, glabrous. Leaves petiolate, stipulate, simple; petioles about 1 mm long; stipules minute; blades oblanceolate to obovate, up to 14 mm long and 8 mm wide. Inflorescences of solitary flowers. Flowers pedicillate; pedicels 3-12 mm long; sepals ovate, 4-5 mm long; petals pink, with obovate blades, 10-14 mm long; filaments without scales. Ovaries glabrous; styles about 4 mm lon. Capsules up to 10 mm long and 100 mm wide, 5-angled.
Melocarpum hildebrandtii grows in semi-desert scrub and on gyseous soils at 80-950 m in regions N1-N3 of the Flora of Somalia. It also grows in Ethiopia.
Melanocarpum hildebrandtii is one two species that were transferred from Zygophyllum to Melocarpum in 2003, the other being Melocarpum robecchii. Thulin suggested that such a transfer would happen in the Flora.