Huernia stapelioides flower

Huernia stapelioides flowers grow on pedicels of 1,5 cm emerging from the stem bases. The sepals are small and about linear with acutely pointed tips.

The corolla of the flower appears a very busy, complex affair with dark red lines and spots as well as fleshy, protruding papillae along the creamy yellow surface. There is a sunken tube or cup in the centre and spreading, triangular lobes ending in long attenuating tips around it, variously curved.

Particularly noticeable and contributing to identification of the species are the continuous maroon rings low down in the corolla cup.

The erect corona in the flower centre has five blunt-ended oblong lobes on the outer corona (low down) and five spotted, curving lobes above them, forming the inner corona, positioned right in the flower centre over the staminal column. The diameter of the flower is about 3 cm.

Flowering happens mostly in summer after rain (Hardy and Fabian, 1992; White and Sloane, 1937).