Thulin, M. (2006) Cistanche in Flora of Somalia 3: 296
Plants fleshy, parasitic, erect herbs, without chlorophyll, never green. Leaves scale-like, alternate, without stipules, few to many. Inflorescences terminal spikes, with many flowers; bracts present, scale-like; bracteoles usually 2 . Flowers bisexual; calyces tubular. with (4-)5 obtuse-lobes; corollas tubular, with almost radially symmetric limbs, 5-lobed; stamens included or almost so, inserted on the corolla tubes, 2 short and 2 long, a staminode sometimes present; anthers with 2 thecae, opening by longitudinal slits; ovaries superior, 1-celled, with numerous ovules on 4 parietal placentae; styles terminal; stigmas more or less orbicular. Fruits ovoid loculicidal capsules opening by 2 valves; seeds subglobose, numerous, minute, with endosperm.
Cistanche includes about 16 poorly understood species. Its range extends from the Cape Verde Islands through the Medieterranean Region to India and China.
Only one species of Cistanche, Cistanche phelypaea is was reported from Somaliland and Somalia in the Flora of Somalia.