DOING LIFE

STAPELIA GIGANTEA

{Carrion Flower}

Remember, a few posts back I had a picture of a very strange but beautiful looking flower, which was flowering in our garden? I was wondering at the time whether anyone knew the botanical name for it.

Its hard to believe that something as insignificant as a flower, could bring long lost family members together again, and for that matter across continents. My foster surname was Walters and a lady by the name of Charlmayne Walters responded with the following comprehensive description for the strange flower:

"Hi Desire

You've probably had loads of feedback on your question re your flower by now but in case not: I think it is a Stapelia Gigantea. According to the Bundu Book of Trees, Flowers and Grasses (1972) Longman: STAPELIA GIGANTEA Asciepiadaceae

carrion flower SH chikondepasi

This lare-flowered steliad has flowers some 40 cm across. It is widespread at lower altitudes and is particularly common in the south and south-east of Rhodesia. the flowers, which smell of bad meat, are pollinated by flies. There are two other species of Stapelia that occur in Rhodesia: S. gettleffii and S. Kwebensis. These also are most common in the south and south-east. Stapelia adn allied genera are termed stapeliads. Those occurring in Rhodesia are Huernia, Duvalia, Caralluma, Decebelone and Stuititia. I initially looked it up in my copy of the Royal Horticultural Society's A- Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants and found the entry for Huernia to seemingly fit the bill but since there was no photograph that matched yours I wasn't sure so then thought of looking it up in my African books."

The above flower has also been flowering lately in our garden and belongs to the same family as the first flower. But this one is much smaller and only opens this far. I am also very glad to know that it is indigenous to Africa.

With Charlmayne having the surname Walters, it triggered immediate thoughts of her being possible family on my late foster Dad, Roelof Walters' side. So I responded to Charlmayne's email posing the obvious question. Well, it turned out that she is the daughter of my foster Dad's younger brother and have been living in England the last decade. Charlmayne has also been a silent stalker of Doing Life for some time. I am so glad that I have rediscovered one of my nieces 'niggies'. Charlmayne also is an avid gardener and nature lover.

Doing Life had the honour once again to receive the above award and this time it is from the very talented Rica. Please do visit Rica's Haven to have a look at her wonderful card creations. The rules are to pass this award on to five fellow bloggers when accepting it. It is quite difficult to choose only 5 deserving Doing Life visitors, but here goes in no particular order:

• Michelle Ramsay
• Lynette Jacobs
• Helen Tilbury
• Candice Greenway
• Andrea

Please don't be offended if you are not one of the above five, as I would have loved to pass this on to each and everyone of you.

Thank you for popping in once again and for all your lovely inspirational comments. Remember to take a chance at Doing Life's blog candy in celebration of its 20,000 hits ... well the hits have now reached 21,000+, thanks to all your interest.