Ceropegia stapeliiformis Haw.

Goyder, D. J., Gilbert, M. G. & Venter, H. J. T. (2020). Apocynaceae (part 2). In: M. A. García (ed.), Flora Zambesiaca, Vol. 7(3). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Morphology Roots

Roots fibrous

Vegetative Multiplication Tubers

Tuber absent

Morphology Stem

Stem initially decumbent or trailing and rooting adventitously, branches constricted at bases, very fleshy, 8–15 mm thick, smooth with raised tubercles, dull green mottled and often tinged with purple, glabrous, flowering stems more slender and twining

Morphology Leaves

Leaves inserted on basal tubercles, scalelike, sessile; leaf blade cordate-ovate or triangular, to 3 mm long, base with with 2 pairs of golden yellow glands, apex acute, glabrous except for a few short marginal hairs near apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences extra-axillary, peduncle 2–20 mm long, glabrous; rachis producing successive cymes, Pedicel up to 10 mm long, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals ovate-lanceolate, to 4 mm long

Morphology General Buds

Buds with raised sinuses and slender beak

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla to 70 mm long, slightly curved; divided to about halfway down; basal chamber ovoid, c.7 mm wide, gradually narrowed at apex, limb cylindrical, c.3.5 mm wide, widening fairly abruptly to mouth, exterior mottled grey with larger purplish blotches towards mouth, glabrous, interior hairy in basal chamber and around mouth, otherwise glabrous; sinuses rounded, spreading; lobes triangular to triangular-attenuate, to 35 mm long, plicate, apices recurved or erect, free or twisted together, abaxially glabrous, adaxially white with margins and tips purplish, purplish brown or greenish yellow, finely pilose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona shortly stipitate or sessile, cupular, c.5 × 3.5 mm white or brownish, outer lobes confluent with bases of inner lobes, bifid, 2–2.5 mm high, pubescent and often with some longer hairs adaxially and at tips; inner lobes incumbent-erect

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed not recorded. Follicles widely divergeant, thickly fusiform, c.10 cm long, grey-green, glabrous, verruculose

Distribution

The typical subspecies, subsp. stapeliiformis, is found in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa south of 31° S.

Recognition

It has much less prominent stipular glands, less extensively twining flowering stems and shorter, usually somewhat recurved corolla lobes than Subsp. serpentina