Scientific Name
Rhytidocaulon macrolobum Lavranos
Synonym(s)
Ceropegia macroloba
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Genus: Rhytidocaulon
Etymology
The specific epithet "macrolobum" (pronounced "mak-roh-LOH-bum") means "large-lobed" and refers to the relatively large lobes of the corolla of this species.
Origin
Rhytidocaulon macrolobum is native to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia.
Description
Rhytidocaulon macrolobum is a small succulent with obscurely 4-angled light to dark brown stems with a wrinkled texture and lance-shaped to narrowly triangular leaf rudiments. The stems are solitary or sparingly branched. The primary stems can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) long and 0.8 inches (2 cm) in diameter, while the branches are shorter and more slender.
The flowers can reach a diameter of 0.8 inches (2 cm) and appear in 1- to 3-flowered inflorescences on very short stalks in fall. They emit a strong, citric scent of decaying plant material. The corolla lobes are velvety, whitish to green towards the base, with dark purple transverse lines or coarse spots, dark dull purple, brown, or dark green apical half, and two clusters of a few purplish cilia near the apex. The corona in the center of the flower is purple-red with a white base.
Subspecies of Rhytidocaulon macrolobum
- Rhytidocaulon macrolobum subsp. macrolobum
- Rhytidocaulon macrolobum subsp. minimum
How to Grow and Care for Rhytidocaulon macrolobum
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 9a to 11b: from 25°F (-3.9°C) to 50°F (10°C).
Stapeliads are relatively easy to grow. However, they should be treated as outdoor plants as they will easily rot indoors and cannot flower without exposure to outdoor temperature fluctuations. They should be grown under cover so that watering can be controlled. They require a reasonable amount of sunlight to promote flowering and maintain a well-shaped plant. Very shady positions will produce very poor flowering. Stapeliads come from climates where they survive extremely high temperatures in the summer months, so most growth is in spring and autumn, with flowering in autumn when the weather starts to cool down. Water in moderation when needed in the growing season, ensuring the soil is pretty dry out between waterings. Do not water between November 1 and March 1.
The easiest and best way to propagate Stapeliads is from stem cuttings, which can be taken year-round. Using the seed is also a method of propagation.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Stapeliads.
Links
- Back to genus Rhytidocaulon
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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