Origin and Habitat: South Africa. Orbea lepidaSN|19775]]SN|19775]] was raised from seed sent from South Africa by Scholl (ex Jacquin), cultivated specimens!

• Orbea lepida (Jacq.) Haw.
• Stapelia lepida Jacq.
• Stissera lepida (Jacq.) Kuntze

• Orbea variegata (L.) Haw.
• Stapelia variegata L.
• Stisseria variegata (L.) Kuntze
• Orbea anguinea (Jacq.) Haw.
• Stapelia anguinea Jacq.
• Stisseria anguina (Jacq.) Kuntze
• Orbea atrata (Tod.)
• Stapelia atrata Tod.
• Orbea atropurpurea (Salm-Dyck)
• Stapelia atropurpurea Salm-Dyck
• Stisseria atropurpurea (Salm-Dyck) Kuntze
• Orbea bisulca Haw.
• Stapelia bisulca (Haw.) Donn
• Stisseria bisulca (Haw.) Kuntze
• Orbea bufonia (Jacq.) Haw.
• Stapelia bufonia Jacq.
• Stisseria bufonia (Jacq.) Kuntze
• Orbea ciliolata (Tod.)
• Stapelia ciliolata Tod.
• Orbea ciliolulata (Tod. ex Rüst)
• Stapelia ciliolulata Tod. ex Rüst
• Orbea clypeata (Jacq.) Haw.
• Stapelia clypeata Jacq.
• Stisseria clypeata (Jacq.) Kuntze
• Orbea conspurcata (Willd.) Schult.
• Stapelia conspurcata Willd.
• Stisseria conspurcata (Willd.) Kuntze
• Orbea curtisii Haw.
• Stapelia curtisii (Haw.) Schult.
• Stisseria curtisii (Haw.) Kuntze
• Orbea hispida (Horn ex Rüst)
• Stapelia hispida Horn ex Rüst
• Orbea horizontalis (N.E.Br.)
• Stapelia horizontalis N.E.Br.
• Orbea inodora Haw.
• Stapelia inodora (Haw.) Decne.
• Stisseria inodora (Decne.) Kuntze
• Orbea lepida (Jacq.) Haw.
• Stapelia lepida Jacq.
• Stissera lepida (Jacq.) Kuntze
• Orbea marginata (Willd.) Schult.
• Stapelia marginata Willd.
• Stissera marginata (Willd.) Kuntze
• Orbea marmorata (Jacq.) Schult. in Roem. & Schult.
• Stapelia marmorata Jacq.
• Stisseria marmorata (Jacq.) Kuntze
• Orbea mixta (Masson) Haw.
• Stapelia mixta Masson
• Stisseria mixta (Masson) Kuntze
• Orbea natalensis (Rüst)
• Stapelia natalensis Rüst
• Orbea normalis (Jacq.) Schult. in Roem. & Schult.
• Stapelia normalis Jacq.
• Stisseria normalis (Jacq.) Kuntze
• Orbea obliqua (Willd.)
• Stapelia obliqua Willd.
• Stisseria obliqua (Willd.) Kuntze
• Tromotriche obliqua (Willd.) Don
• Orbea ophiuncula (Haw.)
• Stapelia ophiuncula
• Orbea orbicularis (Andrews) Haw.
• Stapelia orbicularis Andrews
• Stisseria orbicularis (Andrews) Kuntze
• Orbea picta (Donn) Haw.
• Stapelia picta Donn
• Stisseria picta (Donn) Kuntze
• Orbea planiflora (Jacq.) Don
• Stapelia planiflora Jacq.
• Stisseria planiflora (Jacq.) Kuntze
• Orbea putida (A.Berger)
• Stapelia putida A.Berger
• Orbea quinquenervia Haw.
• Stapelia quinquenervis (Haw.) Schult.
• Stisseria quinquenervis (Schult.) Kuntze
• Orbea retusa Haw.
• Stapelia retusa (Haw.) Schult. in Roem. & Schult.
• Stisseria retusa (Haw.) Kuntze
• Orbea rugosa (Jacq.) Don
• Stapelia rugosa Jacq.
• Stisseria rugosa (Jacq.) Kuntze
• Orbea scutellata (Tod.)
• Stapelia scutellata Tod.
• Orbea scylla (hort.)
• Stapelia scylla hort.
• Orbea trisulca (Donn)
• Stapelia trisulca Donn
• Orbea variegata var. brevicornis (N.E.Br.)
• Stapelia variegata var. brevicornis N.E.Br.
• Orbea variegata var. pallida (N.E.Br.)
• Stapelia variegata var. pallida N.E.Br.
• Orbea variegata var. prometheus (Dammann ex Rüst)
• Orbea woodfordiana Haw.
• Stapelia woodfordiana hort. ex Haw.
• Stisseria woodfordiana (Haw.) Kuntze
• Gonostemon х marginatus (A.C.White & B.Sloane) P.V.Heath

