Representatives of this characteristic South African genus have been figured on Plates 26 and 72, and we have pleasure in illustrating for the first time in colour a species which is unique among the species of Stapelia. It differs from all the known species in having clavate hairs on the disc. The flowers, though much smaller than many in the genus, are very beautiful, and lack the unpleasant smell so characteristic of stapelias.
It is not a common species, and as far as our records go has only been collected in the Tanqua Karroo by Dr. Marloth, and recently the Division of Botany received specimens from Mr. E. Anderson, Matjesfontein. This flowered at Pretoria in February 1923, and our Plate was prepared from these specimens.
Description:—Stems 4 cm. high, 4-angled, minutely pubescent. Rudimentary leaves 2 mm. long, deltoid, acute. Flowers 1-3 together arising about 2/3 up the stem. Pedicels 1·7 cm. long, terete, minutely pubescent. Sepals 5 mm. long, linear-lanceolate, acute, minutely pubescent. Corolla 3·6 cm. across when expanded; lobes 1·5 cm. long, ovate-lanceolate, strongly revolute, so that they appear almost linear, acute, strongly rugose; tube saucer-shaped, covered with numerous clavate hairs about 1 mm. long. Outer corona lobes 4·5 mm. long, 3-lobed, concave on the inner face, with the middle lobe narrower and longer than the side lobes and with the side lobes sometimes bifid or trifid. Inner corona lobes 5 mm. long, incumbent over the anthers, 2-horned, with[{8}] the upper horn erect and curving outwards above, and with the lower horn erect-spreading shorter than the upper horn (National Herb. 2712).
Plate 121.—Fig. 1, surface view of flower; Fig. 2, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 3, sepal; Fig. 4, petal; Fig. 5, outer corona; Fig. 6, inner corona and pollen sac; Fig. 7, pollinia.
F.P.S.A., 1924.