Frerea indica Photo by: Julio C. García
Origin and Habitat: North-western India (Poona, Maharashtra)
Habitat: Grows in large flattish patches on bare rock hillside, at an altitude of 1000 metres.
Synonyms:
Description: The most notable characteristic of this plant is that the stems bear succulent leaves (Oddest is that unique Caralluma-with-leaves, one of the few at all common in cultivation )
Stems: Thick , succulent, creeping, cylindrical from small roundish root-tuber, ascending or growing as a ground cover, sbrubbily branched, approx 10 (15) cm long, green, tinged whitish, terete or indistinctly 4-angled, fleshy.
Leaves: Produces seasonal leaves , only produced in the wet season, deciduous in the dry season. Leaves are succulent ± 2.5 x 1 cm., oblong, obtuse or subacute, fleshy, subsessile.
Flowers: Solitary or in pairs, star-shaped, with short lobes, dark red striped with yellow, hairy on the margin.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Focke Albers, Ulrich Meve “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Asclepiadaceae: Asclepiadaceae” Volume 4 Springer Science & Business Media, 2002
Frerea indica Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Frerea indica Photo by: Julio C. García Frerea indica Photo by: Raffa C. Garcia Frerea indica Photo by: Luiza Ferreira - This is the only stapeliad with true, fleshy and well developed leaves (caducous in the dry season). Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Frerea indica Photo by: Raffa C. Garcia Frerea indica Photo by: Raffa C. Garcia Frerea indica Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Cultivation and Propagation: It is a relatively quick-growing species and not as difficult to cultivate as was originally thought. It can stand drought for quite a period, which is the only time when it loose its leaves. Keep dry in Winter. Water a little more than other succulents in Summer.
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by Luiza Ferreira
by Valentino Vallicelli