Stapelia

Carrion flowers
Stapelia gigantea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Ceropegieae
Genus: Stapelia
L.
Type species
Stapelia hirsuta
Synonyms[2]
  • × Gonostapelia P.V.Heath (1992)
  • Gonostemma Spreng. (1830), orth. var.
  • Gonostemon Haw. (1812)
  • Stisseria Heist. ex Fabr. (1759), nom. superfl.

Stapelia is a genus of low-growing, spineless, stem succulent plants, predominantly from South Africa with a few from other parts of Africa. Several Asian and Latin American species were formerly included but they have all now been transferred to other genera.[3][4] The flowers of certain species, most notably Stapelia gigantea, can reach 41 cm (16 inches) in diameter when fully open. Most Stapelia flowers are visibly hairy and generate the odor of rotten flesh when they bloom.

  1. ^ lectotype designated by Jarvis, Taxon 41: 570 (1992)
  2. ^ Stapelia L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  3. ^ Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. M. Welman, E. Retief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. Van Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
  4. ^ Tropicos