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Two : gigantea and S. schinzii var. angolensis

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Walker, Colin C. (2017). Two stapelias: and S. schinzii var. angolensis. New Zealand Cactus & Succulent Journal, 70(3) pp. 6–8.

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Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. For more information on Open Research Online’s data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policies page. oro.open.ac.uk are longest along the margins. Two stapelias: Stapelia gigantea As expected for a stapeliad, the and S. schinzii var. angolensis scent is unpleasant, being the typical smell of rotten meat or By Colin C. Walker dead carrion. The odour is not as strong as you might expect Stapelia is now considered to be a to 1m – or exceptionally 3m for such a large flower and modest sized genus with 28 species – in diameter. It presents few many much smaller-flowered currently recognised (Bruyns, 2005) problems for the grower but as apocynads have far more and widely distributed throughout with all stapeliads mealy bugs pungent, unpleasant southern Africa south of Angola, can be problematic, scents compared to Zambia and Mozambique, being so diligence is required this giant. most diverse in South Africa. to prevent damage This species has one of the Here just two of these species are from this pest. widest distributional ranges considered: Stapelia gigantea and S. of any Stapelia. It was first schinzii var. angolensis, which sit at collected in 1858 in what is now opposite ends of the scale in terms of KwaZulu-Natal, but it is now flower size. Both have flowered well known to occur over much of Fig.2 for me in the past and hence come southern Africa: northern South Stapelia highly recommended. Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, gigantea Within this genus the claim to fame Mozambique, Zimbabwe, flowering of Stapelia gigantea is that it is, as Malawi and Zambia (Bruyns, in a 12.5cm heralded by its name, truly a giant. 2005). This makes it the most diameter pot. The species was first described in northerly occurring species of its of the limited range of S. unicornis, 1877 by the renowned Kew botanist genus. Surprisingly for such a but there are apparently no records of Nicholas Edward Brown, who called widespread and variable species hybridisation between the two. The it “The goliath of the genus” (Brown, it has accumulated relatively few distinctive pale green colour and long 1877). Brown’s accolade of “goliath” synonyms but there are some, hairs of the stems of S. unicornis make it is well deserved, since this species has the most important of which is easily distinguishable, whilst the flowers THE largest flower not only of any Stapelia nobilis. Stapelia gigantea are significantly smaller, usually being stapeliad but also of its family the grows in a variety of habitats only 10cm across – but exceptionally . It proudly sits amongst including rocky slopes, coastal Fig.1 Buds of Stapelia gigantea can be up to 13cm. The slender the biggest flowers in the whole of the sand dunes and unusually for a tapering corolla lobes of S. gigantea kingdom to rival other giants succulent, alongside mangrove easily separate it from the other large- such as Rafflesia! The bud has a slender tapering beak swamps (Bruyns, 2005). (Fig. 1). Its flowers range in size from flowering species such asS. gettliffei, S. of S. gigantea are typical of 20-40cm diameter, with my plant The closest relative to S. gigantea grandiflora and S. hirsuta (Bruyns, 2005). Stapelia having robust, prominently is S. unicornis which has a much (Fig. 2) having flowers about 30cm In contrast to S. gigantea, S. schinzii has 4-angled, erect stems to 30cm long more limited distribution and in diameter. The open flower has a more limited distribution occurring that are shortly pubescent and green occurs principally in the Lebombo long tapering corolla lobes radiating only in Namibia and southern Angola. mottled with purple if grown in full Mountains where South Africa, from a very shallow tube. The inner Stapelia schinzii var. schinzii is quite sun. In cultivation it grows relatively Swaziland and Mozambique surface is adorned with prominent, widespread in Namibia whilst var. quickly and branches freely from meet. The distribution range of irregular, raised reddish ridges and is angolensis occurs over a more restricted the base, hence forming clumps up these species overlaps across most covered with fine purple hairs which range in southern Angola and northern

6 New Zealand Cactus and Succulent Journal Vol. 70, No. 3 December 2017 New Zealand Cactus and Succulent Journal Vol. 70, No. 3 December 7 being only 7 cm across in my plant, although these can be up to 14 cm in diameter. The flowers have the typical transverse ridges of most Stapelia flowers, but unlike those of S. gigantea these are somewhat shiny and adorned with very dark purple hairs on the edges of the corolla lobes, hence greatly adding to their attractiveness. Being a smaller, more compact plant with shiny flowers makes S. schinzii var. angolensis more attractive than S. gigantea in my opinion. In my experience and certainly here in the UK at least it is also much rarer in Fig. 3 Stapelia schinzii var. angolensis cultivation, giving it collector flowering in a 12.5 cm diameter pot. appeal. Added interest also comes from the fact that it is Namibia. This latter variety was first only one of two species of Stapelia described in 1969 from the Chela currently recorded from Angola. This Mountains of southern Angola, second Angolan species, Stapelia hence its name, but has since been parvula, was also first described in discovered in Namibia. Here in the 1969; it too has small flowers, hence Baynes Mountains it is apparently its name. It is rarer in the wild than not uncommon, where it grows in S. schinzii var. angolensis and I have very shallow soil in rock crevices and never seen it in cultivation, so it is a on ledges along cliff edges, usually plant worth tracking down. completely in the open (Bruyns, References 2005). Brown, N.E. (1877) Stapelia gigantea. Stapelia schinzii var. angolensis is Gard. Chron. n.s. 7: 684, Fig. 112. a smaller growing plant than S. Bruyns, P.V. (2005) Stapeliads of gigantea. The habit of its stems Southern Africa and Madagascar. is more loosely spreading and 2 vols. Umdaus Press, Hatfield, sometimes almost prostrate. This Pretoria. growth form makes it ideal for growing in a hanging pot with stems Colin C. Walker and flowers hanging over the pot [email protected] edge (Fig. 3). Flowers are also much smaller than those of S. gigantea,

8 New Zealand Cactus and Succulent Journal Vol. 70, No. 3 December 2017