Stapelia is a genus of low-growing, spineless stem succulents in the family Apocynaceae (order Gentianales), named by Linnaeus in 1753. The genus comprises around 32 accepted species and is native predominantly to South Africa, with a handful of species distributed elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa. Several species formerly placed in Stapelia — including plants from Asia and Latin America — have since been transferred to related genera such as Orbea, Huernia, Caralluma, and Hoodia.
The most striking feature of Stapelia is its flowers, which are typically large, star-shaped, and covered in fine hairs. The blooms of many species are textured and coloured to resemble rotting meat, an appearance reinforced by a powerful odour of carrion. This combination of mimicry earns the most commonly grown members their shared common name: carrion flowers. The deception is remarkably effective — blow flies of the family Calliphoridae are lured in to pollinate and frequently lay their eggs around the flower's corona, only for the eggs to perish once the ruse is discovered. A notable exception to the carrion theme is Stapelia flavopurpurea, which produces a pleasantly sweet scent. The largest flowers in the genus belong to Stapelia gigantea, which can reach 41 cm (16 inches) in diameter when fully open.
Stapelia species are valued as ornamental plants in succulent collections and are cultivated as pot plants and rockery specimens in suitable climates. They are well suited to container growing, thriving in full sun with light to moderate watering and requiring sharply drained compost to prevent stem rot.
Etymology
The genus name Stapelia was bestowed by Carl Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum (1753), honouring Johannes Bodaeus van Stapel (died 1636), a Dutch physician and botanist who edited and annotated a major edition of the ancient botanical work of Theophrastus.
Distribution
Stapelia is predominantly a South African genus, with the majority of species concentrated in the arid and semi-arid regions of southern Africa. A few species extend to other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Species historically assigned to Stapelia from Asia and Latin America have been reclassified into other genera.
Ecology
Stapelia flowers employ a sophisticated pollination strategy based on deception: the hairy, mottled blooms mimic the appearance and smell of rotting flesh, luring blow flies (Calliphoridae) that mistake the flowers for carrion. The flies pollinate the flowers and often deposit eggs near the corona, though the larvae cannot survive without actual decaying tissue. This carrion-mimicry syndrome is among the most studied examples of floral deception in succulent plants.
Cultivation
Stapelia species are rewarding container plants suitable for sunny windowsills, glasshouses, and outdoor rockeries in frost-free climates. They prefer full sun and tolerate light to moderate watering during the growing season, but require sharply drained, gritty compost to prevent stem rot — prolonged moisture around the stems is the most common cause of failure. Minimal watering is needed in winter when plants are semi-dormant.
