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A small growing species with very dark flowers, produced freely throughout the summer months. It survived the first winter with me, despite taking some damage, but died in the second. Llifle Encyclpedia of Living Forms says: "Stapelia similis is commonly found in Namibia and the Northern Cape Province (northern Richtersveld) 200-1600 metres above sea level. Stapelia similis is a tufted cactus-like plant with small-sized and showy dark purple star-fish shaped flowers. It is a variable species with several forms both in the wild and in cultivation. Stapelia similis the “similar Stapelia” reflects in its name the close relationships in appearance it has with Stapelia kwebensis, Stapelia kwebensis var. longipedicellata and Stapelia parvula along with it forms a closely related group. Flies pollinate the flowers resulting in the typical twin seed horns (follicles), which are decorative in themselves and often don't appear until a year later. Flowers are intermittently produced throughout the late summer and autumn. |
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| 22nd January 2008 | ||
