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starfish flower
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Starfish flower Close-up of a Stapelia flower, also called carrion flower, with a star-shaped, hairy maroon bloom surrounded by green succulent stems. Close-up of Stapelia gigantea flower with yellow and red striped petals, hairy edges, and green flies at its center on a rocky surface. Carrion flower Zulu-giant (Stapelia gigantea)
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Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap
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Also called:
starfish cactus
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Starfish flower
Starfish flower A fetid starfish flower (Stapelia gigantea) in bloom.

starfish flower

plant, genus Stapelia
Also known as: Stapelia
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History
Taxonomy

starfish flower, (genus Stapelia), genus of about 44 species of succulent plants of the milkweed family (Apocynaceae), native to tropical areas of southern Africa. They are known for the unpleasant carrion odor of their large flowers, which attracts flies to pollinate the plants and lay their eggs there. A few species are cultivated as ornamentals.

Physical description

Close-up of a Stapelia flower, also called carrion flower, with a star-shaped, hairy maroon bloom surrounded by green succulent stems.
Carrion flowerA Stapelia species in bloom. The flowers smell like rotting flesh to attract flies for pollination.

Stapelia plants are similar to cacti in appearance, but are unrelated. They lack true leaves but have scales or spines, and the thick four-sided grooved stems are often colored or covered with outgrowths. The distinctive flowers often have purple, red, or yellow bars and markings and may be hairy or textured. The fruit is a follicle.

Close-up of Stapelia gigantea flower with yellow and red striped petals, hairy edges, and green flies at its center on a rocky surface.
Fly pollinationA stinking starfish flower (Stapelia gigantea) being visited by flies. The insects are attracted to the flower's foul smell and serve as its pollinators.
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A blooming corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) with a tall yellow spadix and large maroon and green petal stands among tropical plants at the United States Botanic Garden.
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.