A flower with a very 'manly' scent

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Orbea abayensis was described in 1978 Michael George Gilbert, but as Caralluma abayensis. Peter Vincent Bruyns transferred it to Orbea in 2000. The species name was derived from Abay River in Ethiopia, the so-called 'Blue Nile'. These plants occur on ledges on alluvial soils deposited above gypsum, at elevations from 1200-2300 m above sea level. Alluvial soils are often loamy with very fine sand components and carried by flood waters to be deposited many miles further, when the flooding subsides. Such soils are highly fertile.

Compared to many other stapeliads, O. abayensis appreciates more moisture, with its soil preferably more loamy and nutrient rich, and calcareous. However, these plants are very amenable in cultivation using other substrate materials, for as long as it is not overly laden with organic matter, or there is risk of plants rotting or stems collapsing from too much stored nitrogen. My plant is maintained in a purely inorganic mix in full sun, and watered at least once a week. Five pellets of balanced time-release fertilizer provides the nutrients it needs. Under this regime, the plant has substantially increased in diameter after having been received as a single, unrooted cutting in November last year.

The flowers of my O. abayensis are 3.8 cm in diameter, and smell strongly of semen. This odor is already detectable even when the bud is just starting to open in the morning, and strong enough to attract ants. When fully open, usually already quite late in the afternoon, the scent wafts perceptibly even from a slight breeze. At close range, the odor can be unbearably puke-inducing, particularly for those with sensitive olfactory faculties. By night, the smell changes to the rotting meat odor typical of many stapeliads, but detectable only if you put your nose close. The flower is closed the following morning, no doubt exhausted from the tremendous energy expended to produce such a powerful scent just for the sake of attracting potential pollinators. If you are considering this plant, consider yourself warned. Nevertheless, the coriaceous flowers are quaintly handsome, with a rich shade of brown seldom seen in flowers. The surface is very finely papillate, which lend the flowers a velvety appearance, although in reality, it is quite rough to the touch.

The jutting corona of O. abayensis is clearly seen in this photo.

Ants entering the protruding corona prior to full anthesis.
More flowers coming up.

An ant explores the man-juice scented flower... 

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