Stapeliopsis

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Orthokaryota
Cladus: Neokaryota
Cladus: Photokaryota
Cladus: Diaphoretickes
Cladus: CAM
Regnum*: Archaeplastida
Regnum: Plantae
Regnum*: Viridiplantae
Cladus: Streptophyta
Cladus: Phragmoplastophyta
Cladus: Embryophyta
Cladus: Polysporangiophyta
Divisio*: Tracheophyta
Cladus: Eutracheophyta
Cladus: Euphyllophytina
Cladus: Megaphylla
Cladus: Radiatopses
Cladus: Lignophyta
Cladus: Metalignophyta
Diviso*: Spermatophyta
Classis*: Angiospermae
Cladus: Mesangiospermae
Cladus: Eudicota
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Gentianales

Familia: Apocynaceae
Subfamilia: Asclepiadoideae
Tribus: Ceropegieae
Subtribus: Stapeliinae
Genus: Stapeliopsis
Species: S. breviloba – S. exasperata – S. khamiesbergensis – S. neronis – S. pillansii – S. saxatilis – S. stayneri – S. urniflora
Name

Stapeliopsis Pillans, S. African Gard. 18: 32. (1928)

Type species: Stapeliopsis neronis Pillans, S. African Gard. 18: 32. (1928)

Synonyms

Homotypic
Ceropegia sect. Stapeliopsis (Pillans) Bruyns, S. African J. Bot. 112: 419 (2017)
Heterotypic
Hermanschwartzia Plowes, Excelsa 20: 12 (2003)
Neopectinaria Plowes, Excelsa 20: 11 (2003)

Note: A possible synonym of Ceropegia s.l. (Bruyns et al., 2017 & Hassler, 2022 c.f. Govaerts et al., 2022).
References

Pillans, N.S. 1928. South African Gardening 18: 32.
Bruyns, P.V., Klak, C. & Hanáček, P. 2017. A revised, phylogenetically-based concept of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae). South African Journal of Botany 112: 399–436. DOI: 10.1016/j.sajb.2017.06.021 Open access Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2022. Stapeliopsis in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2022 Mar. 13. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2022. Stapeliopsis. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2022. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2022 Mar. 14. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2022. Stapeliopsis. Published online. Accessed: Mar. 13 2022. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2022. Stapeliopsis. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 13 Mar. 2022. Reference page.
Stapeliopsis is a genus of succulent plants in the family Apocynaceae, native to southern Africa.[1][2]
Description

Stapeliopsis was described as a genus in 1928. The name refers to its superficial resemblance to some species of the genus Stapelia (Greek "-opsis" = "look-alike"). The genus is extremely variable.[3]

The stems are four-angled in cross-section, often with lines of teeth along the angles. In some species, the stems are prostrate or even push underground as rhizomes; in others the stems are more erect.

The flowers are highly tubular, with hairs inside the tube of the flower. They appear from the base of the stems and often are born underground (especially in the case of Stapeliopsis pillansii. The tips of many species' flower lobes curve inwards and touch at the tip, forming closed structures. Several species even use their flowers as cages to trap their insect pollinators - only releasing them when the flower wilts.
Distribution

The genus occurs across southern Africa, but is absent from most of the interior, occurring mainly around the western and southern verges of the subcontinent. The species are mostly very rare and restricted in their range. Only Stapeliopsis saxatilis is relatively widespread in rocky areas of the Cape.

Species

Stapeliopsis breviloba (R.A. Dyer) Bruyns - Breede River Valley, Western Cape Province, South Africa
Stapeliopsis exasperata (Bruyns) Bruyns - Western Cape Province
Stapeliopsis neronis Pillans - Namaqualand in Namibia + Cape Province
Stapeliopsis pillansii (N.E. Br.) Bruyns - Cape Province
Stapeliopsis saxatilis (N.E. Br.) Bruyns - Widespread in Cape Province
Stapeliopsis urniflora Lavranos - Namibia

formerly included

S. ballyi, syn of Echidnopsis ballyi
S. cooperi, syn of Orbea cooperi
S. madagascariensis, syn of Stapelianthus madagascariensis

References

Bruyns, P. V. & P. I. Forster. 1991. Recircumscription of the Stapelieae (Asclepiadaceae). Taxon 40(3): 381–391.
Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. M. Welman, E. Retief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. Van Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
Pillans, Neville Stuart. 1928. South African Gardening 18: 32.