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Botanical Name |
Stapelia gigantea |
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Other names |
Carrion flower; Aasblom(Afrikaans) |
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Asclepiadaceae; succulent; perennial |
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Dimensions |
Vertical stems of 8 to 12cm that in bigger plants spread over areas of more than a sq m |
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Description of Stem |
The green stems performing the photosynthesis duty for the plant have five perpendicular ridges with spaced stipule-like notches; new stems grow at the outer edges of the plant and root as they multiply |
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Description of Leaves |
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Description of flowers |
A cup with five spiky points at the rim forms the corolla, covered in maroon hairs and line markings |
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Description of seed/fruit |
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Description of roots |
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Variation |
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Propagation and Cultivation |
A small cutting will grow easily in a variety of soil types in full or partial sun, not requiring much watering |
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Tolerances |
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Uses |
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Ecological rarity |
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Pests and Diseases |
Occasional fungal growth, especially when growing in shade |
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Other |
Pollinated by flies attracted by the unpleasant smell exuded by the flowers; the plant does not eat insects, a belief stemming from the fact that the hairy; interior of the flower sometimes traps them; similar to S grandiflora |
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Location |
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Distribution |
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Country |
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