Stapelia gigantea N.E. Br.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Shashe Wilderness Camp, Shashe River

Photo: John Laing
Zambezi National Park.

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Synonyms:	Ceropegia gigantea (N.E.Br.) Bruyns Stapelia marlothii N.E. Br. Stapelia nobilis N.E. Br. ex Hook. Stapelia youngii N.E. Br.
Common names:
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
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Southern Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini and eastern South Africa.
Growth form(s):
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Image last updated:	Monday 6 February 2017
Literature:	Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Page 119. (Includes a picture). Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 104 - 105. (Includes a picture). Binns, B. (1968). A First Check List of the Herbaceous Flora of Malawi The Government Printer, Zomba, Malawi Page 22. also as Stapelia nobilis Bruyns, P.V. (2005). Stapeliads of Southern Africa and Madagascar Volume II Umdaus Press, Hatfield, South Africa Pages 472 - 474. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 34. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 178. Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Apocynaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 193 - 194. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 371. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 22. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 29.

Other sources of information about Stapelia gigantea:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Stapelia gigantea
Flora of Malawi: Stapelia gigantea
Flora of Mozambique: Stapelia gigantea
Flora of Zambia: Stapelia gigantea
Flora of Zimbabwe: Stapelia gigantea

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Stapelia gigantea
African Plant Database: Stapelia gigantea
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Stapelia gigantea
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Stapelia gigantea
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Stapelia gigantea
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Stapelia gigantea
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Stapelia gigantea
JSTOR Plant Science: Stapelia gigantea
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Stapelia gigantea
Plants of the World Online: Stapelia gigantea
Tropicos: Stapelia gigantea
Wikipedia: Stapelia gigantea