h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK seeing as I've recently posted a complete nonsense entry about the (non-existent) Volpatinga, how about I post one now of something real, and very amazing: the Persian Carpet Flower!

This is a kind of succulent plant with small, thorny, rather unattractive stems. They grow in desert regions from northeast Africa into the Arabian penninsula. The plants are very drought resistant but susceptible to rot in cooler or moister climates. Over here, I keep them either in my bedroom window, or in the back yard under a canopy that keeps them out of the rain and also keeps the heat in.

The amazing thing about these plants is the incredible flower that emerges from those humble little stems!

And in the case of this one, it was a surprise as well!

With my father's sickness and death, I've been rather neglecting my plants. I've been under the canopy to water the plants there every week or two but hadn't noticed anything unusual. Then today I went in there again and ... I suddenly saw in front of me this FLOWER! It took me a few minutes to figure out what it was and where it was coming from ... I was just stunned by its appearance! I hadn't even realised my little Edithcoleas were capable of flowering ... if I had been in there more regularly and paid more attention, I'd have seen the flower bud, but as it were, I just suddenly stumbled upon this flower in all its glory. I got my camera straight away and took pictures!

This is one of the Carrion Flowers, a group of amazing diversity and interest, that is chiefly native to South Africa, and Northeast Africa plus Arabia. These plants are known for having rather smelly flowers that attract flies as pollinators. In addition to *smelling* like rotten animal carcases, the flowers also have some other points of resemblance as well, being reddish, brownish or blackish, and often hairy.

The Persian Carpet Flower is one of the larger flowers in the group, being 8 to 10 cm (3"-4") in diameter. It has a rich velvety texture as well as a very intricate pattern of lines and speckles. This is where it gets its name! In addition, it is very variable; no two flowers look quite alike, and they vary tremendously, some being darker, or lighter, black, brown, red, with markings of yellow, cream or white.

Also it's not quite as smelly as some other carrion flowers!

Here is a picture of mine - now isn't that lovely!

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/Weird%20and%20Wonderful%20Plants/Edithcoleagrandis2.jpg

You can make out the unassuming little stems in the upper right region of the photo. The flower itself completely eclipses the rest of the plant.

I don't think I'm going to get any seeds from it. Even if there are other flowers, they are part of just one 'clone', one individual that I divided up and planted in different containers. Many carrion flowers only pollinate plants that are genetically different from them, so I need more distinct genetic individuals to propagate this species from seeds. But I can and will keep propagating it by means of cuttings.

Wow Willem, those are really totally AWESOME! Thanks for sharing this. I wonder how many time we get distracted, by outside situations or problems, from the beautiful benefits that the Author has for us right under our noses. Attention is important, don´t misapply it.

Beautiful flower.

That's the flower on your Facebook wall? (Just asking before I click--this computer's acting up again.)

Hope you don't mind, i took a look at your flower, amazing!

Hello there everybody, thanks for the comments! I will again start paying more attention to my plant collection and put up some occasional photos here. Amy, yes, I posted this photo to FaceBook as well! Venus, now why would I mind? The more people who take a look, the better!

That is a beauty Willem, though I won't miss the smell What a lovely surprise for you.

Websailor

Hi Websailor! Sadly, the flower has wilted ... they don't last very long. But I have the photo! You know, the smell really is not bad. The most odoriferous flowers are the Orbeas and Stapelias. But one can get used to them. I used to have my entire windowsill full of Stapelia kwebensis plants ... when they were flowering I had some explaining to do if people came into or by my room!