The species and the variety studied
POWO accepts the name Stapelia hirsuta L. The study by Shuttleworth and coauthors concerned the nominate variety, S. hirsuta var. hirsuta (Ceropegia pulvinata var. pulvinata in the article). Observations were made in April and May 2016 in a population of about sixty plants near Swellendam in South Africa. [Shuttleworth et al. 2026] [2-WWW]
Flowers near the ground surface
Flowers of the variety studied are densely hairy and develop close to the ground. The population contained individuals with pale-yellow and dark-burgundy flowers, with varying proportions of yellow stripes and spots. An individual flower persists for several days, providing many opportunities for fly visits. [Shuttleworth et al. 2026]
Which insects carried pollen
Flowers were visited by flies from Calliphoridae, Muscidae and Sarcophagidae. Pollinia were found on flies of the genus Lucilia and some flesh flies. Attachment of pollinia to mouthparts was associated with probing the central gynostegium. The visitor list itself included a broader group of insects than the list of confirmed pollen carriers. [Shuttleworth et al. 2026]
An experiment with hairs and height
Removing hairs from the corolla surface did not change arrival frequency relative to the control, but shortened probing time. Concealed flowers still attracted flies, with fewer visits. Raising flowers by 1 m reduced visits, while raising them by 0,5 m did not have this effect. The authors interpret geoflory and hairiness as characters affecting pollinator behaviour. [Shuttleworth et al. 2026]
Chemistry of the signal
Dimethyl disulphide and dimethyl trisulphide, together with p-cresol, indole and limonene, made substantial contributions to the volatile profile. Both colour forms had similar sets of dominant components. Results apply to the variety and population studied, documenting chemical and mechanical components of one pollination system. [Shuttleworth et al. 2026]
Synonyms and names in the literature
Ceropegia pulvinata · Ceropegia pulvinata var. pulvinata · Stapelia hirsuta var. hirsuta [2-WWW]