The dark and brooding Orbea baldratii subsp. somalensis

Acquired last November as Orbea baldratii and as a single-stemmed, unrooted cutting, this plant has grown exceptionally well and by early January managed to produce a single flower. Comparison of the flower to photos circulating on the web suggested that what I have is subspecies somalensis, endemic, as its name suggests, to Somalia*. The nominate subspecies, subsp. baldratii, is known from Eritrea and Sudan, but is said to also probably occur on neighboring regions.

In the subsequent months the plant puts out a flower or two, but blooming is very unpredictable, and there have been occasions where I would only detect the presence of a flower only until it has faded. The flowers have very narrow corollas made even narrower by the margins reflexing and meeting at the rear. The surface is finely papillate and blackish-purple. Buds often go unnoticed as these are pointed and of the same color as the stems. As is usually the case with many stapeliads, the flowers emit a rotten meat stench, but only detectable if you put your nose very close to the flowers. The dark blooms last for from two to three days, depending on the prevailing temperatures.

In contrast to many other stapeliads, the stems of this Orbea branch out underground, giving the appearance of multiple stems. This makes propagating the plants a bit complicated. With a good number of species from genera such as Echidnopsis, Huernia, Orbea, and Stapelia, one only needs to twist a stem from the attachment point to get a cleanly separated branch. But for this species and its subspecies, digging the underground, almost rhizomatous stems will be necessary, but this brings the risk of damaging some roots and inviting fungal attacks. Alternatively, a stem portion can be severed using a sterilized blade, but this of course leaves an unattractive appearance to the plant.

I am currently growing this plant in a clay pot that is about right, size-wise. Which is probably not a really good decision. Stapeliads strongly resent root disturbance, and even when very carefully done, often will exhibit some setting back by slowing down in growth. Larger pots allow the plants to develop better root systems and insulate them from temperature extremes. Importantly too, repotting is delayed, even altogether eliminated.

Potting mix consists of a mixture of pumice, basalt, sedimentary rocks, and laterite. Liquid fertilizers are applied twice a month. Now that the rainy season has begun, growth has notably picked up, and I can see tiny nubs from developing stems starting to peek out from the soil. I reckon that this specimen will have fully outgrown its pot before the year ends.

Can you see the buds forming on at least two of the stems? 

I have seen photos of these plants with stems almost covered with rows of flowers, and that is the ultimate goal. Maybe when this plant has reached its first year it will also be robust enough to provide me with such a show.

But I need to repot it first.

*I may be wrong though! If I am, kindly point it out to me.