Duvalia

Family: Stapeliads. Habitat: Most species grow in the Cape Province, and some occur in the Transvaal and Natal provinces (South Africa), in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya and the southern Arabian Peninsula.

Fairly small, prostrate plants composed of very succulent, ovate segments, 1.25 to 5 cm long and 1.25 - 1.9 cm in diameter, green or greenish-brown in color. In some species the shoots reach 15 cm in length. There are no leaves; stems have 4-6 ribs. Flowers appear in summer and autumn, have a five-lobed corolla and reach 1.25 - 2.5 cm in diameter. They are usually reddish-brown or purple, rarely cream. The corolla lobes (petals) are generally folded lengthwise, with their margins rolled back. The only exception is D.procumbens.

They require warm conditions and do not tolerate excessive moisture when cold. They grow well in a soil mix of turf, leaf mould and coarse sand (1:1:2). Water liberally during the growing season. Winter temperature should not fall below 12–15°C with occasional watering. Propagation is by seeds and by individual segments, which root at the point of contact with the soil.