Stapeliads - a Wonder of the World (WIP)
Created | Updated Aug 15, 2004
This will become a potentially very large entry.
Stapeliads are also known as 'Carrion Flowers'. The group as a whole is actually extremely diverse, not just in the appearance of their flowers, but also in the forms of the rest of the plants - the stems and (if present) leaves.
A 'typical' stapeliad would look like this: a leafless plant with short succulent stems traling over the ground and standing up at the tips. The stems would be four-angled with 'bumps' or triangular 'points' at regular intervals along the angles. The stems would be about half an inch to an inch thick, and about four to six inches high, and greenish-gray with brownish or purplish mottle-specks. In Summer, flowers would come out of the creases between the stem angles or the 'points'. The flowers would be reddish, brownish, yellowish or greenish with interesting markings, either stripes or specks, and between one or two inches in width. This flower would have a faint to strong odour reminiscent of rotting meat, and this would attract flies to it. The flies will find no sustenance there, however, and if they lay any eggs, the maggots that emerge will die from lack of food. The flies will however pick up pollen and if they are fooled a second time, transfer it to another carrion flower.
The above description is for a 'typical' stapeliad, but there being so much variation in the group, there are many that fall outside the above description.
There is such a diversity that I hardly know where to start! I myself still have a heck of a lot to learn, so I'll see where I'm gonna go with this entry ...
Stapeliads are also known as 'Carrion Flowers'. The group as a whole is actually extremely diverse, not just in the appearance of their flowers, but also in the forms of the rest of the plants - the stems and (if present) leaves.
A 'typical' stapeliad would look like this: a leafless plant with short succulent stems traling over the ground and standing up at the tips. The stems would be four-angled with 'bumps' or triangular 'points' at regular intervals along the angles. The stems would be about half an inch to an inch thick, and about four to six inches high, and greenish-gray with brownish or purplish mottle-specks. In Summer, flowers would come out of the creases between the stem angles or the 'points'. The flowers would be reddish, brownish, yellowish or greenish with interesting markings, either stripes or specks, and between one or two inches in width. This flower would have a faint to strong odour reminiscent of rotting meat, and this would attract flies to it. The flies will find no sustenance there, however, and if they lay any eggs, the maggots that emerge will die from lack of food. The flies will however pick up pollen and if they are fooled a second time, transfer it to another carrion flower.
The above description is for a 'typical' stapeliad, but there being so much variation in the group, there are many that fall outside the above description.
There is such a diversity that I hardly know where to start! I myself still have a heck of a lot to learn, so I'll see where I'm gonna go with this entry ...
