Stapelia gigantea flower centre

In the flower centre of Stapelia gigantea the corona is small compared to the very large corolla.

The five-lobed outer corona spreads its dark purple-brown lobes widely. The oblong lobes ascend before their tips recurve, although not quite out of sight as seen from above. These lobe surfaces are glabrous (hairless) and glossy. The tip of each lobe is three-toothed, the central tooth longer and acutely pointed, the lateral pair obtuse.

The inner corona is also five-lobed and even darker purple-brown. It has narrower, straighter lobes than the outer corona. These lobes taper, their shape somewhat triangular. The inner horn is erect and nearly straight.

The anthers arising from the staminal column are positioned at the style top with pollen-masses upon the blackish pollen-carriers. The anthers alternate with the outer corona lobes (White and Sloane, 1937).