Stapelia gigantea N.E. Br.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Shashe Wilderness Camp, Shashe River

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Synonyms:	Stapelia marlothii N.E. Br. Stapelia nobilis N.E. Br. ex Hook. Stapelia youngii N.E. Br.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Somewhat straggling succulent perennial. Stems 4-angled, more or less erect, up to 25 cm tall, pubescent, not prominently tuberculate. Leaves 2-3 mm, pubescent, acute with obscure stipular glands. Flowers opening in succession on a short, densely pubescent peduncle from the base of the stem. Corolla flat and wheel-shaped 12-40 cm in diameter, deeply lobed, limb flat or somewhat cup-shaped. Lobes ovate-acuminate with 3 prominent main veins on the outside; inside buff to reddish, finely wrinkled with transverse red-brown to purple lines, weakly hairy; margins ciliate with longer hairs. Corona dark purple, outer lobes erect-spreading, oblong to subspathulate, 5-6 × 1.5-2.5 mm; inner lobes, 8-12 × 1-2 mm, sometimes concealing the anthers.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	gigantea: gigantic, huge, referring to the very large flowers
Habitat:	In a variety of habitats, often in rocky areas on wooded hillsides
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, eastern S Africa, Swaziland, southern Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,W,C,E,S
Growth form:	P
Endemic status:
Red data list status:	Data deficient
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Tuesday 6 May 2008
Literature:

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Other sources of information about Stapelia gigantea:

Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Stapelia gigantea page
Flora of Mozambique: Stapelia gigantea
African Plant Database: Stapelia gigantea
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Stapelia gigantea
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Stapelia gigantea
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Stapelia gigantea
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Stapelia gigantea
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Stapelia gigantea
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Stapelia gigantea
JSTOR Plant Science: Stapelia gigantea
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Stapelia gigantea
Tropicos: Stapelia gigantea
West African Plants database: Stapelia gigantea