Carrion Flower Royalty-Free Stock Image

The genus Stapelia consists of 40 species of succulent plants. The hairy, oddly textured and colored appearance of many Stapelia flowers resembles that of rotting meat. This, coupled with their foul odor, has earned members of the Stapelia genus the common name of carrion flowers. These odors serve to attract various pollinators including blow flies. The flies lay eggs in the center of the Stapelia flower, convinced it is rotting meat that will be a food source for the larvae once they hatch. Parts of Stapelia gigantea have been reported to be used by the Zulu tribe as a remedy for hysteria.