Stapelia L.

Named for Johannes van Stapel, a 17th century botanist and physician.

Perennial, succulent, tufted herbs with clear latex, stems rough-hairy. Leaves rudimentary; mucilage glands absent. Corolla bell-shaped, rough or warty, hairy; tube short; lobes, free at tips, valvate. Annular and corolline coronas absent; staminal and interstaminal coronas present, with the latter not sessile or fused to the corolla tube. Follicles tapered at each end; seeds with hair tuft at one end.

Most species have putrid flowers that attract flies seeking carrion. A wide range of species is grown by specialist collectors.

Seed or cuttings.

Soft-hairy stems and corolla.

About 50 species in southern and E Africa.

Leach (1985).

Source: Forster, P.; Liddle, D.; Liddle, I. (2002). Hoya. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

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kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Asteranae
order      Gentianales
family       Apocynaceae
Higher taxa
Subordinate taxa
species         Stapelia gigantea N.E.Br.
species         Stapelia grandiflora Masson
species         Stapelia hirsuta L.