catophractes alexandri, the only species in the genus catophractes, is a spiny shrub or small tree up to 3m tall, belonging to the family bignoniaceae and occurring in the hot, low-rainfall regions of namibia, the northern cape, kalahari desert, botswana, western zimbabwe and limpopo. preferring calcrete, limestone outcrops and soils, the species often forms pure communities, or grows in association with "colophospermum mopane", "rhigozum virgatum", "phaeoptilum spinosum" and "acacia nebrownii". it is parasitised by several "tapinanthus" spp.