Description: Orbea lepidaSN|19768]]SN|19775]] (syn= Stapelia lepidaSN|19776]]SN|19776]]) is a fleshy-stemmed, perennial succulent member of the Asclepiadaceae family very like Orbea variegataSN|19775]]SN|19768]], but the branches are green not glaucescent, and its flowers are very much smaller and have a different appearance. Pedicels usually twin. Corolla greenish yellow to sulphur-yellow with purple-brown dots with a paler circular bulge (or annulus) around the corona scattered with smaller purple spots. Outer branch of inner corona subulate acute inner one obtuse. However it is hard to tell apart one from the other by body characteristic. In accordance with the variability of the species Orbea lepidaSN|19768]]SN|19775]] is invalid and nowadays considered as a synonym of Orbea variegataSN|19775]]SN|19768]].
Habit: Compactly branched, glabrous in all parts, it form small clumps or mats.
Stems: 5-7.5 cm long, 8-10 mm thick, glabrous.
**Flowers:*** 1–2 together near the base of the stems, successively developed. Pedicels 18-25 mm long. Sepals 4-5 mm long, ovate, acute or acuminate. Corolla rather small, about 3.5-4 cm in diameter, with a distinct annulus on the disk; inner face transversely rugose on the lobes, granulate-tuberculate on the annulus, glabrous and not ciliate, sulphur-yellow, covered with rather small irregularly scattered dark purple-brown spots, without intermingling lines, those on the paler annulus smaller than those on the lobes, which are about 12 mm long, broadly ovate, acute; annulus with a recurved-spreading acute margin. Outer corona-lobes 3 mm long, 1.5-2 mm broad, oblong, emarginate or bifid, sometimes with a minute tooth at the base of the notch, very pale, greenish or greenish-yellow, with or without a central suffused and dotted stripe extending to about 2/3 of the way up or some dots around the teeth. Inner corona-lobes 2-horned, pale yellow or greenish, with or without purple-brown dots; inner horn 3-3.5 mm long, erect, recurving at the slightly clavate apex; outer horn ascending-spreading, half as long as the inner or shorter, subulate.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) N. E. Brown. “Flora Capensis”, Vol 4, 1909
2) George Don “A General System of Gardening and Botany” Rivington, 1838

Cultivation and Propagation: Orbea lepidaSN|19775]]SN|19775]] is very easy to grow, it is the ideal plant for beginners.
Soil: Use a gritty, well-drained soil pH 7,5 to 8,5 (mildly alkaline).
Exposure: It needs Light shade to full sun (but tolerate shadow).
Temperature: It is very resistant to heat, and will also tolerate quite cold temperatures and light frost too (in good condition), best in a ventilated environment.
Moisture: Water regularly during the growing season, keep dry in winter.
Pests and diseases: It is quite resistant to the “Balck spot” disease of Asclepiads.
Propagation: It is easily propagated by removing a cutting, sometimes with roots attached, in spring and summer, But seeds germinate readily if they are sown when fresh.