Stapelia gigantea follicles

A few pairs of yet unopened follicles of Stapelia gigantea, the fruits of the plant, can be seen in this picture. They are usually about 15 cm long. The pair diverges slightly, the erect cylinders tapering to obtuse tips.

The erect stems of S. gigantea will multiply by branching at the decombent stem bases into ground level patches as large as 2 m in diameter. The stems stand 10 cm to 20 cm tall and are square or four-angled in cross-section. The four angles are compressed with columns of spaced, small, soft, rudimentary leaves (White and Sloane, 1937).