Gudia

Family: stapeliads. Habitat: the driest semi-desert areas of Southwestern Africa and Angola at altitudes of 500–900 m above sea level.

Perennial, abundantly branching from the base stem succulents. They reach heights of 15–30 cm up to 1 m. Stems erect, many-ribbed, up to 6 cm in diameter, with numerous tubercles or warts (leaf cushions), which end in woody spines up to 1 cm long.

Flowers fairly large (2–8 cm), saucer-shaped or broadly bell-shaped, complex, as in stapeliads. Color ranges from dirty-white to reddish. The calyx is 5-lobed, inconspicuous. The petals are most often brownish or reddish-brown with an unpleasant odor, entirely fused together. In the center of the flower there are outer and inner coronas. Flowers appear 2–6 together, more rarely solitary, in the upper part of the stem. Pollinated by flies.

Require a very sunny, hot position. Watering in summer is moderate, ventilation is desirable; winter keeping dry at 12–15°C. Difficult to cultivate; they can suffer from both drought in summer and overwatering in winter.

Propagated by dividing the clump, and also by sowing. Cuttings are difficult; grafting onto tubers of Ceropegia woodii is possible.